People's Pharmacy

For more up-to-date information on drugs, herbs and home remedies visit The People's Pharmacy Home Site at peoplespharmacy.us

Laxative Helps Remove Earwax

Posting Date: 04/04/2005

Q. I was astonished to hear on the radio that a laxative can be used to remove earwax. Do you have any details?

A. Consumer Reports On Health (March, 2005) reports that a few drops of liquid docusate sodium (Colace, Diocto, Docu) in the ear can help loosen earwax as well or better than standard products. Leave the laxative in the ear for five or ten minutes and then rinse gently with tepid water from a soft-bulb ear syringe. People who have perforated an eardrum shouldn?t try this remedy.

Q. My husband and I are interested in arthritis remedies. We?ve been taking cider vinegar and honey in a cup of hot water to ease the pain in our finger joints.

Even so, my husband?s thumbs hurt so much he could hardly grasp anything, and I recently developed a hard painful lump on my right ring finger.

We read in your column about a solution of five parts grape juice, three parts apple juice and one part cider vinegar. Then we also read about Certo and grape juice. We decided to combine these remedies and added two parts of Certo to the apple-grape-cider mixture.

Within a couple of weeks the lump on my finger went away and the finger became less painful and stiff. It must have been the Certo. What does it do?

A. We wish we could tell you. The Certo and grape juice remedy has been used for decades to relieve arthritis pain. Certo is liquid plant pectin. Home canners use it to ?stiffen? jams and jellies.

There?s no scientific research on this remedy, but we?re delighted you got such relief. New research does suggest that grape juice has anti-inflammatory properties.

Anyone who would like to know more about this and many other popular arthritis remedies may order our Guide to Alternatives for Arthritis. Please send $3 in check or money order with a long (no. 10) stamped (60 cents), self-addressed envelope: Graedons' People's Pharmacy, No. AA-2, P. O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.