Pickle juice perfect for pickleball muscle cramps
Q: I’m almost 60 and an avid pickleball player. In recent years, I find that when I play for more than a couple of hours and get dehydrated, I suffer from cramps after I play. Hamstrings and glutes are often a problem or sometimes abdominal and back muscles. Staying hydrated helps.
Pickle juice or mustard can discharge the nervous system firing within a minute or two. That relieves the cramp right away. Go pickleball and go pickle juice!
A: Pickle juice is not just for pickleball. We have heard from hockey players, football players and other sports enthusiasts that both pickle juice and yellow mustard can reverse muscle cramps. Even nonathletes tell us that these strong flavors work well to calm nighttime leg cramps.
Q: My son has been suffering with pain from arthritis for 17 years. He recently had red light LED therapy. It was expensive, but after the treatment, he said that he felt better than he had for years. The effect only lasted two days, though.
Is this a real treatment or just a placebo effect? Any research on this would be helpful.
A: Thank you for alerting us to this evolving approach to easing joint pain. Red light LED therapy is used more often in dermatology to treat a variety of skin conditions.
We were able to locate a number of studies on photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT). This uses red light LED as well as red and nearinfrared laser treatments. Although research in this field started more than 20 years ago (Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, January 1992), scientists still don’t understand exactly how it works (Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, Nov. 16, 2023). The optimal parameters, such as wavelength, power and duration of exposure, have not yet been established.
One study suggests that PBMT is more effective for arthritis pain when combined with exercise (South African Journal of Sports Medicine, Jan. 1, 2019). A randomized, controlled trial compared recovery from total knee replacement utilizing exercise alone to exercise combined with PBMT. The authors concluded that low-level laser therapy improved pain management and range of motion (Cureus, Dec. 21, 2023). It does appear to be a “real treatment” and not simply a placebo.
Your son might be interested in other nondrug approaches to joint pain. He can learn about these in our “eGuide to Alternatives for Arthritis.” This online resource is located under the Health eGuides tab at PeoplesPharmacy.com.
Q: A great natural decongestant is dried culinary thyme used to make tea. Add 1 teaspoon to 8 ounces of hot water and steep for 2 to 4 minutes. Strain the thyme out unless you use a tea ball.
I like to sweeten it with honey or stevia and serve it hot. It works for adults and children without causing the insomnia or nervousness I get from pseudoephedrine. It tastes great, too, so there is no fight to get kids to drink it.
A: Your recipe sounds terrific. We may even be able to explain how it works.
Cough associated with an upper respiratory infection like a cold seems to be driven by transient receptor potential (TRP) channels. Thymol, menthol, camphor and eucalyptus activate these channels and reduce cough and irritation (Respiratory Research, Feb. 8, 2023).