# Home Remedies



## Steve Kroll (Oct 6, 2013)

I've had joint pain for about 10 years now, but it's gotten progressively worse since I turned 50 a few years ago. Mostly I get it in my shoulders, knees, and ankles. A lot of it stems back to old sport injuries and things that just never healed quite right.

I used to take ibuprofen to help with the pain, but it was something I didn't really like taking. Then, about two years ago, a friend of mine who is going through the same thing told me that he drinks juice with ginger extract to help relieve the pain. At first I thought it was a lot of hooey, but he swore by it.

So I decided to give it a try. Every morning I would use the juicer to make a concoction of apples, carrots, beets, lemon, and a knob of ginger. I found that it helped tremendously. The swelling in my joints was noticeably improved and I could go 8-10 hours without much pain. 

These days, I make a brew in the morning of 2 cups of water to which I add about an inch of ginger root, very thinly sliced. I then boil it for 15 minutes, and strain the liquid into a mug. To this I add a green tea bag and some honey.

This simple home remedy provides much better relief then I ever got from taking pills.

So this got me to thinking, are there other home remedies that DCers swear by?


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 6, 2013)

I'm about to go steep some chamomile tea bags for my night time brew before bed.  My left ear is feeling stuffy so I will let the tea bags chill a bit and put over my ear to help it drain.  Have not had an ear infection since I started doing this, I was used to having them at least two or three times a year.


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## CWS4322 (Oct 7, 2013)

I swear by a "tea" of tomato juice (from tomatoes from my garden), garlic, lemon juice, and chopped up fresh cayenne pepper when I'm getting a cold. It seems to knock the cold on its butt if I start drinking this concoction when I first notice I'm feeling under the weather.

For bruises, I apply witch hazel topically. Horse people do that with horses that "bang" their chests against their stalls and develop hematomas. A friend who is an ortho nurse told me that they apply witch hazel to the bruises ortho patients have following surgery and it works. (She also owns horses...). When my mother broke her hip, she had a rather large hematoma. The home-care nurse said it would probably spread and cover her whole leg. I applied witch hazel a couple of times / day to the site. The following week when the home-care nurse returned, she was amazed that the hematoma was almost gone and hadn't spread down my mother's leg.


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## Hoot (Oct 7, 2013)

While modern medicine has made wonderful strides in aiding the human condition, sometimes the old ways are still very beneficial. Seems like every time I turn around, there is a new pill for this ailment or that problem. There are generally numerous and sundry side effects that, in my mind, usually have the potential of being worse than the ailment. Another thing that disturbs me is the seeming lack of communication between doctors when a person is being treated by more than one physician. My mother was taking more than 23 different medications from four doctors from Greenville to Va Beach before she left us. I feel certain that some of the issues she was experiencing stemmed from the interactions of some of these medications. 
Thankfully, despite a few aches and pains from growing older, I have little need of medications. Sometimes more is not better, it's just more. As always this is just MHO.


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## Andy M. (Oct 7, 2013)

Hoot you make some good points.  Just because modern medicine has made great strides that doesn't mean older remedies don't work.

To look at the other side of the coin.  I am confounded by people who are suffering and/or risk their long term health because they don't want to be dependent on pills.


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## Steve Kroll (Oct 7, 2013)

Hoot, I'm always a little concerned when I see drug ads stating "possible side effects include death". 

But really, I'm just looking for home remedies that DCers have tried.


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## Andy M. (Oct 7, 2013)

a strong ginger tea is good for nausea.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 7, 2013)

Peppermint tea for stomach upset, add in thyme for a head cold.


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## Hoot (Oct 7, 2013)

My great Aunt ( grandmother's sister) suffered from occasional bouts of gout. She swore that cherries helped.


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## Steve Kroll (Oct 7, 2013)

Hoot said:


> My great Aunt ( grandmother's sister) suffered from occasional bouts of gout. She swore that cherries helped.



My BIL says the same thing. In fact, a few years back I made a batch of Cherry wine, some of which I sent to him labeled as "Uncle Dougie's Gout Medicine".


