Managing Symptoms with Home remedies

As seen on THE VIEW

Patricia Carroll, RN,BC, CEN, RRT, MS

What Nurses Know About Managing Symptoms

Everyday symptoms such as nasal congestion, sore throat, facial/sinus pain and foot and back pain are rarely signs of serious problems, but they sure can be annoying. Here are some home remedies you can try, using common items you already have. They cost almost nothing, and are safe for pregnant women and people who take medications regularly and are worried about interactions.

Nasal Congestion

A stuffy nose can make you feel miserable. When your nose is plugged, you breathe through your mouth, and then you wind up with a sore throat. I recommend against using commercial nasal sprays that contain a decongestant because after you've used them for a couple of days, when you stop  the congestion gets worse -- a phenomenon known as rebound. This problem has gotten a lot of people "hooked" on these over-the-counter nasal sprays. Here's the home alternative.

What you need

Warm water is more soothing and allows the salt to dissolve. Mix the water and the salt, then before putting into the solution, squeeze the bulb. While holding it squeezed, put the pointed end under the surface of the solution to draw it into the syringe. Lean slightly over the bathroom sink, put the tip of the filled syringe in one nostril, and squeeze gently, squirting the fluid into the nose. You'll need to experiment to find out how hard to squeeze. Some people hold the solution in their palm and sniff it in, but that's didn't work for me.

Not only is this great for nasal congestion, but you can use this method to flush out pollen, other allergens, and irritants and to moisten the membranes if they get too dry. If you use a prescription nasal spray for allergies, flush the nose first, then use the spray. 

Sinus Pain

Many people get facial pain across the cheeks or forehead from sinus trouble or severe nasal congestion. While a pain reliever might help a bit, it doesn't do anything soothing. Here's my favorite quick-and-easy way to apply moist heat.

What you need

A slow cooker 6 washcloths Hot water Plastic wrap

Wet the washcloths under the hottest tap water you can stand. With them slightly damp, place them in the slow cooker. Turn the slow cooker on to low or high -- experiment to see which holds the temperature best for you.

Take out the top washcloth and tear a piece of plastic wrap big enough to cover the washcloth on your face. Then, lie down, place the washcloth where it hurts and cover it with the plastic wrap (of course, being careful not to cover your nostrils or mouth!) Close your eyes, breathe slowly and deeply and relax until the washcloth cools down. Then, place the cool washcloth back in the slow cooker beneath the other washcloths, and you'll have a never-ending supply of moist heat wraps.

Sore Throat

Only about 10% of sore throats are caused by strep or other bacterial infections -- the rest are caused by viruses or irritants such as postnasal drip. I have a home remedy to soothe your throat for that 90% of the time.

What you need

8oz warm water 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda

Put the salt and baking soda in the water and stir until well mixed. This is a stronger salt solution than we used for the nasal spray. This solution will help reduce the swelling that comes with a sore throat, and the baking soda is the secret ingredient that will help break down any mucus in the throat that can cause further irritation and pain.

Gargle with this solution a few times until it is gone. If you can vary the pitch of the gargle, you'll be using muscles in your throat that will disperse this solution most effectively. Don't swallow! Be sure to spit it out in the sink.

Back Pain

I don't think there's a nurse alive who hasn't had back pain at one time or another. While I'm a big fan of massage therapy, it can get expensive and nearly impossible to get if you're away from home. Here's what I put in my suitcase. You can do it at home, too.

What you need

A tennis ball A wall

Do your own massage by placing the tennis ball between the place your back hurts and the wall. Lean into the wall and slowly move side-to-side, and do small knee bends to move the tennis ball up and down. This is particularly good for trigger points that flare up around the shoulders, too. You can vary the pressure by how much you push into the wall with your body weight.

Foot Pain

Many people wake up in the morning with foot pain. That's typically caused by arthritis, or a condition called plantar fasciitis, in which a band of tissue on the bottom of the foot gets inflamed. I also have achy, burning feet if I have been on my feet teaching all day, particularly if I'm wearing nylons. Here's what you can do.

What you need

A frozen juice can OR A very cold soda can Cotton socks

This one's easy -- just roll the bottom of your foot across the frozen juice can or the cold soda can. When I'm traveling and on my feet all day, I grab a cold soda from the vending machine when I get back to my room.  The cold soothes the foot, and the rolling stretches the bottom of the foot, reducing your pain. If the cold bothers you when it's directly against the skin, put the cotton socks on first. 

Dry Skin

For many of us, putting the heat on in the winter drops the humidity in our homes and dries our skin. People with dry, sensitive skin often have trouble with commercial products that contain scents or added coloring. I learned about this trick when caring for people at home with very dry skin from radiation therapy. Here's do-it-yourself skin care.

What you need

An old, clean pair of pantyhose 1 cup of rolled oats in each leg At your choice, dried lavender, rose petals, eucalyptus 6 tea bags A warm -- not hot -- bath

Choose a pair of pantyhose that can eventually go in the trash. Cut off the legs. Slip 1-2 cups of rolled oats in each leg and tie the end so the oats won't spill out. Place the oats in the bathtub and then fill it with warm water. Hot water can dry your skin further. Soak the "oat legs" in the water until they are good and water-logged. Then, soak in your bath. Use the "oat legs" to pat areas of particularly dry or irritated skin. Drain the tub and pat -- don't rub -- your skin dry.

Some of my patients saved the "oat legs" to use more than once -- that's up to you. There are plenty of variations on this concept as well:

• Make little bags out of muslin and fill them with oatmeal or other dried herbs you like and find soothing such as rose petals or lavender or eucalyptus (I get my scented eye pillows from It's My Nature, and you can get dried herbs there, too)
• Grind up fresh rolled oats in a food processor to make colloidal oatmeal and put this powder directly in the bath water. You may have to experiment -- too coarse and it will clump in the water. Caution! It will make your tub very slippery
• Tie 6 tea bags together and use the strings to hang them below the faucet while you fill the bath. Tannins in the tea will soothe irritated skin. Use tea of your choice. (Herb tea also available from It's My Nature).

Warts

Warts are viruses in the skin. They're typically treated with chemical freezing, which can be painful -- especially for kids. Researchers discovered a simple painless treatment. In this study, kids treated with freezing got rid of their warts 60% compared to this home treatment, which got rid of warts 85% of the time.

What you need

Duct tape Emery board

Cover the wart with a piece of duct tape. Ideally, wrap it around a finger, for example. Leave the duct tape in place for six days. On the evening of day 6, remove the duct tape, soak the area in plain warm water for 15-20 minutes. When the skin is wet, rub the wart with an emery board to remove dead cells from the top. The next morning, reapply the tape for another six days. If the tape falls off during therapy, just replace it.

It's just that simple. Warts were gone in 28 days. It seems that the duct tape irritates the area and stimulates the immune system so the body can get rid of the wart.

The beauty of these home remedies are that they are convenient and easy to do. No drugs are needed to achieve these therapeutic effects. Experiment with each tip so it works for you. Add a little more, use a little less -- whatever works. Put the money you save in the piggy bank and have a special treat on us!

Written October 2004