WESTON, Fla. – Home remedies have been around for decades and the popularity of “Do It Yourself” care is continually fueled, even today, through social media.
During her daily office visits with patients, Dr. Jaclyn Railsback with the Cleveland Clinic Florida fields a number of questions.
“In primary care, we get a lot of questions about home remedies that might be beneficial for your health,” she said.
Railsback said one of the proven DIY remedies is using duct tape to remove a wart.
“It helps to almost suffocate the wart to prevent it from functioning and growing on top of the skin,” she said.
And it looks like grandma was right about chicken soup: research suggests it can be good for a cold.
“It helps clear the sinuses from mucus and it can actually shorten the duration of a cold,” Railsback said.
Good old honey can also help a nagging cough.
“Honey can sometimes help with the mucus, help calm inflammation in the upper airway. We don’t recommend it in young babies under the age of 1 because it does carry the risk of botulism for their age group,” Railsback said.
If you’ve got tummy troubles, products containing ginger can provide relief.
“Ginger comes in a lot of formulations. It comes in teas, lozenges. We use it a lot in pregnant patients to help reduce nausea in the first trimester and also for chemotherapy patients to help reduce nausea,” Railsback said.
Railsback cautions against treating yourself with herbal products because they can interact with certain medical conditions and medications.
Also, if the home remedy you’re using isn’t making you feel better, the problem is getting worse or you develop new symptoms, it’s time to seek professional medical help.