Do household remedies really work? Whether it’s superstitions, family remedies passed down through the generations, or simply little tricks that you swear on, almost everyone has some unusual methods for fighting off common illnesses.
Indeed, many of us have anecdotes of strange things our parents made us do because they promised it would rid us of our ailments. Others resolutely believe there are items in their kitchen cupboards better at fighting off the common cold than anything you can buy from a pharmacy.
A mouthful of salty water
One of the standout findings was that over half of Britons – 56%, to be exact – have tried gargling salty water to get rid of a sore throat. And of this sizeable group, 68% say it does the trick. But does it work? Well, gargling warm salty water can actually help people with a sore throat; it provides symptomatic relief as well as having preventative benefits by pulling fluids out of the infected tissues in the throat.
Buttering up a burn
Turning to the more bizarre health remedies people rely upon, PharmacyOutlet.co.uk’s research showed that 19% of the UK public have applied butter to the burnt skin to ease the pain. However, this is not advisable – rubbing butter onto a burn could make the injury worse as it will slow the release of heat from the skin.
Read more at The Hippocratic Post