Home Remedies For Sore Throat

Sore throat means inflammation of the pharynx (back of the throat).  It occurs normally when a person has a cold or an attack of influenza.  Strep throat, an infection of the pharynx, is caused by group A staphylococcus bacteria, while sore throat is generally a viral or bacterial infection.  Strep throat affects mostly children and teenagers between the ages of 5 to 15 years of age.

Symptoms

Pain and irritation of throat and fever:  In sore throat, the patient complains of pain, irritation, and inflammation in the throat, followed by chills, fever and some hoarseness or laryngitis.  Lymph glands turn out to be swollen and tender.  The lymph glands along the sides of the neck may turn out to be swollen and tender.  The back of the throat may develop into very red and even covered with a greying-white membrane.  A patient with sore throat, especially if it is in an acute stage, may experience difficulty in swallowing.

Causes

The major causes of a sore throat are common cold and influenza.  Other causes include sinusitis, measles, diphtheria, and even leukemia in uncommon cases.

Home Remedies

1. Mango bark: Mango bark is effective in the treatment of sore throat and other throat disorders.  Its fluid, which is extracted by grinding, can be applied nearby the affecte3d area with beneficial results and can also be used as a throat gargle.  This gargle is made by mixing 10 ml of fluid extract with 125 ml of water.

2. Belleric Myrobalan:  The herb Belleric Myrobalan is an expensive sore throat remedy.  A mixture of 2 grams of pulp of the fruit, a quarter teaspoon of salt, half-a-teaspoon of powdered long pepper and two teaspoons of honey must be had in the treatment of this condition.

3. Bishop's Weed:  Bishop's weed is precious for sore throat treatment.  An infusion of the seeds mixed with common salt can be used helpfully as a gargle in an acute condition caused by cold.

4. Cinnamon: Cinnamon is considered as an effective remedy for a sore throat resulting from a cold.  In one glass of boiled water, add one teaspoon of roughly powdered cinnamon with two teaspoons of honey and a pinch of pepper powder and take this mix as a medicine in the treatment of sore throat.

5. Fenugreek Seeds: A gargle prepared from fenugreek seeds has been found to be a very useful remedy for treating a sore throat.  To prepare this gargle, two tablespoons of fenugreek seeds should be put in a liter of cold water and permitted to simmer for half an hour over a low flame.  This should then be allowed to cool to a bearable temperature, strained, and then used totally as a gargle.

6. Henna: The leaves of henna are helpful as a sore throat cure.  A decoction of the leaves can be used as a gargle for this reason.

7. Sore throat cure via Holy Basil: The leaves of holy basil have also been found helpful in curing sore throat.  Water boiled with basil leaves can be used as a drink and also used as a gargle to relieve sore throat.

8. Kantakari: This herb is precious in sore throat remedy.  An extract of the plant should be used as a gargle for this reason.  This extract is prepared by constantly boiling the plant in about 2 liters of water after washing it thoroughly.

9. Liquorice:  A small piece of raw Liquorice should be chewed or sucked.  The healing property of the herb soothes inflammation.

Home Remedies For Toenail Fungus

Fungal infections are common in both, fingernails and toenails.  Toenail fungus, which is also known as onychomycosis, is generally caused by a group of fungus known as dermatophytes.  These types of fungi are harmful because as they grow, they feed on the keratin which makes up the surface of the toenail.  The little toe and big toe are the two fingers that are more likely to be affected. The little toe and the big toe are, in fact, more susceptible to paronychia, which is an infection of the soft tissue around the nail.  Toenail fungus results in discoloration and disfiguration of the nails.  It is a contagious disease and sometimes it may be hereditary.  Paronychia and onychomycosis are common toenail problems and may require medical assistance if they have been neglected.

  

Home Remedies

Toenail fungus can be treated using some of the popular treatments like treating the condition with black toenail fungus home remedies like hydrogen peroxide and bleach.  The use of bleach for toenail fungus is quite popular as a foot fungus remedy.  Another remedy that is popular is the use of baking soda for fingernail fungus or toenail fungus and skin fungus and there is a lengthy list of nail fungus baking soda remedies.  The best home remedies for toenail fungus treatment are not guaranteed to produce results but there is no fast or instant home remedy for toenail fungus.  If for some reason, the patient is disinclined to seek medical attention and toenail fungus home treatments are needed, then the best option would be to try nail fungus treatment with over-the-counter nail fungus medication and applications.

Tea tree oil is considered as a potent natural antiseptic and fungicide which can help fight fungus.  Applying undiluted tea tree oil with olive oil to the affected toenail can provide much relief.  Alternatively, a few drops of tea oil can be dropped on toenails and rubbed in thoroughly every day.

For mild to moderate cases of onychomycosis, treatment with tea tree oil is often recommended. The best-recommended step is to mix equal quantities of olive oil, tea tree oil, and thyme oil and apply this blend of oil to the affected nail.  Allow it to remain on for 10 to 15 minutes and then use a toothbrush to gently scrub the affected nail.  This ensures that the oil covers the nail completely and also gets under the nail.  Scrubbing the nail which is affected by fungus gently also can help to slough off the uppermost layer of the nail which generally contains most of the fungus.  In order to get rid of the toenail fungus completely, you will need to continue using tea tree oil for a few weeks after the infection has cleared.  This is because there may still be remnants of the fungus which may be embedded deep within the nail or nail bed.

