What home or OTC remedies did you grow up with?

[cabanafrau]

Didn't say that, so don't put words in my mouth.
But my Doctor's medical group does have a big chart up in the waiting area about the importance of clearing EVERY OTC and "Natural" supplement with your Doctor before taking them.

https://www.kshb.com/news/health/5-...ines-that-could-kill-you-if-you-take-too-much

Must have missed where I suggested that. I'll have to go back and check.

 

[cabanafrau]

Our parents would rub Arnica on our bruises.

Ballet dancers swear by it.

 

[wenrob]

My grandma would put Vicks on my feet with heavy wool socks. To this day I hate anything menthol and wool.

Piling blankets on to “sweat it out.” My DH still believes in this.

Putting whiskey on a teething babies gums.

Wine for nausea in pregnant women.

Aloe Vera for cuts and burns. Still valid IMO.

Bagbalm- still swear by it and will suggest it to any new parent.

I remember my babysitter tying wool socks underneath my chin and up and around my head for the mumps. To this day I don’t know what that was supposed to do. Not only did she keep me in her home with a contagious disease and other kids, back then everyone hoped their kids would actually get it. Same for chicken pox.

 

[RangerPooh]

Growing up we were given Triaminic syrup when sick. If we had a cut Merthiolate (sp?) with its red stain was put on it. If vomiting we were given 7-Up or Sunkist soda, not sure why but it was a treat for us.

 

[mousefanmichelle]

I grew up with Coke Syrup - the real deal in my parents basement. When we were vomiting - thats what we were given.
My husband swears by bag balm and mercuricome. I swear by a teaspoon of honey to stop coughing as well as Vicks on your feet. Both work!
Also Vicks on a cotton ball in your ear when you have an ear ache. Works like a charm. I have heard about sweet oil doing the same but never tried it. Last but not least, whiskey on babies gums when teething.

 

[Skellingtonj]

Taking my brother or my sisters leftover bronchitis medicine.

There were 3 of us and doctors appts were not cheap.

 

[wenrob]

I grew up with Coke Syrup - the real deal in my parents basement. When we were vomiting - thats what we were given.
My husband swears by bag balm and mercuricome. I swear by a teaspoon of honey to stop coughing as well as Vicks on your feet. Both work!
Also Vicks on a cotton ball in your ear when you have an ear ache. Works like a charm. I have heard about sweet oil doing the same but never tried it. Last but not least, whiskey on babies gums when teething.

Oh yeah, my mom/maternal grandmother would do the oil on a cotton ball. They’d warm it up in the microwave. Nothing like sizzling hot oil in your ear for that earache.

Not a home remedy but my mom gave my sister sugar water in her bottles. She had to have most of her baby teeth pulled at three. By the time my younger brothers came along (9 and 10 years later) she went with the “healthier” option of Karo syrup.

 

[wenrob]

Taking my brother or my sisters leftover bronchitis medicine.

There were 3 of us and doctors appts were not cheap.

Oh yeah, I remember that being quite common too. Splitting one prescription among all the kids.

 

[barkley]

Not only did she keep me in her home with a contagious disease and other kids, back then everyone hoped their kids would actually get it. Same for chicken pox

there's been a recent resurgence in holding 'pox parties' as well as 'measles parties' in some areas of the country.

not a fan of it.

 

[indimom]

We also used aloe, Vicks, and methiolade (sp?).

 

[Kitty 34]

I just remember those old vaporizers spewing out Vick's steam when I had a cold. The noise was oddly soothing but not sure if I got better any quicker.

 

[wenrob]

there's been a recent resurgence in holding 'pox parties' as well as 'measles parties' in some areas of the country.

not a fan of it.

My brother never had chicken pox as a kid and got them as an adult. Nearly killed him. That was the way to protect against that then (though we now know some men suffer from infertility because of the mumps as a child) but there’s vacs for them now. Kids shouldn’t even be getting them enough to have “pox parties.” Remembering the misery of the chicken pox I didn’t hesitate to get them for my kids. Older DD had the booster at 13 as well. Which come to think of it, my younger two will be due for it next year.

 

[RangerPooh]

Not only did she keep me in her home with a contagious disease and other kids, back then everyone hoped their kids would actually get it. Same for chicken pox.

When I got chicken pox (1984) the neighbors all sent their kids to play at our house. The idea of it going through our neighborhood all at one time was apparently appealing.

 

[wenrob]

When I got chicken pox (1984) the neighbors all sent their kids to play at our house. The idea of it going through our neighborhood all at one time was apparently appealing.

Yeah, I still remember it being a thing when my nephew was two, he’s 24 now. They did not let him into daycare at that time though. Just two years later my DD got the vaccine along with the others.

 

[fireworks fan]

One I haven’t seen yet, we had to take a cold bath for fevers. Very uncomfortable.

My mom also liked ginger ale for stomach ailments. I still like ginger in all forms, though, so that one stuck with me.

 

[ImDMous]

Lots of Vick's in my childhood, spewing out of my clown humidifier every time I got a cold.
Coke syrup for an upset stomach.
Prune juice, ugh, that was almost as bad as the symptom it was trying to solve.
Aloe vera on burns and scratches, that was actually a useful one.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Cotton ball soaked in Pepto Bismol to put on a cold sore.

 

[amcnj]

Sort of inspired by the bad cream cheese thread.

My Italian father was a Brioschi man. He swore by it for an upset stomach, and I remember drinking it, even when I was little, if I complained of an upset stomach. It was lemony and you had to drink it down quickly while it was still fizzing.

Looking at its history, it is an old antacid - invented in the 1880s. It's still around today. I have to remember to pick some up (although if I recall, it was high in sodium). Yes, sodium bicarbonate effervescent - product of Italy.

https://www.brioschi.com/pages/about-brioschi

What about you - what were the go-to's in your family? Include the history if you can.

We always had brioschi in the house. It disappeared for a while, and not too many years ago another company brought the brand back to life, so I have it again. I have to admit that as kid I never really needed it, but just liked the taste of it!

 

[BlueStarryHat]

My Mother preferred Gentian Violet (or as she called it, "jensins of violets") over Mercurochrome for cuts and scrapes and fat lips because you can use it in the mouth. I don't remember too much about the taste, maybe I blocked it out because it was so horrible.

My great-grandmother advocated half an onion on the sole of the foot cut side against the arch. For fevers. Supposedly, it would draw out the fever and be red hot when the treatment was over. I don't remember onion being applied to my foot, though. I *do* remember my Mom treating fevers by crushing an adult aspirin on a spoon and mixing it with water to go down quicker. Ugh.

*My* grandfather swore by Bromo-Seltzer. I *loved* Bromo-Seltzer and would fake upset stomachs or headaches or whatever it was for just to get a dose. I can still see him pouring the dose into the cap and then into some cold water, where it would fizz.

 

[Ralphmiller007]

My Grandma would always make a "poultice" anytime I had a cold or chest congestion. I'm assuming it was similar to the mustard plaster, although anytime I smell cloves, I'm reminded of the poultices