At-Home Remedies For Common Ailments

Whether or not you’ve got adequate health insurance, going to the doctor is sometimes just not worth the effort. Taking off work, driving to the doctor when you feel sick, and asking advice for embarrassing ailments is almost worse than the symptoms you’re suffering from. If you want to try a quick fix before calling up your doctor, check out this ultimate list of at-home remedies for common ailments. Chances are, you’ve already got a lot of these ingredients stashed somewhere in your house, saving you and your wallet from another trip to the doctor’s office.

Colds and Allergies

Colds come in all forms, from a little stuffy nose to bronchitis to sore throats and extreme fatigue. Find out how to keep yourself on the go by reading below.

1. Congestion: Red pepper, jalapenos and hot salsa will temporarily open up your nasal passages and break up congestion.
2. Bronchitis: For mild bronchitis symptoms, use a vaporizer or take a steamy shower to ease your discomfort and open up your chest.
3. Make your own nose drops: Make your own nose drops out of saltwater to break up congestion and help you breathe.
4. Gargle salt water: To help a sore throat, gargle salt water several times daily. WebMD recommends using an astringent gargle made of tea with tannin to help an itchy “tickle” throat.
5. Put a dab of Vick’s on your nose: Just a dab of Vick’s Vapor Rub or another menthol salve can break up congestion and help you breathe more easily.
6. Take lots of Vitamin C: Taking Vitamin C even when you do get sick can prevent the cold from going full cycle.
7. Take echinacea: Homemademedicine.com suggests taking the herb echinacea to soothe a sore throat.
8. Take Vitamin C to prevent allergies: Taking Vitamin C also helps allergies, especially symptoms from hay fever and asthma, because of “its ability to counteract the inflammation responses that are part of such conditions.”
9. Drink green tea: Green tea is a natural antihistamine, which helps both allergies and colds.
10. Eat or drink thyme: Make a tea with thyme or add a little to your recipes when you cook to break up congestion and relieve stuffy noses.

Fever and the Flu

Getting the flu or even a high fever can put you out of commission for days. Here are some home remedies to help make them a little less painful.

11. Flu and cold symptoms: GrannyMed has an old-fashioned concoction that soothes cold and flu symptoms. Mix lemon juice, one spoonful of honey and one spoonful of brandy to create a therapeutic cocktail.
12. Take a bath: Take a bath in lukewarm water to bring down escalating body temperatures.
13. Eat artichokes: Try eating artichokes to reduce fever.
14. Take a sponge bath: Read this professional guide to learn how to give your child a sponge bath when he or she has a fever.
15. Drink lots of water: Drinking water is a good habit to have anyway, but it’s especially crucial when you have a fever. You’ll need to stay hydrated and bring your overall body temperature down.
16. Make a ginger steam: Create your own steam room by turning on the hot water in the sink and adding a couple of teaspoons of ginger or eucalyptus oil. Get up close to the mixture and breathe in the steam for relief.
17. Sleep: You probably won’t feel like doing much else anyway.
18. Drink liquids instead of eating solid foods: An old tradition recommends drinking liquids and refraining from eating solid foods until you’re over a fever.
19. Take aspirin: WebMD urges adults sick with the flu or fever to go ahead and take aspirin to reduce fever and muscle aches.
20. Saffron Tea: Drink saffron tea made of half a teaspoon of saffron and boiling water.

Aches and Pains

Ease the pain by trying out these simple tricks.

21. Headache: If you’ve got a bad headache and are still waiting for the aspirin to kick in, try applying ice to your head. MotherNature.com quotes doctor and author Fred Sheftell, who maintains “if you can get the headache when it’s a dull throb, close to 80 percent of people can abort their headaches.”
22. Backache: Before you reach for painkillers, check out your posture. If you’re constantly humped over the keyboard or hunching your shoulders forward, you could be sabotaging yourself. Sit up straight and push your shoulders back.
23. Toothache: GrannyMed recommends mixing 1 teaspoon of baking soda with water and then swishing it around in your mouth to create a soothing mouthwash.
24. Headache: Turn out the lights if you’re at home or have your own office. Reducing the amount of light helps ease eye strain and can calm your throbbing head.
25. Arthritis: Soak a teaspoon of black sesame seeds in a quart of water and let it sit overnight. In the morning, eat the seeds and drink the water that’s left.
26. Eat bananas: Instantly up your potassium levels by eating a banana. This helps everything from growing pains to charlie horses.
27. Drink turmeric and hot milk: Make a drink made of one teaspoon of turmeric and hot milk, which supposedly relieve general body pain.
28. Toothache: Another quick fix for a painful toothache is to chew fresh guava leaves or oregano leaves.
29. Arthritis: Staying warm helps ease the pain of arthritis. Loosely wrap yourself up in a blanket or adjust the thermostat to create the optimum environment.
30. Apply St. John’s wort to relieve back pain: This remedy can cause extra sensitivity to the sun, so be extra careful if you plan on being outside in your bathing suit.
31. Take magnesium to relieve PMS symptoms: Some sources recommend taking 1,000 mg a day.