Hot water can help ease itch of fire ant, mosquito bites
Q: While I was mowing the lawn, fire ants bit my leg. I ran to the bathroom and turned the hot water on as hot as I could stand it without burning. Within seconds of putting my leg under the tap, all traces of ant bites were gone, and I felt no discomfort. It seems the hot water deactivated the formic acid of ant bites.
The key points: Get the hot water on the bites quickly and don’t burn yourself. I also washed my leg with soap just to prevent infection.
A: Thank you for sharing your story. Hot water can ease the itch of poison ivy or mosquito bites as well. Anyone who tries this must take care not to burn their skin!
Q: I’ve had a wart on the inside of my thumb for the past few years. It was about the size of a small pea and just seemed like tough skin. It didn’t hurt so I didn’t panic over it, but I wanted it gone.
My dermatologist froze it a couple of times, and I put enough Compound W on it to float a boat. No results. Then I read about using plain iodine. With a few applications every day or so, the wart was completely gone in about five weeks. There is absolutely no sign of it ever being there. I couldn’t believe it.
A: Warts are frequently treated by freezing or with salicylic acid (like the Compound W you tried). However, those methods don’t always work.
Twenty-five years ago, we received this message
from a reader: “My Lithuanian grandmother had me put iodine on my left thumb, which had sprouted a wart. I was religious about applying the iodine, as the wart was so ugly. I don’t remember how long it took, but the wart disappeared. I’ve had no others.”
Povidone iodine has antiviral as well as antibacterial and antifungal activity. This old-fashioned antiseptic is often used to disinfect skin before surgery.
A small randomized, placebo-controlled trial found that 2% povidone iodine in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) eliminated warts much better than DMSO alone (Dermatology and Therapy, December 2015). The authors concluded: “Twice-daily topical povidone-iodine solution in the novel vehicle employed for this study is an effective, safe and easy-to-use treatment for common warts.”
Q: Although I’m a retired physician, I am not much of a medicine man. I’ve seen too many problems with drugs and their side effects. Alternative treatments have
helped so many, and I prefer them when possible.
My wife has arthritic knees. NSAIDS like ibuprofen and naproxen have not provided relief. Can you offer any guidance on fish oil or antiinflammatory herbs?
A: A large randomized controlled trial of vitamin D and fish oil (VITAL) found no benefit for knee arthritis (Arthritis & Rheumatology, November 2020). The study lasted over five years. Consequently, we can’t recommend fish oil.
Other natural options worth consideration include turmeric, boswellia, ashwagandha and ginger. There is research to support the anti-inflammatory activity of these botanicals. For example, a systematic review of controlled trials of turmeric extract found that curcumin relieved pain and joint stiffness with fewer side effects than NSAIDs (Bioscience Reports, June 25, 2021).