5 Everyday Things That Relieve Pain
Updated: Mar. 20, 2019
Get some relief and learn how to use common household items like salt, oatmeal and potatoes to stop unpleasant aches and pains.
Want to avoid taking unnecessary medication? These common household items can help relieve everything from bee stings to back ache, and the best part is you probably have most of them in your home already.
1. Meat Tenderizer Treats Back Aches
To relieve your aching back, mix sufficient water with meat tenderizer to make a paste and rub it on your back where it hurts. The enzymes in the tenderizer will help soothe those aching back muscles.
2. Window Cleaner Treats Bee Stings
Spritzing some window cleaner on a bee sting is a quick way to reduce the swelling and pain. But first be sure to remove any stinger. Flick it sideways to get it out – don’t tweeze it – then spray. Use only spray-on window cleaner that contains ammonia and never use a concentrated product. It is the small amount of ammonia that does the work, and beekeepers have known for years that a very dilute solution of ammonia helps relieve stings.
3. Oatmeal Treats Rashes
Take the itch out of a case of chicken pox or a poison ivy rash with a relaxing, warm oatmeal bath. Simply grind 1 cup oatmeal in your blender until it is a fine powder, then pour it into a piece of cheesecloth, the foot section of a clean nylon stocking, or the leg of an old pantyhose. Knot the material, and tie it around the faucet of your bathtub so the bag is suspended under the running water. Fill the tub with lukewarm water and soak in it for 30 minutes. You may find additional relief by applying the oatmeal pouch directly to the rash or pox.
4. Potatoes Treat Swelling
Potatoes retain heat and cold well. The next time you need a hot compress, boil a potato, wrap it in a towel, and apply to the area. Refrigerate the boiled potato if you need a cold compress.
5. Salt Treats Poison Ivy Itch
When poison ivy erupts, relieve the itching by soaking in hot salt water. If the case is very unfortunate, you might want to immerse yourself in a tub full of salt water.
