Pain Relief
Healing With The Fingertips
From Healing and Mental Purification by Hazrat Inayat Khan, we have this instruction for healing with the fingertips:
Hygiene is the first subject to consider in healing with the tips of the fingers. Hands that have been engaged in any work or that are stained with any liquid must be washed for healing. The healer must first observe the hygienic rules of keeping his body, as well as his clothes, pure and clean; especially at the time of healing he must be absolutely free from all that is unhygienic. The sleeves, at the time of healing, must be rolled back, and the fingernails must be clean and properly trimmed.
After healing, one should wave the hand, as it were shaking it, to shake off any fine atoms, or even vibrations, so that a poison taken from the painful part of the patient may not be given to the patient again.
There are cases in which the sensation of the body is deadened by the pain, and the pain has gone into the depth of the affected part of the body. In such cases waving the hand or touching is not enough. Rubbing is necessary.
When dealing with the effects of poison from the sting of a bee or scorpion, or from snake-bite or the bite of any other poisonous animal, a simple soft touch or stroking of the affected part is indicated. If the pain is more intense touch is not necessary, simply the waving of the hand close to the affected part.
In the case of the bite of a mad dog, one should put some lime, mixed with water on a copper coin and tie it on the part that the teeth have touched, and the rest of the affected part must be healed by touching and stroking it with the tips of the fingers.
Bites of mosquitoes and midges may be cured by applying butter, that has been boiled and allowed to cool, and then waving the hand over the affected part.
Rosewater may be used for bites of all kinds, in cases of severe in inflammation.
Another Toothache Remedy
Cure For The Toothache
Hoffman, the author of this book, has cured the severest toothache more than sixty times, with this remedy, and, out of the sixty times he applied it, it failed but once in affecting a cure. Take blue vitriol and put a piece of it in the hollow tooth, yet not too much; spit out the water that collects in the mouth, and be careful to swallow none. I do not know whether it is good for teeth that are not hollow, but I should judge it would cure any kind of toothache.
From: Pow-Wows, or Long Lost Friend, by John George Hoffman, [1820]
Old Fashioned Cures for A Toothache
I am so grateful for modern dental care, and the fact that is readily available. There was a time, however, when a toothache was a major ordeal. For this reason, there is quite a lot of folklore that covers an amazing array of cures for a toothache. Some of them might even actually work – and if you really don’t want to go to the dentist, you might want to give one or two of them a try. The first one, oil of cloves, actually works really well when applied directly.
- Oil of cloves for a tooth ache.
- Bite into a hot raisin right on the tooth that aches.
- To cure tooth aches, hold whiskey over tooth in the mouth.
- Take blood from around the tooth that aches and carry that to an oak tree that’s been struck by lightning. On the north side of the tree, pull the bark down, put the blood in there, and then shove the bark back up. This will kill your toothache.
- Get a wasp’s nest and smoke it. That will cure a toothache.
- If you’ll take the ear drum from a hog and paint it and tie it around your neck and wear it like a necklace it will cure the tooth ache.
- Another method of treating toothache is to tie knots in a string, one knot for every tooth which does not ache.
- To cure toothache, cut bits of your hair and nails, bore a hole in an apple-tree, and plug in the cuttings. The tooth will never ache again.
- Chewing tobacco is a good pain reliever for tooth aches and insect stings.
- For tooth ache- inhale the aroma of coffee beans being roasted over a slow fire, under cover of a blanket.
- Asparagus root (because of its shape) will cure a tooth ache.
- Cinnamon. Chewing gum strongly impregnated with cinnamon was obtainable at stores. Packing a tooth cavity with this alleviated the ache.
- For teeth which ache and have worms (ca. 9th century): Work up radishes with goat’s fat and heat it and anoint the patient therewith and let him open his mouth that the worm may come up out of it.
- Chew the seed of Jimson weed (Stramonium) for tooth ache.
- For a tooth ache go out a find a garter snake and bite it, and there will be no more toothache.
- A mother should always swallow the first baby tooth her child loses, as this protects the child from every having a tooth ache as long as she lives.
- To relieve toothache, heat up salt and put it in a little back and hold it to place where ache is.
- Wash your hands before your face and you will never get a tooth ache.
