PERFORMING COLD SPONGE BATH

Cold Sponge Bath: is used in cases where the skin is dry and hot. Cold water is used for sponge bath but in case where skin is burning hot, ice cubes may be put on water. Avoid chilling the patient. A cold compress on the forehead or armpits may be placed while the sponge is being done. Chilling with shivering will cause the temperature to rise. Sponge may be repeated and prolonged until the desired effects are obtained, or until the fever goes down.

Procedure:
a. Remove clothing and cover patient with sheet or blanket. Place cold compress on the forehead or the armpits. Renew compress as often as you can.
b. Sponge on one part, in the same order as the hot sponge bath. Friction is used to bring blood to the surface and to increase the rate of circulation to hasten the cooling process. The skin may be left slightly moist, fan lightly with towel until the skin is dry. Evaporation lowers body temperature. Hot lemonade may be given.

HOW TO PERFORM HOT SPONGE BATH

Hot Sponge Bath: is given to patients with very high fever but whose skin of the legs and arms are cold. Water for hot sponge bath should be as hot as can be tolerated. The sponge bath should be done fast and with friction to encourage blood to surface. The sponge may be repeated after 1 or 2 hours if the fever persists.

Procedure:
a. Make the patient comfortable. Remove clothing and cover with cover with sheet or blanket. Close windows to avoid drafts.
b. Protect the bed with towels as each part is being sponged. Put one bath towel across the chest and sponge the face, ears and neck. Dry the areas that had been sponged with the towel across the chest.
c. Sponge on part at a time in the following order: arms, chest, abdomen, legs, feet, and back. For the arm or leg. Spread the towel under the whole length of the arm or leg while it is being sponged. Rub skin briefly with face towel to draw blood to the surface. Dry each part after the sponge to avoid chilling. Be sure that the patient is dry before replacing clothing and covers. Hot drinks (lemonade juice) can be offered to encourage perspiration.

SWOLLEN GUMS AND MOUTH INFLAMMATION SOLUTION

SWOLLEN GUMS AND MOUTH INFLAMMATION
Swollen gums or stomatitis is an inflammation of the soft tissues of the mouth.

Water Treatments
1. Hot Salt gargle, 3 times a day before meals.
2. Massage gum with clean fingers every hot salt.
3. Brush teeth with soft toothbrush. Brush teeth every after meals.
4. Drink at least 4 glasses of fruit juice during the day.
5. See the dentist for gum swelling and the physician for mouth infections.

Herbal Medication
1. Bayabas or Guava leaves decoction mouthwash. Boil one cup of chopped fresh leaves in 2 glasses of water for 10 minutes. Strain and cool. Use the decoction for salt gargle or mouthwash every after meals.
2. Bunga or Betel nut palm fruit mouthwash. Peel and chop 3 fruits and boil in 2 glasses of water for 10 minutes. Use as mouthwash or hot bunga gargle.
3. Kaymito or Star apple Leaves gargle. Boil 1 cup chopped fresh leaves in 2 glasses of water for 10 minutes. Use the decoction for mouthwash or gargle.
4. Duhat or Black Palm leaves mouthwash. Boil 10 chopped fresh leaves in 2 glasses of water for 10 minutes. Use the decoction for mouthwash or gargle.
5. Talong or Eggplant leaves mouthwash. Boil 3 chopped leaves in 2 glasses of water for 10 minutes. Use the decoction for mouthwash or gargle.

CONSTIPATION - MEDICAL SOLUTION

Constipation is a condition in which the bowels are evacuated at long intervals or with difficulty.

Water and other Treatments
1. Drink at least 8 glasses of water during the day. Take one or two glasses of water upon waking up in the morning and one glass at bedtime.
2. Give enema with manual extraction if a bowel is impacted.
3. Have a regular time to sit down on the toilet bowl and relax. Sit down on the toilet bowl when it is time for it even if you don’t feel it.
4. Have a regular daily exercise.
5. Eat plenty of green and leafy vegetables and fresh fruits.

Herbal Medication
1. Kangkong or Potato Vine leaves. Eat 2 cups of boiled kangkong leaves with meals. This may be part of the menu or diet.
2. Malunggay or Horse Raddish Tree Leaves. Eat 1 cup of cooked leaves with meals.
3. Papaya (ripe fruit). Eat one big slice every morning for breakfast.
4. Kampanilya or Yellow Bell Leaves. Boil 5 leaves in 2 glasses of water for 10 minutes. Adults, 1 glass, 2 times a day. Children 2-6 yrs old - 1 tablespoon, 2 times a day. Children 7-12 yrs old - 1 cup, 2 times a day.

