The People’s Pharmacy
Q: Despite my natural attraction to mosquitos, I was unaware of the amazing “hot spoon” treatment for itch-causing bites until recently. When the bite is still fresh, warm a spoon in a glass of hot water or coffee, then use the spoon’s back to apply as much heat as possible to the bite. The heat from the spoon appears to neutralize the mosquito bite, considerably reducing the duration and degree of irritation. This has been a godsend during the last few summers!
A: The attractiveness of mosquitoes varies widely between persons. Their responses to the bites vary in strength. You and anyone who attract mosquitos should use insect repellent whenever you go outside.
The majority of people experience redness, irritation, and possibly a lump where a mosquito bit them. Experts believe this is a histamine-induced response to mosquito saliva. Some people, on the other hand, have a strong reaction to mosquito bites that lasts several weeks rather than days. Doctors refer to this condition as “skeeter syndrome.”
The hot water remedy for itchiness was first published in the textbook “Dermatology: Diagnosis and Treatment” over 50 years ago. It works by desensitizing the skin’s itch-transmitting nerves. We believe the hot spoon approach uses the same system. The water and spoon should not be hot enough to burn the skin.
Nowadays, high-tech adaptations of this method are commercialized under the names Therapik, Bite Away, and Bite Helper. These are battery-powered devices that administer heat to itch-causing bug bites.
For Illustration Purpose | Freepik
Q: My grandma reached the ripe old age of ninety-nine. She used a recipe you printed out years ago. She claimed that it truly kept her joints moving and that it was purportedly from the Mayo Clinic. Could you elaborate on this solution for me?
A: The Mayo Clinic was founded by brothers Charles and William Mayo, who are credited with recommending the cure you are referring to. The ingredients for the “black ball” recipe include olive oil, charcoal, glycerin, senna, slippery elm, dried raisins and figs, and whether or not they truly recommended it.
We don’t know whether or not this might lessen joint inflammation. Actually, since the senna it contains is a strong laxative that should not be used frequently, we do not advise it.
But our “eGuide to Alternatives for Arthritis” has some at-home treatments for joint pain. You can access this online resource at PeoplesPharmacy.com by clicking on the Health eGuides page.
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