My Christmas project

"You'll know better next time."

Yay! I hope most of the aches and pains are gone by now.

SMACK! :-}

That sounds suspiciously as though you are knitting not sewing...

But whatever, at least you are making something at long last. ;->

No, Head and Shoulders.

No comparison, of course, but with all the weather changes we've been having, my right knee is screaming at me, as it does when the barometer goes up and down. I've had some relief from those heat wraps, but they are expensive, only two to a box and all. So I read something about Capzasin gel, and decided to give it a try. I smeared a little around my knee (everything I've read cautions that it burns and to try a small amount at first) and waited. Ten minutes, twenty minutes, thirty minutes, nothing. So I grabbed the tube and smeared some more. Still no heat. Well. That's a big nothing, isn't it?

Next morning my knee is swollen enough that I can hardly bend it. Still hurts, too. No heat, either. Shoot. What's going on? As the day wore on, the pill I took had more effect that this gel, and I got relief from that, but remained swollen, really swollen! Finally, I turned to Google where I discovered that this sort of swelling is a possible side effect of Capzasin. Well, whoop-de-do -- no heat, no arthritis relief, but yes to balloon knee. I was just about to toss the tube into the trash when it occurred to me. If I were to have to attend a social event requiring dress that might involve décolleté, a gel application the day before might enhance the.......well, you know what I mean. Something to think about.

Pogonip wrote: If I were to have to

Evil! And ouch!

I use BioFreeze gel on my super-sore right shoulder.

really helps a *lot*. I was given some of the roll-on, but I didn't like it as much. NAYY I usually just alternate ice packs and a heating pad on my knees when they are more sore then usual, and up the number of repeats of the leg-lifts my PT recommended. YMMV

Several years, when Philip Pepper was still able to work, and Nancy Zieman was teaching ways to use embroidery, they published a pamphlet on rice pillows or something similar in name.

You make a rice bag with handles on each end, heat them in the microwave(with a cup of water in the mike with the bag). Heat the bag and wrap it around your knee, wrist, ankle or where ever damp heat is needed.

I made several for my aunts, sisters and my brother. One sister uses hers to keep her feet warm when she goes to bed, as do I. When my aunts passed away, their daughters took their Moms, and borrowed my pattern to make some more.

The rice can be re-heated countless times. Some of the ones I've made are

10-years+ and still working well; especially if you heat it with a cup of water once in a while.

Emily

I had one of those, a gift from a friend-coworker, it even had some tea tree oil in it. Unhappily, I overheated it and scorched it. I should make a new one.

What does the tea tree oil so?

I have used it successfully that last several months to FINALLY almost cure a toenail fungus, but I hadn't heard of it used in combination with heat and rice.

I have no idea. She's a great believer in it, and I guess she thinks it helps. The hot pad was for any need -- not "designed" for my knee or even specifically for arthritis, I don't think.

I started doing the toenail thing, but jeez, it takes forever, doesn't it? I just saw in the AARP newsletter that Vicks Vaporub clears it up. Don't know how long that takes, either.

I used Vicks for well over a year, never saw any improvement. Tea Tree Oil does seem to be accomplishing the task. YAY!

Have you tried distilled white vinegar? I keep it in the bathroom to use immediately after showering on my toenails; never a problem with fungus. Emily

I had a particularly nasty fungal 'invasion' on my big toe several years ago and used Amoresse Thymol. I didn't want to use Lamisil because of the possible side effects (I take enough pills as it is, thank you). The Amoresse Thymol totallty got rid of the fungus.

-Irene

I so agree, I can live without my toenails, my liver not so much.

My 'new' big toenail is almost fully grown back in (after using tea-tree oil for many months) and looks normal, but I'll keep that product in mind, thanks.

That's encouraging. I'm guessing that my nails have fungus, it's never been diagnosed. I suppose it could be from tromping around in toe shoes, but figure fungus is more likely.

Mine has been seen by a doc who offered an opinion, but I've never had a culture done or anything formal.

I have never been en pointe. ;-)