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## jabbur (Oct 7, 2013)

I've heard folks get arthritis relief from gin soaked raisins.  Never tried it myself.  My "arthritis" is still in the acute phase.  Only notice it from overuse. It's not a daily pain yet.


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## pacanis (Oct 7, 2013)

"concoction of apples, carrots, beets, lemon, and a knob of ginger"

I'll stick to a pill, lol.


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## Andy M. (Oct 7, 2013)

Steve Kroll said:


> My BIL says the same thing. In fact, a few years back I made a batch of Cherry wine, some of which I sent to him labeled as "Uncle Dougie's Gout Medicine".




Cherries worked for my neighbor as well.


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## Zhizara (Oct 7, 2013)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Peppermint tea for stomach upset, add in thyme for a head cold.



Thyme tea is also great for coughs and brochial problems. 

I take a lot of herbal medicines for high blood pressure (Valerian and Hawthorne berry capsules , as well as red hibiscus flower tea, which is a beautiful dark red and tastes like citrus).


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## taxlady (Oct 7, 2013)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I'm about to go steep some chamomile tea bags for my night time brew before bed.  My left ear is feeling stuffy so I will let the tea bags chill a bit and put over my ear to help it drain.  Have not had an ear infection since I started doing this, I was used to having them at least two or three times a year.


Chamomile is good for sore eyes and eye infections too. First the cold teabag, and then cotton balls dipped in the cooled tea.


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## Aunt Bea (Oct 7, 2013)

Bay leaves fresh or dried on you or in you are supposed to be good for all sorts of things from relieving joint pain to relieving congestion when you have a cold. 

I also believe that many of the spices we use in winter baking are good for us.  

Ground ginger is supposed the relieve nausea and also help with colds.

Cloves to relieve a toothache.

Nutmeg for pain relief, sleeping, digestion.

I think we have lost touch with many of these things as we have moved away from being a rural/agricultural society.  Many of these things were common knowledge to grade school kids years ago.


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## Steve Kroll (Oct 7, 2013)

pacanis said:


> "concoction of apples, carrots, beets, lemon, and a knob of ginger"
> 
> I'll stick to a pill, lol.



It's actually a lot tastier than it sounds. Even my wife, a card-carrying beet hater loves that drink. I just got a little burnt out on it after drinking it for 6 months straight.


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## Zhizara (Oct 7, 2013)

Wow, Aunt Bea!

It sounds like a nightly tea of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger in a Peppermint tea wound be a great daily nightcap would be perfect for me.  I'll try that tonight, I've got all the ingredients on hand.  Thanks for the idea!  XOX


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 7, 2013)

Steve Kroll said:


> It's actually a lot tastier than it sounds. Even my wife, a card-carrying beet hater loves that drink. I just got a little burnt out on it after drinking it for 6 months straight.



Do you have a recipe with amounts, Steve?  Sounds like something I could switch out with my morning V-8.


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## Steve Kroll (Oct 7, 2013)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Do you have a recipe with amounts, Steve?  Sounds like something I could switch out with my morning V-8.



Yes, the amounts can vary but the basic recipe goes something like this:


3 good sized carrots
2 apples
1 lemon
1/2 red beet, peeled
1-inch knob of ginger, peeled

It so happens that I like a lot of ginger, so sometimes I'll double up the amount.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 7, 2013)

Thank you, Steve.


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## shells4 (Oct 7, 2013)

A couple drops of molasses  2-3 times a day on a canker sore helps it to heal quickly.  First drop really burns but after that it doesn't hurt at all.  I had one that lasted almost a month, prescription didn't help, 2 days of molasses and it was gone.  Works every time.

When you have the stomach flu it helps to drink jello while it is warm.  It coats your stomach to help relieve the nausea and gives you a little energy from the sugar.  Plus when you are sick it feels good to drink something warm.


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## Zhizara (Oct 8, 2013)

Zhizara said:


> Wow, Aunt Bea!
> 
> It sounds like a nightly tea of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger in a Peppermint tea wound be a great daily nightcap would be perfect for me.  I'll try that tonight, I've got all the ingredients on hand.  Thanks for the idea!  XOX



I made this tea for my bedtime cordial, and the only thing it needed was a tablespoon of honey which is also a great antibiotic.  YUM! 

