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Five Home Remedy
No-No's
From ear candling to colon cleansing, here are 5
home remedies that may do more harm than good.
By Heather Hatfield
WebMD Feature
Some
home remedies like cornstarch and water on a bee
sting work just fine, but other do-it-yourself
health techniques can spell trouble.
For
instance, do you really think you should be
cleansing your colon from the comfort of your home?
Or removing wax from your ear by holding a lit
candle inches from your head?
Don't be fooled by every home remedy you hear about.
Your health is something that should be handled with
care. Experts review with WebMD five home remedies
that should NOT be attempted at home, describe what
works better, and explain when you need to seek
professional help from your health care provider.
Home Remedy No-No Number 1: Ear
Candling
"Ear
wax is a natural lubricant for the ear," says
Jennifer Smullen, MD, instructor of otology and
laryngology at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
in Boston. "It waterproofs the ear and it has an
acidic pH, so it helps in preventing infections."
Given the benefits of earwax to the body, why would
you want to remove it?
While it's uncommon, Smullen explains, some people
do have a buildup of wax that causes itching and
impaired hearing -- and that's where ear candling
comes in. It's marketed as an easy at-home solution
for people with this problem and involves taking a
candle-shaped beeswax cone, placing it in the ear,
lighting it, and after the wick burns down, removing
the cone -- along with ear wax and other impurities.
Unfortunately, lighting a flame inches from your ear
isn't exactly easy, and in fact, it can be
dangerous.
"You
can actually lose your hearing from ear candling,"
says Smullen. "I've had to treat bad consequences of
ear candling, including burns in the ear canal and
on the eardrum."
Instead of playing with fire, Smullen suggests you
start with a tissue around your finger to wipe away
excess wax from the outer part of the ear.
If
that doesn't work, see your primary care doctor or
an ear, nose, and throat specialist for professional
help. Over-the-counter ear drops are available, but
talk to your doctor first before putting anything in
your ear.
Smullen offers a reminder that using a Q-Tip in the
canal of the ear is a no-no because it can puncture
the eardrum.
Home Remedy No-No Number 2: Whiskey
for a Teething Baby
When
a baby starts to teethe, he or she usually starts to
cry, which means parents might try anything to get
junior to stop, including whiskey. While the old
wives' tale might offer a glimmer of hope after
three nonstop hours of screaming, think again; the
liquor cabinet should not be your next stop.
"First of all, children shouldn't be consuming
alcohol," says Stanley Alexander, DMD, chairman of
the department of pediatric dentistry at Tufts
University School of Dental Medicine. "Second,
whiskey has no real numbing effect on the gums as
the teeth are coming up."
So
put the whiskey bottle away, and instead, reach for
the freezer.
"The
best thing you can possibly do is to chill a
teething toy in the freezer and give it to the
child," says Alexander. "The cooling effect on the
gum will both soothe and numb it."
Or,
if the child is old enough, use a sugarless ice pop,
with adult supervision.
"For
centuries, teething has been a concern to parents,"
says Alexander. It can cause salivation,
irritability, and problems with sleep. If symptoms
are severe, then see a doctor.
And
the same rule applies for adults: If you have a
toothache or tenderness in the gum, whiskey won't
help. Instead, a cavity deep in the tooth or a gum
infection could be causing the pain, making it time
to see a dentist.
Home Remedy No-No Number 3: Butter
for a Burn
While you might be of the opinion that butter makes
everything better, it's important to remember that
this rule applies to food, not burns.
"Butter might offer modest value for a burn by
having a slight cooling effect, but it tends to melt
due to body heat and there is a risk of infection
because it's not sterile," says Robert Sheridan, MD,
a surgeon in the burn units of Massachusetts General
Hospital and Shriner's Hospital for Children.
For
mild to moderate first-degree burns and
second-degree burns limited to an area no larger
than 3 inches in diameter, Sheridan recommends an
over-the-counter antibiotic burn ointment. Gently
apply it to the burned skin, and keep it covered for
cleanliness. You can also try ibuprofen or
acetaminophen to help alleviate pain.
Cool
tap water can also help, but only in the first
minute after you're burned, explains Sheridan. Any
greater length of time and the damage is already
done. If you're near a faucet, run the burn under
water for at least five minutes.
Other burn no-no's: Toothpaste is a common home
remedy that Sheridan often hears about in the burn
unit, but again, it offers no benefit other than a
slight cooling effect, and the same infection
concerns apply. Also, while it might make sense to
treat a burn with ice, it doesn't help, and it could
make matters worse.
"If a burn is deep enough, it can cause a loss of
sensation around the wound," says Sheridan. "So ice
can compound the problem by adding frostbite to the
burn because you can't tell that it hurts."
When
should you call for help? If you're worried about a
burn; if you have a fever; if you have moderate to
severe pain or no pain at all as a result of a
third-degree burn; or if there is increasing redness
around the wound.
Home Remedy No-No Number 4: Colloidal
Silver
With
hype and hope spread by word of mouth and the
Internet, colloidal silver is believed by some to
help treat a range of infections and diseases.
"People believe that colloidal silver can treat
fungal infections, TB, HIV, herpes, and even cancer
by boosting the immune system," says Ted Epperly,
MD, president-elect of the American Academy of
Family Physicians.
Unfortunately for colloidal sliver supporters,
they're wrong, and the consequences of their mistake
could be costly.
"One
of the most well-known side effects of colloidal
silver is that it turns a person's skin a greyish
shade of blue," says Epperly.
The
skin isn't the only organ affected by colloidal
silver; so are the kidneys, stomach, and brain, as
well as the nervous system. Silver is actually
deposited into the cells of these organs, possibly
causing cell damage and death, leading to organ
failure.
"The
effects of colloidal silver are toxic and
cumulative," says Epperly. "Worse, they're
irreversible."
Epperly urges people to ignore the hype and instead,
talk to a health care provider about the proper way
to treat infections and diseases.
Home Remedy No-No Number 5: Home
Colon Cleansing
"We
hear a lot about the toxic effects of the contents
of the colon on the body," says Robert Siegel, MD, a
fellow with the American College of
Gastroenterology. "But that's a fallacy."
And
that's where home colon cleansing products come into
play. People hear the claims that their colons are
filled with toxic waste matter and that the solution
is to flush them out with herbs, probiotics, special
diets, enemas, or laxatives.
The
fact of the matter is that the colon is a waste
receptacle, explains Siegel. Its function is to let
fecal material pass out of the body, naturally.
Trying to cleanse your colon from the comforts of
your home can disrupt your body's electrolyte
balance, causing dehydration and salt depletion.
Over time, frequent colon cleansing can even lead to
anemia, malnutrition, and heart failure.
Instead of cleaning your colon on your own, start by
increasing your fiber intake by eating more fruits
and vegetables, or by adding a supplement to your
diet -- 38 grams for men and 25 grams for women 50
and younger -- every day.
If
you're still feeling constipated and uncomfortable,
Siegel recommends you see your primary care doctor
or a gastroenterologist.
©
WebMD. All rights reserved.
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“You can actually lose your hearing from ear
candling” |
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