- For teeth which ache and have ache and have worms (ca. 9th century): Take a thick reed and cut in one end of it a small slit, and put on the fire a rose of the rhododapus tree so that the smoke thereof may enter (the reed and pass by it) to the teeth, and the worms will die.
- If you have the tooth ache, just chew a garlic button.
- Remedy for toothaches: Apply tip of a kitchen match (with sulphur tip) to the spot that aches.
- If a tooth has been pulled because of a toothache, it must be thrown into the fire, or the ache will return.
- Hellebore. The powder of the Root put into a hollow tooth, is good for the tooth ache.
- All donkeys have on their backs a small black cross. This was their reward for witnessing the birth of Christ in the stable. If a person takes one hair from this cross and puts it in the tooth that aches, the pain will go away.
- For teeth which ache and have worms (ca. 9th century): Pound raisins, boil them in olive oil and rub the teeth therewith, and let some of it remain in thy mouth.
- Cure for toothaches: use salt that has been formed in a solid shape by water and rub it on the teeth that ache.
Wash the mouth with lemon extract and hold some of it in the mouth covering the affected tooth to stop tooth ache. - For a toothache, let someone who is not a relative of the sufferer, drill a hole in a tree. Then the sufferer spits into it three times, drives a nail in after the ache, and takes care never to return to the place.
- For teeth which ache and have worms (ca. 9th century): Boil roses, myrtle, raisins, root of tamarisk, sumach, thorns and olive leaves in vinegar and let the patient hold it in his mouth.
- To cure a tooth ache, you tie a string around a cotton wood tree, tie as many knots as you have teeth in your mouth and your tooth ache will go away.
- I have heard taught one for ye tooth ache, to go thrice about a church yarde, and neuer thynke on a fox tayle.
The tooth is to picked with a splinter from a tree struck by lightning – the ache will cease but the tooth will decay. - For a toothache, prick the bad tooth with nine kinds of wood till blood flows. Put the spikes in a tree, and when they wilt, the ache will be gone.
- To calm a tooth ache, rinse the mouth with very salty water with a little vinegar.
- To cure tooth aches, people will help a bug or insect to get on its feet if it has turned over.
- For the tooth ache, if the tooth be hollow. Take gum opium, gum camphor, and spirits of turpentine, equal parts, rub them in a mortar to a paste, dip lint in the paste, and put it in the hollow of the tooth every time after eating. Make use of this three or four days, and it will entirely cure the tooth from ever aching. All components are well-known tooth-ache remedies. Opium is used because of its content of morphine, the queen of pain relievers. It seems that turpentine is used to kill the nerve, while opium acts as a pain reliever during the process.
- Put some tobacco in the tooth to cure a toothache.
- Biting in a tree to rid oneself of a tooth ache.
- Take the forelegs of a mole and one of the hind legs, and put them into a bag. Wear it round your neck, and you will never have the toothache.
- To calm a tooth ache, rinse the mouth with brandy.
- Smoke wicker sticks for tooth ache.
- Put your right shoe on first thing in the morning and you won’t have the tooth ache.
- Put your left shoe on first and you will never have the tooth ache.
- For a toothache, hold a little liquor in your mouth on the side where the tooth aches.
- A cat’s skin is a good remedy for toothache. You should keep a dried cat’s skin and hold it to your cheek when your tooth aches.
- The people of Stamfordham some eighty years ago, had an “excellent” recipe for the curing, and prevention, of toothache. They walked to Winters Gibbet, on Elsdon Moor, some twelve miles away, for a splinter of wood from the gibbet. This, applied to the tooth, disposed of the ache in a jiffy!
- Use cake- flavor for tooth aches.
- Baking powder sometimes put into a tooth cavity for [treating] a tooth ache.
- For teeth which ache and have worms. (ca. 9th century): Pound thorns and olive leaves with honey and strong vinegar and let some of the mixture remain in thy mouth.
- He who drinks from all three of the spouts of the San Cayetano fountain will no longer suffer tooth aches.
- If you have a toothache, put some spices on the tooth and the ache will stop.
