Liquid soap relieves painful leg spasms
Q: I have suffered from restless legs syndrome for years. I got a little relief from bars of soap in the bed. Then, on a road trip where I had to do all the driving, I experienced hours of leg spasms. It was so bad that I was crying from the pain.
In desperation I bought some liquid soap from a roadside service station and tried rubbing it on my calves. I had complete relief within 2 miles.
I have told at least 25 people about this, and every one of them who tried it experienced almost instant relief. An antiques dealer saw me in town and came over and hugged my neck right there in front of everybody! He said he was finally sleeping well after 20 years of suffering.
A: Many people laugh at the idea of using soap for leg cramps or restless legs syndrome. It seems like such a silly remedy. Nevertheless, there is some science to support it.
Over a decade ago, an anesthesiologist published the results of a study that tested crushed Ivory soap in skin patches ( Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, July 2008). The researchers reported positive results for women with menstrual cramps.
In another study, this physician tested soapscented oil (SSO) in a special skin patch he had created. He reported that “the SSO skin patch consistently and adequately relieved muscular pain ( Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, September 2008). The soapscented oil doesn’t seem that different from the liquid soap you used.
Q: I suffer from allergies. Steroid sprays ease my symptoms but cause nosebleeds and headaches. I am also concerned about the possibility of cataracts.
I switched to NasalCrom nasal spray. It is awesome. I use it twice a day, and it works to control my symptoms without serious side effects.
A: Most people have never heard of NasalCrom for allergy relief. It is not advertised as aggressively as many antihistamines or steroid nasal sprays.
The active ingredient, cromolyn, stabilizes the mast cells in the nose that react to pollen and other allergens. This pharmaceutical was originally developed from an ancient remedy called bishop’s weed (Ammi visnaga). We are glad it worked so well for you. It does require a spritz in each nostril three to four times a day to prevent allergy symptoms.
Q: This may sound silly, but we New Zealanders and Australians travel a lot to resorts in Asia, like Thailand, Bali and Vietnam. A favorite anti-diarrhea ploy is to take sachets of pure raspberry fruit powder or raspberry cordial containing not less than 30 percent raspberry.
I take a dessert spoon of the powder or a ¼ glass of cordial the night before I leave and then each morning when I wake up. I don’t suffer from the trots during my holidays. This remedy is great for families traveling with kids.
A: Thank you for sharing this intriguing remedy. We could find no research to support your treatment plan, but it does seem benign.
Another low-tech treatment for mild travelers’ diarrhea is bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) ( Journal of Travel Medicine, April 1, 2017). It will turn the stool black, but that is not something to worry about when used for just a few days.