Nighty night.  Mmmmm - ZzZzzzz.


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## Rocket_J_Dawg (Oct 9, 2013)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I'm about to go steep some chamomile tea bags for my night time brew before bed. My left ear is feeling stuffy so I will let the tea bags chill a bit and put over my ear to help it drain. Have not had an ear infection since I started doing this, I was used to having them at least two or three times a year.


I get the same thing but with my right ear. Do you let the tea bag get cold?


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## Addie (Oct 9, 2013)

Whenever anyone in the family get a bee/hornet sting, I make a moist paste of MSG and apply. Stops the pain and makes it easier to remove the stinger.


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## Mad Cook (Oct 9, 2013)

Addie said:


> Whenever anyone in the family get a bee/hornet sting, I make a moist paste of MSG and apply. Stops the pain and makes it easier to remove the stinger.


In Girl Guides we were taught "Vinegar for wasps; Bicarbonate for bees" ie cures for stings

My other go to thing when I have a mouth ulcer is honey. It removes any nasty gunk from the ulcer, and my dad used to swear by it as a topical treatment for his psoriasis flare ups.


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## Addie (Oct 9, 2013)

Mad Cook said:


> In Girl Guides we were taught "Vinegar for wasps; Bicarbonate for bees" ie cures for stings
> 
> My other go to thing when I have a mouth ulcer is honey. It removes any nasty gunk from the ulcer, and my dad used to swear by it as a topical treatment for his psoriasis flare ups.



I used to get the  Psoriasis Letter and in it folks would list some of the things they used. The most popular one that I remember was apple cider vinegar. I prefer the ointment that I am presently using. It cost $503 a tube. So glad I don't have to pay for it. I use about two tubes a month.


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## purple.alien.giraffe (Oct 9, 2013)

My parents always put meat tenderizer disolved into hot warm water on our stings. The logic was that meat tenderisers break down protiens and bee/hornet/wasp venom is a protien. Don't remember how well it workes.

Honey is supposed to have all sorts of anti-bacterial properties. I wish I could find the article I read about it being useful in treating MRSA. All I can find at the moment are a bunch of "articles" that are basically adds. The one I read talked about honey being a super-saturated solution so it tends to draw water out of cells. It dehydrates some types of bacteria. There is also an enzyme in it that might kill bacteria. 

When our cat had problems with fleas both he and I had not so fun reactions to all the treatmemts. We found a bunch of people recommended rosemerry tea as a treatment. We checked animal poison control and rosemary wasn't listed as harmful to cats so we tried it. It worked really well and no nasty reactions!


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 9, 2013)

Rocket_J_Dawg said:


> I get the same thing but with my right ear. Do you let the tea bag get cold?



No, just cool enough it doesn't burn me, you want it to be hot.  Cold one's I put on my eyes...actually I use any cold/cool ones (anything but mint, it stings) on my eyes.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 9, 2013)

purple.alien.giraffe said:


> My parents always put meat tenderizer disolved into hot warm water on our stings. The logic was that meat tenderisers break down protiens and bee/hornet/wasp venom is a protien. Don't remember how well it workes.
> 
> Honey is supposed to have all sorts of anti-bacterial properties. I wish I could find the article I read about it being useful in treating MRSA. All I can find at the moment are a bunch of "articles" that are basically adds. The one I read talked about honey being a super-saturated solution so it tends to draw water out of cells. It dehydrates some types of bacteria. There is also an enzyme in it that might kill bacteria.
> 
> When our cat had problems with fleas both he and I had not so fun reactions to all the treatmemts. We found a bunch of people recommended rosemerry tea as a treatment. We checked animal poison control and rosemary wasn't listed as harmful to cats so we tried it. It worked really well and no nasty reactions!



Honey is used medically as a wound healer, for the reasons you list.  I for one have never seen mold on honey or in plain sugar/sugar solution.  It's only when other things get added that you can get mold.

Google Medihoney...that is the brand name.  It's cheaper to buy local honey and use it.


