Self-Treatments
I am not a doctor, but the following self-treatments help me survive adulthood on a pretty much daily basis and got me through college. (Everything written here has also been vetted by two healthcare professionals whom I am privileged to call "Mom" and "Dad.")
Headaches
Tension Headaches
This type is a squeezing, throbbing pain in the temples, back of the head, neck, and/or upper shoulders. Usually accompanied by stiff/popping neck and sometimes jaw pain. These flare up worse when you try to bend your neck, hunch, or lift something heavy.
Treatments
- Neck/shoulder massage
- Ice packs (wrap pack in a towel before using)
- Heating pad (place a sheet between the pad and your body first)
- General pain reliever
- Lying down and resting--no playing on computer, tablet, or phone!
- Neck stretches (GENTLY!)
If these tips do not help, see a good chiropractor who specializes in muscle therapies as well as joint readjustments.
Sinus Headaches
This type aches right above the brows, under the eyes/in the cheekbones, or even down into your teeth. Usually occurs alongside nasal congestion and/or allergies.
Treatments
- Nasal decongestant
- General pain reliever
If these tips do not help, first check with your doctor to rule out sinus infections, and then check with your dentist--you may have a dental issue in your upper teeth that's causing pain, especially if it's your cheeks and teeth that hurt most.
High Blood Pressure Headaches
This type feels like a red-hot net of pain all over the head, but especially the top of the head. Usually accompanied by a flushed feeling in the face, possible ringing in the ears, and stress in the hour preceding the headache.
Treatments
- General pain reliever
- Relaxation for at least an hour
- Low-salt foods for at least a day
- Lots of water
If these tips do not help, see a doctor, especially if you begin to feel lightheaded and jittery.
Migraine headaches
This type feels like vicious stabbing pain between your eyebrow and hairline, or in your eye. Usually occurs alongside flashing in your vision, light and sound sensitivity, severe nausea, and occasionally dizziness.
Treatments
- "Migraine"-specific pain relievers
- Eye mask or darkened room
- Ear plugs, silence or soft sounds only; ASMR videos may help
- Increased magnesium and potassium intake for prevention
If these treatments do not help, see a doctor--it might be something worse than migraines!
Fevers
Fever Diagnosis
- Feeling hot even though the room should be comfortable
- Peeling/chapping lips
- Constantly thirsty
- Back of neck and forehead are both significantly hot to touch
Treatments
- Take temperature with very clean oral thermometer, holding it under tongue for at least 40 seconds.
- If temp is 99-100° F/ 38° C: low-grade fever, possibly caused by an infected cut, swelling, or bruising
- 101-103° F/ 39° C: take ibuprofen or acetaminophen, take a lukewarm bath/use tepid compresses, and make a doctor's appointment
- 104° F/ 40° C: get to the emergency room NOW.
Small Skin Wounds
Treatments
- Wash your hands with antibacterial soap/use antibacterial wipe or sanitizer.
- Do the same for the wound and the surrounding area. Let dry completely.
- Use hydrogen peroxide on the wound if it has visible dirt in it or was inflicted by an animal. Let dry completely.
- Apply small amount of antibacterial ointment just on the wound itself.
- Apply adhesive bandage--not too tight!
- Repeat this entire treatment (except the hydrogen peroxide) every day until the wound closes up.
If a red disk or ring ever appears around the wound, and it feels swollen, hot, and painful to the touch, get to the doctor ASAP!
Using Hydrogen Peroxide
Warning: DO NOT use peroxide over a large area of affected skin (like burns, rashes, or fungal infections)--it's best for small or penetrative wounds, like bug bites, scratches, scrapes, or small animal bites.
Proper Usage
- If possible, get to a sink, bathtub, or shower area. If not, just put a towel under the affected area to catch excess. (FYI: peroxide will usually bleach fabrics and hair.)
- Pour a very small amount of peroxide over the wound. It will sting a bit.
- Watch how much the wound bubbles--the more bubbles, the dirtier and germier the wound was.
- When the stinging sensation and bubbles start to go down, pat the surrounding area of the wound dry with a tissue or paper towel. Don't pat the actual wound surface dry.
Small Burns, Rashes, and Fungal Infections
For Small Burns:
- Run the burned area under LUKEWARM water, not cold.
- Carefully apply some aloe vera ointment or cream.
- Apply some gauze, secured with medical tape, to protect the burned area.
- Over the next few days, wash the area gently and use antibacterial ointment and gauze to treat it.
If the burned area gets larger, looks redder/more swollen, and is hot/painful to the touch, get to the doctor ASAP!
For Rashes:
If you recently walked through a woodland area or petted an animal that's been outdoors, you might have come into contact with urushiol, an irritating agent common on poison oak, poison ivy, and poison sumac.
