Patients' "home remedies"? What have you seen

[flyingchange]

Had a family come in to the ER last night. Their little boy (~3yo) got ahold of the pot of boiling water on the stove. Clear 2nd degree burns to (I'd say) at least 30% of the inside of his arm. Little guy had dark skin, but the burn basically sloughed down to reveal bright pink flesh.

The family put sugar (!) on the burn at home. When they brought him in, the RN had to clean the wound and basically the sugar just debrided the fresh burn even more. I've been racking my brain trying to figure out the logic behind putting sugar on a burn I even Googled it and the only thing I can tell is people sometimes put it on a burned tongue. Then I was thinking that sugar on a burn probably makes an awesome growth medium for bacteria. I told the family very firmly that they must leave the dressing intact until the burn unit followed up with them - all I could imagine was them taking the dressing off and putting some other mystery substance on it. Then they refused 1/2 the kid's pain meds, but I digress.

Have you guys heard of this, or other wonky "home remedies" that you've seen come through the doors?

[kool-aide, RN]

My Grandmother has always had "bowel problems" and takes everything under the sun for them. So, she got a "tip" from my sister and started drinking prune juice mixed with baking soda everyday (a large cup full, consistency more like soda-prude PASTE). This accompanied by her not taking her lasix everyday as ordered landed her right in the hospital with severe pulmonary edema and has caused her to have anoxic encephalopathy. So frustrating when family members play doctor.

[tila.12]

we had a pt come in with a garlic clove in each nostril for a stuffy nose. his complaint was SOB he stunk up the whole office for the rest of the day!

[turnforthenurse, MSN, NP]

The secret to youth: 1/8 tsp of apple cider vinegar in 8oz of water. Drink every morning. The patient was in her 80's and I will admit, she looked good for her age!

[jocelynlpn, LPN]

My Grandpa taught me to swallow a whole garlic clove when I started to feel a cold coming on. Does actually work!

Honey works great for a dry cough.

I use peppermint oil that I buy at a health food store to treat my tension headaches. Works way better than any analgesic.

One of the doctors at my facility is from Romania. He says a good way to treat bronchitis is to peel and onion and cut it in half, then put it somewhere in your bedroom at night time. Never tried that one...

And another remedy that is totally unrelated to health is to put out used coffee grounds in your kitchen or whatever if you have a problem with fruit flies! Works awesome!

[tvccrn, ASN, RN]

I had a patient a few years ago who was a school bus driver. His A1C was 19.0. I asked him what he was doing about his diabetes and he replied " I treat it with cinnamon".

Cinnamon does help control blood sugar, but not as the SOLE treatment. In junction with other medications, it can add an extra layer of treatment.

[TriciaJ, RN]

I had a patient a few years ago who was a school bus driver. His A1C was 19.0. I asked him what he was doing about his diabetes and he replied " I treat it with cinnamon".

Was he buying his "meds" at the Cinnabon store?

[Sparrow23]

One lil old lady (quoting a goodness-knows-how-old book): "Salt water cures cancer."

So THAT'S why we give most everyone NS, eh?

If only...

[J-NO]

orange juice c. salt alternated with water and baking soda and honey for the runs works well!

[stelon]

My hospital usually lets family/patients try home remedies if they want to as long as we see no harm in it. One patient was lethargic and if I remember correctly, a bit jaundiced. The family came and bathed him with garlic infused vodka. It stank up the whole unit until finally we couldn't stand it anymore and a whole team of us went in there to bathe him properly.

And it still smelled.

[sissiesmama, ASN, RN]

EEEW.

Ditto --- :barf01:

Anne, RNC

[J-NO]

Ok this isnt a PT treatment but living in CANADA (yes that big piece of ice above the USA) I have delt c. some cool temps and I put ground black pepper in my socks and it works for me! Of course I sneeze alot when I take my socks off but... it works for me

[AngelfireRN, MSN, RN, APRN]

My Great Granny used to put 'coal oil' (kerosene) on wounds, and swore by Mercurochrome (some people called it Merthiolate). Stuff had actual mercury in it, and I think it's banned now, but it worked, by George.

Had parents come in with a baby in dire straits...it had a cough and they put TURPENTINE in its bottle. Never did find out how that one ended.

Had a lady come in with a raging staph infection, covered in some kind of sticky goop. I swear her DH called it "red whore salve". Turns out, it was HORSE salve. Either way, it didn't work.

And then there was the poor child sent home with headlice, only to return the next day, unopened box of Rid in hand, with her poor head smothered in Vaseline and swathed in Saran wrap...