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## Mad Cook (Oct 13, 2013)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Honey is used medically as a wound healer, for the reasons you list. I for one have never seen mold on honey or in plain sugar/sugar solution. It's only when other things get added that you can get mold.
> 
> Google Medihoney...that is the brand name. It's cheaper to buy local honey and use it.


Apparently, when they opened Tutankhamen's tomb they found jars of honey that were perfectly sound and edible (not that I'd want to be the one to test it).

One of the hospitals in the Manchester (England) area, which is held to be THE burns unit in the country, has been using honey on severe burns for some years. And I read not long ago that there is a study somewhere into the use of honey for healing bed-sores in long term bed-ridden patients.

Unfortunately honey has a bit of a jokey rep in Britain as there used to be a rather flamboyant English authoress of regency bodice-rippers, called Barbara Cartland who swore by honey for everything you could think of from putting on your bread to preserving your youth. (I seriously hope you haven't come across this woman's books because they were awful. She was trying to ape Georgette Heyer and not succeeding by miles. Mainly because GH researched her backgrounds so well and wrote intelligently. Neither of which BC did.)


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## pacanis (Oct 13, 2013)

I've heard of using a meat tenderizer paste on stings, too, PAG. It's supposed to work very well.


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## Addie (Oct 13, 2013)

Mad Cook said:


> Apparently, when they opened Tutankhamen's tomb they found jars of honey that were perfectly sound and edible (not that I'd want to be the one to test it).
> 
> One of the hospitals in the Manchester (England) area, which is held to be THE burns unit in the country, has been using honey on severe burns for some years. And I read not long ago that there is a study somewhere into the use of honey for healing bed-sores in long term bed-ridden patients.
> 
> Unfortunately honey has a bit of a jokey rep in Britain as there used to be a rather flamboyant English authoress of regency bodice-rippers, called Barbara Cartland who swore by honey for everything you could think of from putting on your bread to preserving your youth. (I seriously hope you haven't come across this woman's books because they were awful. She was trying to ape Georgette Heyer and not succeeding by miles. Mainly because GH researched her backgrounds so well and wrote intelligently. Neither of which BC did.)



  Oh yes. I have heard of BC. She had this so called claim to being related to QEII. And the makeup! Good Grief! Was there any left in the Kingdom for anyone else? I think it all was on her face. I remember seeing her doing an interview. She had on a negligee spread across a chaise lounge and had the most awful British accent I have ever heard. Even worse than one from Yorkshire. You couldn't understand one word she was saying. Quite a character.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 13, 2013)

Mad Cook said:


> Apparently, when they opened Tutankhamen's tomb they found jars of honey that were perfectly sound and edible (not that I'd want to be the one to test it).
> 
> One of the hospitals in the Manchester (England) area, which is held to be THE burns unit in the country, has been using honey on severe burns for some years. *And I read not long ago that there is a study somewhere into the use of honey for healing bed-sores in long term bed-ridden patients.*



We have been using medical honey for years at my facility.  You wouldn't believe how many elderly come to us with bed sores.  We get them healed, they go home and are back in 2 or 3 months with another bed sore.


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## Addie (Oct 13, 2013)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> We have been using medical honey for years at my facility.  You wouldn't believe how many elderly come to us with bed sores.  We get them healed, they go home and are back in 2 or 3 months with another bed sore.



I remember when I was in the hospital after having my first child, a woman came in from a nursing home. She had been on bed rest for most of her pregnancy. She had a huge bedsore on her hip. One of the nurses was outraged. She wanted to report the home. I can clearly hear her saying in a loud voice so that all the nurses on the floor could hear her say, "Bedsores are caused from bad nursing." The patient started to cry when the nurse put the first wet strip of whatever it was on the sore. "This is the first time anyone has even really looked at it." She was so grateful. The head nurse used that patient to teach all the nurses about bedsores. She used to hold classes when it was time to change the dressings. Some of the nurses had never even seen one. Even some of the young doctors were sickened by it.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 13, 2013)

Addie said:


> I remember when I was in the hospital after having my first child, a woman came in from a nursing home. She had been on bed rest for most of her pregnancy. She had a huge bedsore on her hip. One of the nurses was outraged. She wanted to report the home. I can clearly hear her saying in a loud voice so that all the nurses on the floor could hear her say, "Bedsores are caused from bad nursing." The patient started to cry when the nurse put the first wet strip of whatever it was on the sore. "This is the first time anyone has even really looked at it." She was so grateful. The head nurse used that patient to teach all the nurses about bedsores. She used to hold classes when it was time to change the dressings. Some of the nurses had never even seen one. Even some of the young doctors were sickened by it.



