Graedons' Pharmacy | Yellow mustard relieves pain
Q: I am so glad I found your website with the information about mustard for burns. I am sitting here typing with one hand as I have the other in a baggy full of mustard.
I was using a glue gun, and the burn is severe.
I started with cool water, then frozen gel packs, but I was in agony the second I removed the ice. Thank goodness for the Internet! I have zero pain even though the mustard has now warmed to body temperature.
I'll NEVER forget this remedy. I'd gladly trade the pain for a yellow-stained thumb any day!
A: We were skeptical when we first heard about putting yellow mustard on burns more than 10 years ago. Since then, however, many people have reported success with this approach.
We caution that a severe burn always requires medical attention. That said, many people have found that cold yellow mustard is helpful for taking away the pain and preventing a blister from a common household burn.
Q: I've gotten immediate relief from canker sores by dabbing on milk of magnesia. I had one starting on the inside of my lip and dabbed on the MoM. It disappeared completely overnight. Who knew?
A: The cause of canker sores (aphthous ulcers) remains mysterious. Unlike cold sores, canker sores occur in the lining of the mouth rather than on the lips. Biting your cheek or scratching your mouth with a sharp potato chip or pretzel can sometimes trigger a lesion.
We were surprised to find that there is a recommendation for using milk of magnesia (MoM) on canker sores in the U.S. National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus) resource. Other suggestions from this official database include rinsing the area with salt water or applying a mixture of half hydrogen peroxide and half water with a cotton swab to the canker sore before dabbing on MoM.
Readers of The People's Pharmacy have reported success healing canker sores by eating kiwi fruit or pureed green beans.
This story was originally published December 22, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Graedons' Pharmacy | Yellow mustard relieves pain ."