Treatment
- Use a special soap or wash to remove the urushiol from your skin.
- Take Benadryl or another anti-histamine to reduce the reaction from within.
- Use hydrocortisone cream on the rash to reduce itching.
- Don't scratch that rash, whatever you do!
If you recently started using a new laundry detergent, dish soap, bath soap, hand soap, or body wash, you might have contact dermatitis, which is a small but irritating allergic rash due to soaps or other chemicals.
Treatment
- Switch back to your old soap/laundry detergent for a while and see if the rash goes away.
- Try the treatments listed above while waiting for the rash to go away.
If nothing in the above list works, get to a doctor ASAP.
For Fungal Infections:
Athlete's foot occurs most often between the toes as red, itchy, uncomfortable/painful skin that always feels wet.
- Wash and dry feet very, very well, concentrating between toes.
- Apply antifungal cream/spray between toes and allow it to sink in for several minutes.
- Powder your feet well.
- Wear clean socks every day, and don't wear the same shoes every day till the athlete's foot is gone.
Nail fungus appears as an unusually thick, discolored, and smelly nail, perhaps with some pitting on its surface.
- Tea tree oil and anti-fungal creams can help kill off the fungus if you catch it early.
- Cut the affected part of the nail off (don't go much below the tip of the finger/toe).
- If the whole nail is involved, or the nail area is already painful, see a doctor for internal, oral antifungal meds; nail fungus takes a LONG time to grow out and go away.
- Prevention: keep nails short, don't go barefoot or keep feet/hands in wet conditions, wear clean socks, wash and dry hands/feet often.
If you have these symptoms anywhere other than on the feet, try applying anti-fungal cream right when it begins to be annoying. If the cream has not worked in a couple of days, get to a doctor.
Colds and Sore Throats
Cold and Sore Throat Diagnosis
- Nasal congestion
- Sore throat
- Sneezing
- Coughing
Flu Diagnosis
- Fever
- Headache/random body aches
- Excessive fatigue
- Nasal congestion
- Sore throat
- Sneezing
- Coughing
Don't mess around with this: get to a doctor ASAP!
Cold/Sore Throat Treatment
- Expectorants (anti-coughing) and decongestants
- Vitamin C and zinc lozenges
- Mentholated lozenges
- Hot tea, hot chocolate, and soup
- Wash hands often.
- Hot showers to help loosen any phlegm in your throat
- Disinfect surfaces you touch a lot (computer keyboard, cell phone, steering wheel, etc.).
If these tips don't help, see a doctor--it could be bronchitis, a sinus infection, or something else.
Stomach Ailments
Vomiting/Nausea Treatment
- Allow yourself to vomit if possible.
- Water or Gatorade, plus saltines
- Clear soup or broth
If you have vomited three times or more in an hour, or if you can't keep even water down, get to a doctor or emergency room.
Endless Cramping Treatment
- Anti-inflammatory pain reliever (Advil or Tylenol)
- Heating pad (put a sheet or blanket between your body and the heating pad, for safety)
- Hair dryer set on lowest heat setting (if no heating pad)
- Massage your stomach gently in clockwise circles.
- Funny TV show to ease cramps
If your abdomen feels bloated and hot to the touch even without a heating pad, get to the doctor!
Diarrhea Treatment
- Imodium or other anti-diarrhea medicine
- Lots of water
- Avoid spicy or heavy foods (such as pasta)
If you've had unchanging diarrhea for 24 hours, get to the doctor!
Constipation Treatment
- Dulcolax or another similar medication
- Lots of water
- Fiber-rich foods--beans, salads, whole-grain stuff, etc. (Bean burrito from Taco Bell, LOL)
If you try all this and nothing has helped after 24 hours, get to the doctor!
Joint Injuries
Minor Ankle/Knee Injury
- Follow the RICE method: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. Get a cold pack, two spare pillows, some anti-inflammatory pain relievers, and an Ace bandage.
- Wrap the affected joint snugly in the Ace bandage, winding it up from below the joint and going to just above the joint. Don't cut off circulation!
- Prop the affected leg up on the two spare pillows, to allow swelling to drain back toward your heart.
- Rest the cold pack on top of the joint to help reduce inflammation, or rub in some Biofreeze ointment.
- Take the pain relievers and rest for a while.
- Unwrap the Ace bandage after at least 2 hours, or if the joint begins to hurt severely even while being off it. If the skin over the joint is bruised or the swelling is markedly worse, get to a doctor!
Minor Elbow/Wrist Injury
- RICE method and pain relievers work here, too.
- Keep the joint still as much as you can.
- If the pain is unchanged after at least 2 hours, or you see bruising and greater swelling around the joint, get to a doctor!