It used to be bedsores came from nursing homes, with short staff and untrained help.  These days, for the most part, they come from home or the hospital with bedsores.  And then there are the patients who are non-compliant with pressure reduction strategies.  We have a few paraplegics who are young and sit in their chairs all day, they have the worst pressure ulcers (bedsores).  Can you imagine being in your 40's or 50's and needing to stay in a nursing home because you _will not_ take care of yourself?


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## MrsLMB (Oct 13, 2013)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> These days, for the most part, they come from home or the hospital with bedsores. QUOTE]
> 
> We moved to Ohio from Oregon to be near my DH parents.  When we got here his Dad was not well.  He had Alzheimers.  The family was trying to care for him at home but it was not working.  He spent the majority of his time in bed.  I will never forget how horrible his hips were.  Both sides - huge and deep bedsores.
> 
> ...


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## taxlady (Oct 13, 2013)

I was taught that unless a patient was in traction and was not turning themselves, they had to be turned minimum of every 8 hours, preferably every 2 hours. And, if there was a red spot from pressure, to massage it.


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## taxlady (Oct 13, 2013)

MrsLMB, it's not just your in-laws that are greedy. My dad's half sister was like that. My dad's mum's husband was also his sister's dad, but not his. She felt she had more right to inheritance than my dad or their brother. My grandparents were considering the purchase of a colour TV, back when they were brand new and very expensive. My mum told them to go ahead and buy it if they wanted it. They were retired with pensions and a paid off condo. They didn't need to save for their old age. 

My aunt was outraged, because we were encouraging her parents to waste her inheritance on frivolous stuff. 

When my grandmother died, my aunt tried to insist that the condo was worth about $1,500, so my parents should get half and she would take the condo. This was a renovated-to-modern condo in a gorgeous building in downtown Stockholm, a city with a housing shortage at the time.


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## Addie (Oct 13, 2013)

I have nothing of value to leave to my kids to fight over. During the six years I have been living in this building, I have slowly been giving my kids a lot of the things they have expressed an interest. Because my daughter and Poo pretty much have their own home and everything they need, most of what I have given away went to Spike. The Pirate lives more simply than I do and has no interest in anything I own. My jewelry will got to my daughter's youngest child. It is not much, but she has expressed that I have a couple of pieces she really likes. Two of my kids have the PIN to my bank account so either one can empty the account immediately. Since my daughter and Poo will be sharing the expense of my funeral, any cash is to be divided between them. They all know what my wishes are. All I can do is hope they follow them.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 13, 2013)

MrsLMB said:


> PrincessFiona60 said:
> 
> 
> > These days, for the most part, they come from home or the hospital with bedsores. QUOTE]
> ...


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## Addie (Oct 13, 2013)

Pf, when you leave a large wound open to the air, doesn't it have to be debride? When I had the open wound on my leg, it was debrided so many times that I got so I could do it myself and not have to go to the doctor's office to have it done. A pair of sterile suture scissors and I was in business. I was thinking of opening my own office.


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## Alix (Oct 13, 2013)

I swear by garlic (raw) for strep throat. Yes you heard me. It burns like heck when it hits the infection but kills those germs ASAP. Wash it down with wine (antiseptic) and you are good to go. 

I'm a big peppermint/ginger fan for upset tummies. 

I recently tried a nutmeg trick that we learned in St Lucia. When you have a headache dampen a cloth with cool water, then grate some fresh nutmeg on to it and place on your forehead. It WORKS! They swear that nutmeg is also good for an angina attack but I've not tried that. 

I've done the honey on the wound thing too. I read a book once where they smeared a piece of paper with honey and slapped it on a chest wound and they got the guy to hospital. Weird. 

OMG and tea tree oil (topically) for a LOT of stuff. Anything fungal (candida) will be killed by tea tree. I also put some in my shampoo when there has been a lice run in our workplace. Blech!


