# Oddest home remedies? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 9, 2010, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-home-remedies/546087 "2010-07-09T12:59:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-home-remedies/546087/61 "2010-07-30T19:21:46Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > > [@Superhal](#): > > > > Another one is nasal rinse. I was having recurring colds, and my medicines weren’t helping (homeopathic, cost $5 per dose.) I was again desperate, and tried nasal rinse…I haven’t been sick since (except one time.) > > OK, that’s it. I’m done. I can’t read this thread any more. I’m a scientist, and the strain of not commenting is killing me. Not commenting on the nasal rinse? (look for dozens of threads here on the efficacy or the neti pot)… or on the “wallet rinse” the OP was originally trying? ;). ---
**Author:** ![Teacake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Teacake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teacake)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-home-remedies/546087/62 "2010-07-30T23:07:06Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Oh, and, uh…if your herbalist ever mentions that a diluted dab of tea tree oil may clear up a wart, do not pour a whole \*undiluted \*bottle over your penis, mmm’kay? Just sayin’. :smack: I was going to say something along these lines! If you’ve been using tea tree oil for anything, wash your hands really well before you touch yourself. And don’t ever think that because it’s recommended for fungal infections, it would be good for yeast infections. It may get rid of the symptoms, but only because it will burn off your genitals. I’ll join in with **WhyNot** ’s :smack:. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-home-remedies/546087/63 "2010-07-31T00:06:43Z")
The urine of a healthy animal is sterile; i suppose a urine flush could be similar to a saline flush, and, obviously, if you have an ear infection you are not a healthy animal, so you must use someone else’s. I’ll stick with household hydrogen peroxide, followed by a through flush with water, though. How about a lindseed poultice for ear aches? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-home-remedies/546087/64 "2010-07-31T15:32:50Z")
> [@Teacake](#): > > I was going to say something along these lines! If you’ve been using tea tree oil for anything, wash your hands really well before you touch yourself. And don’t ever think that because it’s recommended for fungal infections, it would be good for yeast infections. It may get rid of the symptoms, but only because it will burn off your genitals. I’ll join in with **WhyNot** ’s :smack:. You can use a _very well diluted_ tea tree douche for a genital yeast infection…but I wouldn’t. I prefer to “paint” on some unsweetened yogurt. The bacteria in the yogurt compete with the yeast for real estate in the affected area, killing the yeast back to normal numbers without causing problems themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Acantha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@Acantha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acantha)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-home-remedies/546087/65 "2010-07-31T21:27:12Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > > [@Teacake](#): > > > > I was going to say something along these lines! If you’ve been using tea tree oil for anything, wash your hands really well before you touch yourself. And don’t ever think that because it’s recommended for fungal infections, it would be good for yeast infections. It may get rid of the symptoms, but only because it will burn off your genitals. I’ll join in with **WhyNot** ’s :smack:. > > You can use a _very well diluted_ tea tree douche for a genital yeast infection…but I wouldn’t. I prefer to “paint” on some unsweetened yogurt. The bacteria in the yogurt compete with the yeast for real estate in the affected area, killing the yeast back to normal numbers without causing problems themselves. Unless you have milk allergies or lactose intolerance. I had a wooey doctor tell me to do this once with painful results. (A relative recommended an Osteopath who leaned toward some things I would definitely call ‘home remedies.’ ) Years later I was diagnosed with milk allergy and lactose intolerance, so I’m guessing that explains the reaction I had to that treatment. I’ll stick to the prescription stuff, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-home-remedies/546087/66 "2010-07-31T23:25:04Z")
> [@Acantha](#): > > Unless you have milk allergies or lactose intolerance. I had a wooey doctor tell me to do this once with painful results. (A relative recommended an Osteopath who leaned toward some things I would definitely call ‘home remedies.’ ) > > Years later I was diagnosed with milk allergy and lactose intolerance, so I’m guessing that explains the reaction I had to that treatment. > > I’ll stick to the prescription stuff, thanks. A lactose intolerance shouldn’t be a problem at all, since you’re not asking your body to digest anything. A true \*allergy \*could indeed be a problem, depending on your sensitivity to the trigger protein. Just like some kids can’t be in the same room with a peanut odor, and others can make a peanut bird feeder as long as they don’t eat the peanuts, allergies do indeed vary. ---
**Author:** ![Acantha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@Acantha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acantha)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2010, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-home-remedies/546087/67 "2010-08-01T00:42:05Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > > [@Acantha](#): > > > > Unless you have milk allergies or lactose intolerance. I had a wooey doctor tell me to do this once with painful results. (A relative recommended an Osteopath who leaned toward some things I would definitely call ‘home remedies.’ ) > > > > Years later I was diagnosed with milk allergy and lactose intolerance, so I’m guessing that explains the reaction I had to that treatment. > > > > I’ll stick to the prescription stuff, thanks. > > A lactose intolerance shouldn’t be a problem at all, since you’re not asking your body to digest anything. A true \*allergy \*could indeed be a problem, depending on your sensitivity to the trigger protein. Just like some kids can’t be in the same room with a peanut odor, and others can make a peanut bird feeder as long as they don’t eat the peanuts, allergies do indeed vary. Yeah, it was probably the allergy that was the culprit. Either way I blistered. If that is anything close to what herpes feels like those folks have my sympathy. ---
**Author:** ![Ms.Hazel\_Ice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Ms.Hazel\_Ice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms.Hazel_Ice)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-home-remedies/546087/68 "2010-08-03T00:57:32Z")
As resident tea witch doctor, I swear by tea containing slippery elm root to soothe a sore throat. It won’t cure it, but it will make the pain significantly more tolerable. When thinking of home rememdies, I think of how my family uses our Finnish sauna as a cure all: sore muscles, head aches, sinus congestion, sun burn, etc. It’s reminiscent of a Finnish proverb that translates: “If sauna, spirits, or tar don’t cure, the disease is fatal.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-home-remedies/546087.md?page=3)