- Ireland had two popular superstitions for this unpleasant ache. The first one entailed either the drinking of water from a human skull, or the taking of a pinch of clay from the grave of a priest and putting it into your mouth. You then had to kneel down, say a Paternoster and an Ave, following which it was credibly supposed that you would never again have toothache so long as you lived.
- Pick the sore tooth with a skinned stick until the gums bleed. Hide the stick in the woods, and the ache will vanish
- Put the first aching tooth you have pulled in a glass of whiskey. Then drink the whiskey, and you will never have occasion to have another tooth pulled because it aches.
- If you have a toothache, put a horseradish poultice on the wrist opposite the side the tooth is on, and the ache will go away.
- If you have a toothache, put a horseradish poultice on the wrist opposite the side the tooth is on, and the ache will go.
- To treat toothache, go to the fields or woods and find the jawbone of a horse. Get down on your knees and pick up the bone with your teeth, then walk backward, keeping yours hands behind you. The number of steps you take before dropping the bone indicates the number of years that will elapse before the tooth aches again.
- Cold iron is best remedy for tooth ache.
- A spider web put in an aching tooth will cure the ache.
- Let the person that is troubled with the tooth-ache lay on the contrary side, drop three drops of the juice of rue [final letter of rue not quite distinguishable] into the ear, upon that side the teeth acheth. Let it remain an hour or two, and it will remove the pain.
- Catch a frog under open sky, spit into its mouth, conjure it to take ache with itself so that one will suffer toothache no more and then release it..
- If you have a toothache, you can cure it by tying three knots in your fishing line before you begin to fish. The ache will leave soon.
- If you have a toothache, tie a fishing line around it (the tooth), with a dozen knots in it and the tooth ache will leave.
- If you have a toothache, take the piece of grass which a cow brings home after the first day in the pasture, dry it and whenever the tooth aches, place it on the tooth.
- For toothaches, boil roots of Aralia cordata and drink the liquid.
- Vanilla on a tooth will ease a tooth ache. So will straight whiskey.
- To stop a tooth ache put green black walnut juice on it.
- Tooth Ache Drops – One oz. of chloroform, one oz. of spirits of camphor and half a drachm of oil of cloves. Keep in a tightly in a tightly corked bottle and apply a cotton batting to the cavity of the tooth or on a piece of flannel if applied to the face or jaw.
- To burn the “little nerve ” in the ear will cure the tooth- ache forever.
- For tooth ache, mingle a wood goats gall with oil; smear very frequently with that; then they, the teeth, shall be hole.
- If your tooth aches before seven o’clock, it will end before eleven.
- To stop tooth ache go find an old dead cow’s skull. Wrap it up and hide it. The tooth ache will go a way.
- When a tooth is pulled, take it and place it under a rock or throw it over your left shoulder, and none of your remaining teeth will ache.
About worms in the teeth:
It was the common belief amongst country folk when I was a child, twenty-five years ago, in Derbyshire, that tooth ache was caused by a worm or grub eating at the root of the tooth. The belief has not yet died away. There was a curious mode of extracting this worm. A small quantity of a mixture of dried and powdered herbs was placed in a tea-cup or other small vessel, and live coke from the fire was dropped in. The patient then held his or her open mouth over the cup and inhaled the smoke as long as it could be borne. The cup was then taken away and a fresh cup or glass, containing water, was put before the patient. Into this water the person “hosted,” that is breathed hard, for a few moments, and then, by those with much faith, could be seen the worm or grub in the water, and of course the cure was complete.
A personal account of something that apparently worked:
“Two years ago we had a neighbor that had two bad teeth aching. He didn’t know about this cutting your toe-nails [Some say finger-nails] on Friday to keep from having the toothache, so he went to the dentist one Thursday and had his teeth worked on, and the dentist told him to come back the next week and he would fill them. That night he was telling me about it, and I said, ‘Trim your toe-nails on a Friday.’ The next day he got up and trimmed his toe-nails on Friday, and has been doing it ever since. And he never went back to have the two teeth filled, because they have not ached since, and that is two years ago.”
Note:
If you do try some of these cures, please be sure to use common sense, and do a little research to make sure that any plants or herbs prescribed are not poisonous.
