Although illness and diseases are the main topics I like to diversify to other subjects, today it is petty irritations, or not so petty irritations.
I am talking about things that come up in your life and cause pain or irritation for a short time.
Nothing serious of course but at the time they can cause you pain or discomfort and even make your life a misery for a while.
Itchy skin is one; it can drive you mad if you can’t get to scratch it. This can be caused by your skin being dry or insect bites. My remedy for that including the insect bites is Vaseline. It may seem slightly old fashioned with all the new and modern treatments and creams on the market today, but it works a treat and cost a fraction of those creams and tubes you buy.
Vaseline soothes the skin and it is great for dry lips as well, it is even mild enough for baby so put a jar in your medicine cupboard and forget those expensive creams and salves.
Toothache is something else that comes on suddenly, the pain can be imaginable. Always keep a bottle of tincture of cloves in your cupboard for this emergency. Another trick that is useful for toothache if your tooth has a hole which is usually the case, use chewing gum to block it until you can get to the dentist. It is air that causes the pain so if it is blocked off your tooth will be fine for short while.
Earache can be serious so a visit to the doctors is needed in a lot of cases, but if it happens during the night then close off the ear with a small piece of cotton wool dabbed with warm olive oil. A hot water bottle held against the ear can also be a comfort.
Burns are really painful and the only way to get rid of the burning sensation is to soak the burn area in cold water and keep it there for a while. This of course is intended for minor burns usually on the hands, otherwise keep soaking a flannel in cold water for other areas.
If you have bad indigestion and you have run out of tablets try a few mouthfuls of cold water, it often does the trick, otherwise if you have bicarbonate of soda in the food cupboard just put a teaspoon in hot water and drink, it tastes horrible but always works.
If you suffer with back ache or pain in your arms or legs etc, then visit Lloyds chemists, they sell a small machine called TENS. It consists of two small pads attached to a convenient small box affair that contains a battery. The pads are placed on the painful area and they omit electrodes that do ease the pain or stop it. I was a bit skeptical when I saw them and found it hard to believe that it would work, but I was surprised and pleased when I found it does the job.
Thy cost $14.99 initially but after that just £4.99 for the new pads, these will last for a month or more or until the adhesive loses its hold.
Age spots can be annoying to people who worry about their skin, try this to get rid of them. Mix equal parts of onion juice and vinegar just dab it on and use it daily. It will take a few weeks to work but it is just as good as those expensive creams from the store which don’t work instantly either.