VINEGAR THE EFFECTIVE FEVER COOLANT

Vinegar is an important ingredient in the Filipino-famous dish chicken-pork adobo. Without vinegar, cooking of the dish will not be possible . But aside from cooking, vinegar is also considered as one of the best remedy for fever. This is nature's best coolant for fever.

Things Needed:
1. A face towel.
2. 250ml vinegar, either coco or cane.
3. A small basin.
4. Half liter of water.

Procedure:
1. Mix the 250ml vinegar and the half liter of water into the small basin.
2. Soak the face towel into the mixture of water and vinegar.
3. Squeeze the face towel to remove the water and vinegar mixture.
4.Wipe the forehead and the armpits to ease the heat in the areas mentioned.
5. Do the procedure of wiping the forehead and armpits every five minutes.

Medical Treatment need not be expensive. Getting in touch with the natural ways is still a solution for our sickness and health problems.

MEASLES AND SKIN RASHES TREATMENT

MEASLES AND SKIN RASHES
Measles is an acute viral infection characterized by mobilliform eruption with catarrhal inflammation of conjunctiva and air passages.

Water Treatments
1. Give fever sponge bath for fever three times a day.
2. Apply continuous cold compress on the forehead.
3. For cough, give fomentation to the chest and back, 2 times a day.
4. A starch bath to relieve itchiness can be given daily to take the place of sponge bath.
5. Protect the eyes from bright light. Make room dim with curtains on the windows and dim lights at night.

LICE INFESTATION ON THE HEAD

LICE INFESTATION
Lice are a small, wingless, flattened insect, which produces irritating dermatitis on the scalp.

Herbal Treatments:
1. Shampoo hair with gugo bark or commercial shampoo.
2. Immediately after the shampoo, comb the hair to remove the dead lice on the hair.
3. If possible, shampoo every day for one week and comb hair fine with fine comb twice a day.
4. Get rid of the nits (lice eggs), wet hair with hot vinegar for half an hour before shampoo. Then comb hair with fine comb thoroughly.
5. At bedtime, pound ½ cup of atis or sugar apple seeds. Mix it with ¼ cup oil. Apply thoroughly the oil-and-atis-seed mixture over the scalp and hair. Wrap the hair and head with a piece of clean cloth and leave it overnight. Shampoo the next morning and comb the hair with fine comb.
6. Do this treatment daily for 3-5 days or until all lice are gone and nits are gone. Destroy or kill the lice and nits as soon as they are removed from the hair and head.
7. Always keep hair clean and well combed. Don’t use the comb of other persons. Don’t sleep with an individual with lice infested head and hair.

STOMACH INDIGESTION

INDIGESTION
Indigestion is the disturbance in the digestive function of the stomach or its failure to digest food.

Suggestive Measures to aid Digestion:
1. Withhold food intake for four hours.
2. Drink one glass of hot water every hour during the four-hour fasting.
3. Eat a slice of ripe papaya 30 minutes after a heavy meal.
4. Eat light meals without fatty foods after the four-hour fasting.

Herbal Medications to aid digestion:
1. Papaya fruit. Eat as a fruit dessert, especially with heavy meals. Papaya helps in the digestion of protein.
2. Kamatsili Leaves. Boil 1 cup in 5 glasses of water for 10 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon salt. Dosage: 2 cups initial, and then 1 cup every four hours for adults. 1 cup initial, and then ½ cup every four hours for children. 1tbsp initial, and then 1 teaspoon every four hours for babies.
3. Anonas or Custard Apple leaves. Warm the leaves in an open fire. Apply leaves directly on the stomach while still warm. Use abdominal binder. Renew every 2 hours. Good for children and babies.

SUNBURN AND PRICKLY HEAT

SUNBURN AND PRICKLY HEAT
Sunburn or erythema is a redness of the skin occurring in patches of variable sizes and shapes due to excessive exposure to sunlight.

Water Treatment:
1. Starch bath daily for 3-5 days.
2. Bathe with rain water. Powder with starch or gaw-gaw after the bath.

Herbal Medications
1. Alusiman Or Purslane Leaves. Extract juice from the leaves. Apply on the prickly heat after the starch bath.
2. Bayabas or Guava Leaves. If there is an infection, boil 1 cup of chopped leaves in one gallon of water. Add 2 gallons of cold water. Bathe with this decoction.