Source: UCLA Folk Medicine Database
Herbal Remedies For Toothache Pain
A toothache is one of the most annoying and painful experiences that one can have. It can really put a damper on someone’s entire day if he or she cannot find something to tame it. Because of the infection that can spread to other parts of the head, without treatment, a bad abscess and toothache can be life threatening. For this reason, it’s important to see a dentist as soon as possible.
If you’re desperate, these inexpensive, effective and easily accessible toothache home remedies may help alleviate your pain before you get to your appointment.
There are quite a few natural herbal remedies that work excellent for calming down a toothache. Whether a person’s pain is from a cavity, recent dental work, injury, or pure sensitivity, herbs provide a safe and natural way for pain management. Listed here in alphabetical order are some very effective herbal remedies for toothache pain.
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Cayenne pepper:
Cayenne pepper is a well-known herb, contained in most spice cabinets. What is not well known is that cayenne pepper, which contains capsaicin, is good for curing toothache pain. The hot ingredient in it restricts the action of substance P, that plays a role in transmitting pain. To use cayenne for a toothache: Soak a smidge of the powder in a small amount of water, and then using a cotton swab apply it to the tooth.
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Clove:
Cloves are one of the most popular remedies for a toothache. The distinctive taste of cloves comes from the chemical eugenol, which is an antiseptic. Cloves have a very strong taste, but they quickly relieve tooth and gum pain. The best way to use cloves is to administer them directly to the site of the pain. Clove oil is commonly used for treatment. Few drops of the oil can be applied to the pain area using a cotton swab. If there is a cavity present, the oil can be applied directly over the cavity for maximum results. Chewing clove seeds is equally effective.
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Garlic:
Garlic is one of the most effective home remedies for tooth pain. There is a chemical found exclusively in garlic called allicin with antibiotic properties that slow down bacterial affects. When the bacteria decrease, so does the pain. By applying a clove of crushed garlic directly on the affected tooth, the allicin is released and should immediately help alleviate the pain.
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Ginger:
Ginger helps to alleviate toothache pain. The steps for preparing the remedy are: Cut ginger root into small pieces, grind it well and mix it with little water to make a paste. This paste can be applied over the pain area to get some quick relief. Chewing small slices of ginger is also effective, but it is too hot to withstand.
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Guava Leaves:
Guava tree leaves have been used for this purpose in many tropical cultures. There are 2 common uses. You can chew 1-2 leaves until the liquid comes out on the tooth, or you can put 4-5 guava leaves in a pot with some water. Bring nearly to a boil, then let cool to a warm temperature. Add some salt to the solution, swish or gargle in the mouth and spit. Repeat this process, being sure to allow the liquid to swish into the aching tooth.
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Ice:
Apply an ice pack to the cheek above the affected tooth. You can also do an acupressure ice massage. Rub an ice cube into the V-shaped area where the bones of the thumb and forefinger meet. Gently push the ice over the area for 5 to 7 minutes.
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Onion:
Raw onion has antiseptic properties, so chewing raw onion for 3 minutes can help. If it is too painful to chew, you can simply place a piece of raw onion directly on your tooth.
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Plantain:
Raw plantain leaves crushed and placed on the aching tooth will also help stop a toothache. If you happen to have a little salt with you, mix a little salt with the chewed leaves.
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Sage:
Garden age serves many medicinal purposes such as calming anxiety and controlling menopausal symptoms. On top of all of its other great abilities, this herb is fantastic for a toothache. The best way to use sage is in the form of infusion or tea. The user can make a strong infusion by boiling the leaves in a cup of water for 10-15 minutes. Holding it in mouth for sometime reduces inflammation and gum infection. Sage will work to calm the toothache and whiten the teeth as well. It has a natural ability to whiten the teeth.
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Salt and Pepper:
Salt mixed with pepper is an age-old remedy for a toothache. Mix 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt with a few drops of water into a paste. Apply directly on the affected tooth and let sit for several minutes.
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Spinach Leaves:
Raw spinach leaves provide a similar effect to the guava leaves. Simply chew raw spinach leaves against the aching tooth or crush it into a paste to press against the affected area.
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Tea Tree Oil:
A few drops of tea tree essential oil can be infused in water. Cleansing the mouth with this solution can give rapid relief to inflamed gums. It is a very potent antibacterial.