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 13, 2013)

Addie said:


> Pf, when you leave a large wound open to the air, doesn't it have to be debride? When I had the open wound on my leg, it was debrided so many times that I got so I could do it myself and not have to go to the doctor's office to have it done. A pair of sterile suture scissors and I was in business. I was thinking of opening my own office.



The trick is to NOT let it dry out, if it gets dried out it has to be debrided with scalpel and scissors.  The way I describe, it is gently debrided twice a day allowing it to breathe but stay moist so you don't build up a scab.  Never leave it completely open to air, you just don't want to seal it, that breeds bacteria faster.  Next skin tear, try it out...not that I am hoping you get a skin tear to prove my point...


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## Addie (Oct 13, 2013)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> The trick is to NOT let it dry out, if it gets dried out it has to be debrided with scalpel and scissors.  The way I describe, it is gently debrided twice a day allowing it to breathe but stay moist so you don't build up a scab.  Never leave it completely open to air, you just don't want to seal it, that breeds bacteria faster.  Next skin tear, try it out...not that I am hoping you get a skin tear to prove my point...



Aha! My problem was that I was changing my own dressing. I was in so much pain, that it took me forever to get the clean dressing on it. So it was exposed to the air for a while until I could get it covered up again. Then next time I would change it, sure enough there would be black tissue around the edges. Once they opened up the artery to my leg and put a stent in, it started healing immediately. You could see the difference the next day. I had absolutely no blood flow to my leg.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 13, 2013)

Alix said:


> I swear by garlic (raw) for strep throat. Yes you heard me. It burns like heck when it hits the infection but kills those germs ASAP. Wash it down with wine (antiseptic) and you are good to go.
> 
> I'm a big peppermint/ginger fan for upset tummies.
> 
> ...



Yes, Tea Tree Oil, I use that as a soak when my toes get itchy.  Works wonders.  The podiatrist gave me a Tea Tree spray that evaporates quickly to spray on my toes, he about came unglued when he found out I was soaking my feet...something a diabetic is not supposed to do.


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## Addie (Oct 13, 2013)

Alix said:


> I swear by garlic (raw) for strep throat. Yes you heard me. It burns like heck when it hits the infection but kills those germs ASAP. Wash it down with wine (antiseptic) and you are good to go.
> 
> I'm a big peppermint/ginger fan for upset tummies.
> 
> ...



Garlic is also great for cleaning out worms in kids. There was an epidemic of that going around the school. Sure enough my daughter came home with them. The old Italian nonni told me about the garlic. Gone by nightfall. Of course my daughter stunk of garlic for a couple of days and refused to go to school.


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## Addie (Oct 13, 2013)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Yes, Tea Tree Oil, I use that as a soak when my toes get itchy.  Works wonders.  The podiatrist gave me a Tea Tree spray that evaporates quickly to spray on my toes, he about came unglued when he found out I was soaking my feet...something a diabetic is not supposed to do.



I didn't know that either. Is there a reason why not? I never soak mine. It is too difficult for me to bend over and pick up the tub. I pass out every time I bend over for even a short length of time.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 13, 2013)

Addie said:


> Aha! My problem was that I was changing my own dressing. I was in so much pain, that it took me forever to get the clean dressing on it. So it was exposed to the air for a while until I could get it covered up again. Then next time I would change it, sure enough there would be black tissue around the edges. Once they opened up the artery to my leg and put a stent in, it started healing immediately. You could see the difference the next day. I had absolutely no blood flow to my leg.



Ii is amazing how fast you can heal with good blood flow

One of my frequent teaching lessons is, if there is blood on a dressing, that is a good sign.  It means there is healing going on and good tissue growth.  

Obviously I am not talking about blood that is soaking through a dressing in minutes, that is an ER problem.  But red blood is better than green goo...


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 13, 2013)

Addie said:


> I didn't know that either. Is there a reason why not? I never soak mine. It is too difficult for me to bend over and pick up the tub. I pass out every time I bend over for even a short length of time.