Another home remedy is to soak your toes in Listerine mouthwash.  The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy.  Mouthwash contains compounds and alcohols like salicylate, thymol and eucalyptol which combine to form a strong toenail fungus treatment Toenail fungus home remedies generally require a mixture of mouthwash and a strong natural acid like undiluted lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.  This is done with the aim of increasing the effectiveness of the treatment as acid retards the growth of fungus and prevents it from spreading.  You can pour a significant amount of this mouthwash and an equal amount of vinegar into a tub and soak your feet in it for 20 minutes or so.

Soak your toenails for 15 to 20 minutes in a basin full of warm water and natural apple cider vinegar mixed in equal proportion.  When done, dry your toenails thoroughly.  Use a hairdryer on warm setting to absorb all the moisture in and around the toes.  Apple cider vinegar is a mild acid that prevents the toenail fungus from spreading.

Home Remedies For Gout

Gout occurs due to overloading  of uric acid in the body.  Your body produces uric acid when it breaks down purines, substances that are found naturally in your body, as well as in certain foods such as organ meats, anchovies, herring, asparagus, and mushrooms.

The kidneys usually regulate the levels of uric acid in the body.  When this process is compromised, gout can occur.  Chronic gout can result in layers of deposits of hard lumps of uric acid in and around joints (most commonly found at the tip of the elbows, around the big toe and around the fingers) and can also lead to decreased kidney function and kidney stones.  In rare instances, gout leads to a more chronic condition that mimics rheumatoid arthritis.

Symptoms

1. Intense joint pain: If untreated, the joint pain typically lasts five to 10 days and then stops.  The discomfort subsides slowly over a period of one to two weeks, leaving the joint apparently normal.
2. Inflammation and redness at the joint:  The affected joint or joints become swollen, tender and red.  The patients can also develop fever with acute gout attacks.  Finding out uric acid crystals in the joint, which is a fluid obtained by joint aspiration- a common office procedure performed under local anesthesia, is the most reliable test for gout.  The fluid is withdrawn from the inflamed joints using a syringe and needle.

Home Remedies

1. As there is a saying that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, we can trust apple to keep also the gout away.  A person with gout complaints must at least eat one apple per day for obtaining relief.
2. Drinking 6 to 8 ounces glasses of fluid a day not only reduces gout attacks but also washes out the crystals from the system and prevents the developing of kidney stones.
3. Drink half cup juice of French beans every day for a month once or twice.
4. Bananas are a good home remedy for cutting gout.  Consume three to four bananas a day.
5. One of the important home remedies to treat gout is to soak a piece of white flannel cloth in warm castor oil and place it over the affected areas.
6. Boil one teaspoon of pepper in 1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water, dab this mixture onto the painful joints and leave it for 2-3 hours.
7. Mince garlic and add it to black cherry juice for better effects.  This remedy works very well if you have garlic-cherry paste in the early morning.

Home Remedies For Bone Spur

A bone spur is an extra bone that grows on the normal bone. In medical jargon, a bone spur is known as osteophytes. A bone spur occurs on the joints, especially on the joints of the feet, spine, hips, shoulders, knees, and hands. The bone spur itself does not cause any pain but it can cause pain when it rubs against other bones and nerves around it.

The bone spur is quite common among people above 60 years of age and is an indication of spine degeneration.  Bone spurs are, in fact, quite a common problem that can afflict numerous people.

Bone spurs are not really preventible and often affect joints and bones like the heel, foot, elbow, knee, neck, shoulder, ankle and hips, and that is the reason why information related to bone spur treatment and bone spur removal surgery is so sought after.

Symptoms

The presence of bone spur symptoms is a reliable indicator of the area affected because the location of the bone spur helps in determining the presence of symptoms.

Bone spurs that develop in the knees can be extremely painful causing great difficulty moving or extending the knees and bending the legs. This can severely reduce mobility. Bone spurs can cause fiction or obstruct movements and actions of the bones and tendons that would normally ensure the smooth functioning of the knee. As with most other cases, knee bone spurs would also probably require treatment with exercises and possibly surgery.

The bone spurs that develop along the spine are extremely painful and should not be neglected. Bone spurs exert pressure on the nerves or on the spinal cord and this can cause pain to occur not just in the back but in other parts of the body. You may experience numbness in other body parts too.  These symptoms may be mistaken for a slipped disk and an X-ray would help with an accurate diagnosis. Treatment for bone spurs on the spine involves surgery, in most of the cases.

Home Remedies

Remedy for inflammation: 

The first step for treating bone spur through home remedies is to reduce inflammation. Apply an ice pack to the inflamed area four to five times a day. This will help to reduce inflammation. If the problem is more severe, then apply a heating pad on the inflamed area.

Use Curcumin and flaxseed. The yellow pigment of turmeric, known as Curcumin, is effective in treating bone spur. Take 500 to 1000 milligrams of curcumin 3 to 4 times a day on an empty stomach. Try this remedy daily for about 6 weeks. To relieve pain, apply a flaxseed hot pack to the affected area. Take alternate hot and cold foot baths.