Applying Original Listerine can help conquer scalp itch
Q. I’ve been plagued with horrible itchiness. Multiple dermatologists and allergists have been unable to give me a diagnosis. However, one dermatologist finally suggested Sarna AntiItch Lotion, original scent (with camphor and menthol). If I start applying it as soon as I begin to feel itchy, I can get relief.
My scalp has also been itchy. Sarna Lotion is too messy to apply in my hair, but Original Listerine has a very similar smell. I tried it on a chronic itchy spot on my scalp behind the right ear, and it worked.
Applying it straight from the bottle is awkward. Instead, I put it in a plastic squeeze bottle like the ketchup or mustard containers used in diners.
A. Camphor and menthol are classic ingredients in anti-itch formulations. These old-fashioned compounds stimulate TRPM8 receptors in the skin to provide a cooling sensation. Listerine also contains menthol in addition to eucalyptol, methyl salicylate and thymol. Many other readers report that it can help ease scalp itching. Thank you for describing an ingenious method of applying this mouthwash to the scalp.
Q. Two months ago, I suffered a pelvic fracture. I am making progress, but sleeping is a problem. The pain wakes me up, and then I can’t get back to sleep. I am afraid to take PM pain relievers because I have read in your column that they might increase the risk for dementia. What else do you have to offer?
A. The PM pain relievers that you mention contain the sedating antihistamine diphenhydramine (DPH). We discourage the regular use of DPH for insomnia because the long-term benefits have not been established. A review of sleep medicines in older adults concludes that “Diphenhydramine should be avoided in the elderly” (Clinical Therapeutics, Nov. 1, 2016). That said, taking a PM pain medicine temporarily to both ease your discomfort and assist with sleep should not increase your risk for dementia. Other options are valerian, passionflower, ashwagandha or hops.
Q. I was experiencing significant pins and needles sensations in my hands and feet and was diagnosed with MS. I began taking gabapentin for the discomfort. I kept taking the gabapentin, and I became progressively weaker and more fatigued. Then I weaned myself from the gabapentin and noticed I was regaining strength and energy. I have now returned to living a totally normal, active life with my only symptoms being pins and needles.
A. Thank you for your insightful story. Gabapentin (Neurontin) has Food and Drug Administration approval to treat epilepsy and nerve pain after a shingles attack (postherpetic neuralgia). Doctors do prescribe it off-label for many other conditions, though. Side effects include weakness, fatigue, sleepiness, dizziness and depression.
Q. You’ve written about the benefits of walnuts. How do they affect people who are taking thyroid meds?
A. There has been surprisingly little research on this topic, but the
Mayo Clinic suggests that patients hold off on eating walnuts for several hours after taking their thyroid medication. Iron and calcium supplements can interfere with levothyroxine absorption, as can antacids with aluminum or magnesium, the ulcer medicine sucralfate and the cholesterol-lowering medication cholestyramine (Pharmaceuticals, March 2, 2021).