Many diabetics have neuropathy and cannot feel pain in their feet, that means they can burn their feet if the water is too hot and never know it until an ulcer starts.  The other reason is, soaking can allow feet to crack, another source of infection if a diabetic cannot check their own feet daily.  You are also not supposed to lotion between your toes.  I use alcohol wipes to make sure they are dry before putting on my shoes and socks., Gold Bond powder in my shoes. Aside from the one funky toenail that went bye-bye, the podiatrist was amazed at what good shape my feet were in for someone who has been standing all her life.

I've always taken good care of my feet...shoes that fit, no high heels and arch support.


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## Addie (Oct 13, 2013)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Many diabetics have neuropathy and cannot feel pain in their feet, that means they can burn their feet if the water is too hot and never know it until an ulcer starts.  The other reason is, soaking can allow feet to crack, another source of infection if a diabetic cannot check their own feet daily.  You are also not supposed to lotion between your toes.  I use alcohol wipes to make sure they are dry before putting on my shoes and socks., Gold Bond powder in my shoes. Aside from the one funky toenail that went bye-bye, the podiatrist was amazed at what good shape my feet were in for someone who has been standing all her life.
> 
> I've always taken good care of my feet...shoes that fit, no high heels and arch support.



My feet are in very good shape for a diabetic. But I still make regular visits to the podiatrists office. He may see something I missed. I forgot about the neuropathy. So far I haven't come down with that. How I have missed out on it, I have no idea. Heavens knows I have everything else wrong with me.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 13, 2013)

Addie said:


> My feet are in very good shape for a diabetic. But I still make regular visits to the podiatrists office. He may see something I missed. I forgot about the neuropathy. So far I haven't come down with that. How I have missed out on it, I have no idea. Heavens knows I have everything else wrong with me.



I don't have it and I don't want it.  Dad is very particular about what he eats when others are watching, but he pigs out on foods he shouldn't when he thinks no one sees.  How do I know this???  Because his HbA1C is always off, he's sneaking potato chips!!!  Now he has neuropathy, for an intelligent man he can sure be a dunce at times.  I'm surprised Shrek isn't developing neuropathy, but the podiatrist said he was doing good.  Waiting is...


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## Zhizara (Oct 14, 2013)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Yes, Tea Tree Oil, I use that as a soak when my toes get itchy.  Works wonders.  The podiatrist gave me a Tea Tree spray that evaporates quickly to spray on my toes, he about came unglued when he found out I was soaking my feet...something a diabetic is not supposed to do.



What's wrong with a diabetic soaking feet?


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 14, 2013)

Zhizara said:


> What's wrong with a diabetic soaking feet?



I answered that one to Addie above.  Has to do with the loss of feeling in your feet.


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## Aunt Bea (Oct 14, 2013)

The biggest adjustment for me since becoming a diabetic is wearing shoes around the house, I hate it!

Grow old along with me!, The best is yet to be...

What a crock, Mr. Browning, what a crock!


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 14, 2013)

Aunt Bea said:


> The biggest adjustment for me since becoming a diabetic is wearing shoes around the house, I hate it!
> 
> Grow old along with me!, The best is yet to be...
> 
> What a crock, Mr. Browning, what a crock!



I still don't wear shoes around the house, only if I plan running outside.  Trying to get Shrek to wear them is a big enough chore, but then he is always stepping on something, stubbing his toes.  For a nurse, it's odd but feet are ick to me...I don't know why


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## Addie (Oct 14, 2013)

Zhizara said:


> What's wrong with a diabetic soaking feet?



See post #50. Excellent response.


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## Addie (Oct 14, 2013)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I still don't wear shoes around the house, only if I plan running outside.  Trying to get Shrek to wear them is a big enough chore, but then he is always stepping on something, stubbing his toes.  For a nurse, it's odd but feet are ick to me...I don't know why



Neither do I. Nice fuzzy warm slippers for me. Sometimes 'they' don't always know everything. Medicine is often a guessing game. That is why they call it a "practice." 

If I don't know, I ask. And then I will mull it over. If it makes sense to me, I will listen and follow. If not I will take parts of the info I have been given and agree with, and figure out the rest on my own. I often go with my own common sense and knowledge. I walk just fine in slippers.


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