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Turmeric:
This herb has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It is used in several natural tooth care products. The steps for preparing a toothache remedy are: Make a paste with 1 teaspoon turmeric powder and ½ teaspoon salt, mixed with mustard oil (water will do). Applying this paste onto the affected tooth will ease the pain.
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Vanilla Extract:
Vanilla extract can also help, aided by its alcohol content. Apply 3-4 drops of vanilla extract onto a cotton swab and hold directly against the affected tooth several minutes for immediate relief.
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Wheatgrass Juice:
Wheatgrass juice is another natural way to stop pain as well as help reverse tooth decay. Being a natural antibiotic, wheatgrass juice naturally draws out toxins that may be in the gums. This toothache home remedy helps stop the infection from spreading which in turn reduces tooth pain. Use wheatgrass juice as a mouthwash to draw out toxins, or you can chew on wheatgrass for similar results.
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Whiskey:
Take a “shot” to numb the pain. Hold a swig of whiskey over the painful tooth. Your gums will absorb some of the alcohol and that will numb the pain. Spit out the rest (optional).
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Yarrow:
Yarrow is a natural anesthetic that has a sweet and spicy flavor. It is also widely used for its aroma. Yarrow is also known as the nosebleed plant. It is great for toothaches because it is an anesthetic. However, yarrow also has the ability to stop bleeding and promote wound healing. Because of its usefulness in stopping bleeding the herb was called herbal militaris for almost hundred years. To treat a problem area, one would simply need to apply the extract of roots or leaves to the gums or teeth.
Collected from various sources
Ginger Tea For Pain
For pain, soak cloths in ginger tea and apply them directly to the painful areas.
To prepare the tea, chop the ginger root into small pieces. Use approximately one to three teaspoons of herb per cup of boiling water. Ginger is very strong, so if you have never used it before, start with the lesser amount of herb. Boil water but do not use an aluminum kettle. Pour water into a mug or pot leaving herbs to steep for at least five minutes, but don’t leave for longer than ten minutes or the tea may become bitter. For stronger tea, use more herb rather than steeping the tea for a longer time.
Carmelite Water
The famous Carmelite Water, first made by 17th century Carmelite nuns was used to treat nervous headache and neuralgia. It combined lemon balm with lemon-peel, nutmeg, coriander and angelica root. Here’s a recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 ¼ cups vodka
- 3 tablespoons dried angelica leaves, and stalks
- 3 tablespoons dried lemon balm leaves
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, bruised
- 1 nutmeg, cut into strips
- 2 tablespoons cloves
- cinnamon sticks
Instructions:
Pour the vodka into a jar. Add the remaining ingredients,cover tightly and shake. Leave in a warm place for three weeks, shaking every day. Strain into a sterilized bottle and store in a cool place. Use within six months.
Found at: Herbal Riot
Coffee for Pain Relief
Anacin and Excedrin claim that their “extra ingredient” provides greater pain relief. What is it? Caffeine. Many reports, including one in the Archives of Internal Medicine, have shown that adding about 65 milligrams of caffeine to aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen increases pain relief by around 40 percent.
Caffeine blocks pain perception, has pain-relieving action, and elevates mood, which also helps minimize pain. Next time you have a headache, wash down your favorite pain pill with coffee or tea for more relief.
~Michael Castleman, Natural Health
Feverfew for Migraine Prevention
British scientists at the University of Exeter analyzed six studies of feverfew, concluding that the herb significantly reduces the frequency of migraine occurrence. “In my experience,” Duke says, “feverfew prevents migraines in about two-thirds of those who use it consistently.”
- Dosage is generally 50 to 150 mg per day of powdered leaves.
by: Michael Castleman, Natural Health
Cure For A Sick Headache
This cure has three simple steps.
First:
Brew a cup of peppermint tea, adding lemon and honey to taste..
Second:
Sip tea slowly while soaking in a bath spiked with 8 drops of peppermint essential oil and 2 drops of lemon ( or use herbs in muslin bag).
Third:
After your bath massage your temples, forehead and neck with the following essential oil blend, (carefully keeping out of eyes).
- 2 drops peppermint oil
- 1 drop lemon oil
- 1 teaspoon olive or vegetable oil
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