Tag: Vicks VapoRub

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5 HOME REMEDIES FOR SPRING ARTHRITIS

How do you like this damp, cool spring weather? It’s better than a searing hot day in July, that’s for sure.  Trouble is, it’s hard on those of us with arthritis.  Did you know that 50% of folks over 65  have it?  My husband’s physical therapist said this weather has been really rough on arthritis patients.  We know it won’t last forever, but we’d like to lessen the pain without resorting to extra painkillers.  Over the years, and after numerous therapy sessions, I have come  to rely on these 5  home remedies for spring arthritis.  All are available online, 

  1. Massaging Wrap

You can go online  and find a wrap for almost every part of your body—knees, back, shoulders, whatever.  The one I like was originally designed for knees but it works great on my shoulders, too. It has 3 buttons: massage, heater, timer.  If it gets too hot, you can turn off the heat, and continue with a massage.  If you use it a lot, you have to recharge the battery pretty often, but it’s not a big problem.

2. Cold packs

I like the ones that come with a wrap, and a strap, because you can tie them around your arm, leg, or waist while you read or watch TV.  I don’t use cold packs very often, but some people alternate between heat and cold therapy.  They use the heat to warm up a joint before exercise, and cold therapy to reduce the swelling afterwards.

3. Hot rolling massager

This is a little bit more complicated than the wrap .  It’s a fairly heavy device, and the one I use isn’t battery operated.  It’s plugged  into an electric outlet.  Which means that if I turn the wrong way, it’s apt to become unplugged.  However, it gives a really deep massage, along with a gentle heat—actually much less heat than the massaging wrap.  The first time I used it on my back, I was amazed how many sore spots I wasn’t even aware of.  It’s really versatile.  Can be used on shoulders, neck, back or knees.  Just about anywhere you feel joint pain. It’s timed for 20 minutes, which is about as much as you can take because it gives you a pretty hard massage.  But I guarantee you will sleep better that ni

  1. Tens Unit. (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) is used for nerve related pain conditions.  The machine works by sending pulses across the surface of the skin and along the nerve strands.  The pulses help prevent the pain signals from reaching the brain.  This is actually my favorite pain relief device because it’s so portable.  I can pack it in an overnight bag if I’m going for an out of town visit.  There nothing like a long road or plane trip to cause an arthritis flare up.  Not to worry.   20 minutes of Tens takes care of the pain.  They’re relatively inexpensive and the  tabs are easily replaced.

    5 Home Remedies for Spring Arthritis. Tens is one of the best.
    5 Home Remedies for Spring Arthritis include heat, cold packs, tens and Bio-Freeze.
  2. Bio-Freeze or Vicks VapoRub.   If I wake up in the middle of the  night, I just rub some of the menthol product, Bio Freeze,  into  my skin, and I’m back to sleep in minutes.   Surprisingly, old  fashioned Vicks VapoRub also provides menthol , with some added camphor.  You’re not supposed to use Vicks all the time like you do Bio-Freeze, because the camphor can build up in your system. But it’s a good substitute if you’ve run out of Bio-Freeze.

Soon, we’ll be sweating away in the sunlight, watching the INDY 500 or having a picnic in the park on Memorial Day.  Hopefully, the aches and pains will ease.  But if they don’t, you can always fall back on these 5 home remedies for Arthritis.

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4 HOME REMEDIES MAKE A COMEBACK

The covid-19 pandemic has changed our lives in many ways.  People are avoiding doctor visits when possible.   Hospitals don’t want to schedule elective surgeries.  It makes you wonder how everyone is surviving.  But if you’re my age, you can remember when people only saw doctors for emergencies.  Probably because ordinary people didn’t have health insurance, and there was no Medicare or Medicaid. Antibiotics weren’t available to the public until the late 1940’s. Most everyone had their own ways of dealing with sickness and maintaining good health. Now,  these 4 home remedies make a comeback.   

1,  Vicks VapoRub. ,  This was the mainstay of any medicine cabinet in the early 20th century.  If a child had a  cough or the flu, out would come the Vicks.  I loved the smell of menthol, and the way it seemed to clear up congestion.  The directions for use  haven’t changed in 100 years:

Home remedies make a comeback during the pandemic.
Home remedies make a comeback. Vicks has been used for over 100 years, and it still helps when you have congestion.

“Rub a layer of Vicks VapoRub on your chest and neck only. Drape a warm, dry cloth over your head while you’re sitting upright or standing. Loosen any clothing around your chest and throat so vapors can rise to your nose area. Repeat, if needed, up to three times in a 24-hour period.”

Vicks also relieves arthritis pain and muscle soreness. For me,  It works better than some of the newer , menthol based products.  It just smells a little bit stronger.

2. Chicken Noodle Soup.  My mother didn’t open a can.   The soup came in a package of dry mix.   To me, it was the best tasting chicken noodle soup in the world.  And it really helped. According to WebMd

“Chicken soup appears to help fight colds, according to several studies. It helps clear nasal congestion as well as thin mucus so you can better cough it up. In addition, research shows it may have a mild anti-inflammatory effect than can help ease symptoms”

3. Baking soda.  If you read Heloise in the daily newspaper, you know she recommends it  for many household tasks.  But we used it to relieve heartburn or soothe a canker sore.  We also  brushed our teeth with soda. .  While I keep toothpaste around, I still brush my teeth with baking soda  at least once per day.  And, I still have my own teeth, with only two fillings.  I recommended it to a friend, who said it cured her gingivitis.

4. Neti pots.  Were used in ancient yoga practice thousands of years ago.  They came back into popular use around 1972.    Scientists say that the nasal wash is an effective way to relieve sinus discomfort.   When using the neti pot, patients become less reliant on medication.  I don’t use a neti pot all year long, but it’s a godsend when my spring and fall allergies kick up.  And during the winter, when the air is so dry, I’m apt to use it every day to prevent colds and sinus infections.

When the pandemic is over, the doctor’s offices will once again fill up with coughing, sneezing patients.  In the meantime, you may want to fall back on these four old fashioned home remedies.