Ten unconventional ways to fix aches and pains
Got a cold? Don't blow your nose! Picture: Thinstock
DUST mites to cure your asthma and not blowing your nose to get rid of a cold? These and more in our top ten cure-all list!
BLAST OF SOUND TO BANISH WRIST PAINHand and wrist pain could be eased with sound waves. Doctors are using ultrasound to treat carpal tunnel syndrome, which causes pain and numbness in the hand, wrist and fingers, and is estimated to affect 3 per cent of adults.
The condition is triggered by the compression of nerves in the wrist. Treatments include wearing a splint, steroid injections and surgery, but relapse is common.
In a trial at East Kent Hospitals University NHS Trust, patients with mild carpal tunnel syndrome will be given wrist splints and either therapeutic or sham ultrasound therapy. They will have 20 sessions over seven weeks, and be assessed after six and 12 months.
Just how it could work is not clear, but one theory is that the sound waves boost blood flow to the affected area, which helps reduce inflammation and discomfort.
NOT BLOWING YOUR NOSE WHEN YOU'VE GOT A COLD
Struggling with a blocked-up nose or stuffy feeling in the head? While the temptation is to keep blowing your nose, it probably won't help.
A blocked nose from a common cold is caused not by mucus, but by swelling and inflammation of the blood vessels in the nasal airways, triggered by the infection, explains Dr Ayah Al Ayoubi, consultant Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgeon at Chase Farm Hospital, London.
Not only will blowing not work, studies show that forceful nose blowing can propel some infection-laden mucus into the sinuses, where secondary bacterial infections may take hold. So if you must blow your nose, it's best to blow gently, one nostril at a time. And don't bother inhaling the steam from a bowl of recently boiled water because that won't help unblock your nose either.SUNFLOWERS TO HELP EASE ECZEMA
Compounds found in the blooms of sunflowers are being used to protect skin cells from being broken down and may help soothe painful and itchy skin.
Skin cells are continually built and shed by the body, but in some skin conditions more are broken down than are created, leading to skin becoming sore and irritated. Normally the body produces substances called trypsin inhibitors, which can protect cells from breaking down - however, these are not in large enough quantities or powerful enough to protect against the damage seen in conditions such as dermatitis and eczema.
Now researchers from the Australian Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation have found the sunflowers contain a version of these protective compounds that can be used on human skin cells. Studies show these flower compounds protect skin cells, and researchers are hopeful this could lead to a new cream for skin conditions.
Sunflowers for eczema. Picture: Thinkstock
GIVING UP MEAT TO PREVENT MIGRAINES
Scientists are investigating if reducing meat intake can reduce the number of migraine attacks.
In a new U.S. study, 100 patients are being asked to follow either a meat-free low-fat diet, or stick to normal diet but take vitamin E and omega-3 supplements. After two months they will then swap to the other regimen.
This trial follows previous studies which have suggested a vegetarian diet can result in fewer migraine attacks, and that vitamin E and omega 3 can also help. The researchers in this latest study, which is being conducted by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington, suspect that the low-fat diet - with its high levels of antioxidants from fruit and vegetables - may prove more effective, possibly by reducing inflammation, which may then prevent blood vessels in the head from going into spasm.
PINEAPPLE FOR HEALTHY BOWELS
The humble pineapple has been shown to ease gastric pain - particularly that caused by heartburn. The fruit contains bromelain, an enzyme that helps to breakdown proteins in the stomach, according to University of Michigan research.
The stomach usually needs to use extra effort to break down high-protein foods such as red meat and poultry, and so secretes additional digestive acids. However these can flow back up and burn the lining of the gullet. The U.S researchers also found that bromelain speeds up digestion, meaning the stomach needs to produce less acid, and the attacks of heartburn are reduced.
In the study, regular acid reflux sufferers who consumed a 100g portion of fresh pineapple 15 minutes before meals reported up to a 20 per cent reduction in symptoms.
THE PAINKILLING SUPER-SAUSAGE
Sausages are being tested as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. Patients are being prescribed sausages boosted with omega-3 oils to tackle inflammation.
In the trial at the University of Jena in Germany, researchers are looking at the effects on pain and stiffness of sausage, tomato spread and milk fortified with a polyunsaturated fatty acid.
The trial follows studies that have suggested these fatty acids may ease symptoms by reducing the number of inflammatory molecules released by the body. Patients will have the fortified food or a placebo supplemented with sunflower oil every day for ten weeks.
They will get one 60g sausage, 8g tomato spread and one bottle of milk a day - foods chosen on the basis they are often eaten daily.
Special sausages. Picture: Thinkstock
A patch that contains a protein produced by house dust mites could revolutionise the treatment of asthma.
The patch, which is worn on the arm or stomach, gradually releases tiny amounts of the protein into the skin. It is designed to 're-tune' the immune system so that it does not over-react when it comes into contact with mite droppings, which are a leading trigger for asthma attacks. Once the body's defences have learned not to over-react - a process that can take several months - the patient can stop wearing the patch.
As well as treating existing asthma sufferers, it is hoped the new patch could also be used to prevent the disease developing in the first place in children.
NASAL SPRAY TO EASE CYSTITIS
A nasal spray may help ease the pain of cystitis. The spray is based on oxytocin, the hormone secreted during pregnancy and breastfeeding, which has been shown to encourage bonding between mother and child. Scientists have now started using it to treat the painful bladder disorder interstitial cystitis.
This is a chronic condition that triggers an urgent need to go to the loo, and pain on urination. The exact cause is unknown, but it's thought the bladder lining becomes inflamed.
Anecdotal reports suggested women with the condition experience a significant easing of symptoms while breastfeeding. In a new trial, at the University of Alabama, patients will receive a single dose of oxytocin or a placebo saline spray, and will then be monitored.
SUCKING ON A DUMMY STOPS SNORING
A device that resembles a baby's dummy could help tackle snoring. The Good Morning Snore Solution works by pulling the tongue forward during sleep so that the airways are kept clear.
Before going to sleep, the patient sticks the tip of their tongue to a suction pad on the part of the dummy that sits inside the mouth. A large plastic cover sits over the front of the teeth and holds it in place during sleep - just the same as a baby's pacifier.
In the middle is a hollow 'bulb' which protrudes through the lips. The patient squeezes the bulb so that the air escapes and it creates a vacuum, and pops the tip of their tongue inside. When they let go, this seals the tip of the tongue in the bulb, so that the tongue stays pulled forward when they go to sleep.
Holding the tongue in a forward position means the airway does not get blocked when all the muscles around the throat relax during sleep, which is what causes heavy snoring.
A dummy for snoring. Picture: Thinkstock
DRY BRUSH FOR PEARLY WHITES
Dry-brushing your teeth for 90 seconds before doing your normal clean will revolutionise your routine. One U.S. study reported that when people brushed their teeth without toothpaste first, using a soft brush, their plaque deposits were reduced by 67 per cent, and gum bleeding dropped by 50 per cent.
The absence of toothpaste foam means you clean your teeth more intuitively, because you can feel round your teeth better, and detect rough plaque.
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