I know this is way off topic but it is something we have to deal with on occasion. Short of going to a doctor, what home remedies or over the counter meds do you find work the best for you?
- posted
11 years ago
OT: home cold remedies or over the counter meds for colds
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- posted
11 years ago
Aspirin works well enough for me if I have a real congested or drippy nose. Hot tea with lots of lemon and sugar and, perhaps, a little brandy. Chest congestion....not to the point of difficult breathing, cause if you have that you go to the doc....long hot steamy shower. I don't like decongestants because they tend to make me feel wierd, but Alka Selzer Cold med. is pretty good.
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- posted
11 years ago
Before I was LDS, that is the recipe my family's old pediatrician reccomended for persistent cough. Honey, lemon, whiskey. Dispense by the teaspoon. Mom never did quite have a big enough teaspoon for my liking. Hic!
Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus
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Lemon
Honey (warmed)
Jack Daniel's No.7
In a large glass...
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11 years ago
I've read of using whiskey for babies' teething discomfort, but wasn't a believer until I tried it on a grandson. Age 1 yr, family wedding reception, crying too long. Got enough whiskey to wet the bottom of a glass, sprinkled in some sugar, dipped my finger in it and rubbed it on my bambino's gums. Voila! He was asleep in about 5 minutes. It couldn't have been more than one or two drops, but seemed to do the trick. I would NEVER give a kid alcohol to drink, and there is probably still some in children's meds. One of the worst meds is pseudoephedrine....it was prescribed quite often when my children were small, and it made my son so hyper he couldn't sit still.
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- posted
11 years ago
If it really is a cold, going to the doc won't help.
The doctor can treat a really bad symptom, but, as far as the cold itself, there's really not much he can do.
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11 years ago
I remember when I was like 4 or 5, my parents at least on one occasion used whiskey on a toothache of mine. I seem to remember it worked to deaden the pain. I don't recall if they did this on all my toothaches (had several as I remember).
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- posted
11 years ago
Actually on 2 occasions I did go to the doctor for a cold and he prescribed "z pack" medicine. I think these are antibiotics and they worked well for me both times. I hate going to doctors especially for just a cold but if I can't shake the cold I will because I don't want to get something more serious and then end up in a hospital. That's why I wanted to learn more about home remedies. I'm currently fighting a cold so this topic is foremost on my mind .
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- posted
11 years ago
I've also heard of whiskey for teething. I'd use that, if I had the occasion. Or, baby Anbesol, or equivilant.
Sudafed is a close relative of a stimulant, can't remember which one. Some people, it has no effect. Others, it is a stimulant. Some adults, same results.
Some kids with ADHD, strong stimulants calm them down. I'm told that for ordinary people, ritalin is a super duper stimulant. I've known of parents of five year old boy to give him coffee when he's hyper. Not Mormon parents, for sure!
Many Nyquill type remedies have alcohol. I don't give it a second thought, if I've got a killer cold, and I have a few drops of alcohol in my cold medicine. Some Mormons will friek out to hear that.
Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus
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I've read of using whiskey for babies' teething discomfort, but wasn't a believer until I tried it on a grandson. Age 1 yr, family wedding reception, crying too long. Got enough whiskey to wet the bottom of a glass, sprinkled in some sugar, dipped my finger in it and rubbed it on my bambino's gums. Voila! He was asleep in about 5 minutes. It couldn't have been more than one or two drops, but seemed to do the trick. I would NEVER give a kid alcohol to drink, and there is probably still some in children's meds. One of the worst meds is pseudoephedrine....it was prescribed quite often when my children were small, and it made my son so hyper he couldn't sit still.
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11 years ago
You both slept better?
Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus
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When my daughter was teething, crying, I dipped my finger in a bottle of "Jack". Just enough to wet the finger. She chewed and chewed. It sure helped both of us :-\
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- posted
11 years ago
I would not try that. ASA is irritant, topically.
Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus
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Mom had me lightly bite down on an aspirin for a toothache. Allow it to dissolve. It helped - some.
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- posted
11 years ago
I don't like antihistamine, especially with borderline high blood pressure. Aspirin or ibuprophin, as needed. They dont bother me at all, stomach wise. Onion soup, zinc, lots of gin or vodka, and much needed nasal blockage spray. Cough syrup DM.
Greg
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- posted
11 years ago
Fast acting nose spray for congestion. None of the pills do much. Also hot chicken soup has been shown to work at clearing your head Hot shower time
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11 years ago
I think it absorbs well, and should relieve swelling and pain. Put aspirin under tongue for heart attack.
Greg
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11 years ago
Something I learned very late in life=20 and that doctors either don=92t know=20 or won=92t tell you is a cold=20 if it last long enough=20 can sometimes turn into an allergy=20 with the same exact symptoms of a cold.=20 The best medicine for an allergy is Benadryl.
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- posted
11 years ago
A cold could also turn into a bacterial infection, needing antibiotics.
Greg
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11 years ago
Depends on the symptoms.
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- posted
11 years ago
No, colds don't turn into allergies. They have symptoms in common, so when one resolves and the other kicks in, they might just seem continuous. A problem that most people don't know about is that overuse of decongestants can cause rebound symptoms (more sinus/nasal congestion and discharge).
When I worked as an occupational health nurse, employees came in to get OTC meds for whatever problem. Seeking decongestants for "runny nose" due to the air conditioning was popular...it wasn't exactly that the AC was CAUSING the problem, it was RELIEVING the problem. Warm, humid summer air with lots of allergens made chronically inflamed sinuses worse, sinuses swell and don't drain. Come into clean, cool air and voila! You don't need decongestants, the AC just fixed the problem.
Soooooooo many people have no idea what their meds, OTC or rx, actually do and how much harm they can do. Some day, with computer magic, we might know the cost of overprescribing (especially for elderly) in healthcare.
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11 years ago
Norminn wrote in news:_YSdndRMv-lVLirNnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.com:
Just rubbing the gums, with some force, helps too. Kid may scream loudly at first, but then quiets down. No need for EtOH, but it may help as well.
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11 years ago
Please don't take any of the remedy/medication-specific advice offered in other replies. What is safe and appropriate for one person may be medically dangerous for another. You should have a family physician you trust. That individual knows your medical history and should be the person answering this question for you. It should be worth the fee he/she may charge for the consultation not to risk making yourself or someone you love worse.
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- posted
11 years ago
- Extra strong cinnamon tablets (common in British pharmacies
- Bicycle ride of at least 8 miles. (This was the only sure cure when I lived in germ-ridden London, where it seems no longer safe to commute on a bike.)
N.American pharmacies used to stock Sudafed which worked well: but I think this is now controlled to inhibit druggies.