Most doctors dismiss home remedies as unscientific at best or harmful at worst. They have a hard time understanding why anyone would choose an unproven folk treatment over an FDA approved prescription drug.
Several years ago a furious podiatrist chastised us for writing about remedies for toenail fungus: “There are real, doctor-prescribed, FDA-approved, clinically tested medications to treat toenail fungus. These include topical Penlac or oral Lamisil or Sporanox. I have successfully treated hundreds of patients with these drugs.
“The unproven treatments you mentioned are little more than urban legends. In 23 years in practice I have never seen even one patient who has responded favorably to Vicks VapoRub or dilute vinegar soaks. Don’t make me waste time dispelling these myths.”
While the podiatrist is correct that there are prescription drugs for nail fungus, he didn’t mention that these drugs are often quite expensive. The oral medicines also have side effects.
Lamisil, for example, may cost as much as $1200 for a full course of treatment (12 weeks). Sporanox can run more than $1600. Both drugs can be toxic to the liver and require medical monitoring. They can also cause digestive upset, rash or headache.
Neither drug is foolproof against nail fungus. According to the manufacturer of Sporanox, the success rate is 35 percent. That’s hardly anything to shout about.
Is it any wonder that people consider a remedy like Vicks VapoRub? The familiar blue jar costs under $9 and lasts for months. It won’t work for everyone, but a small study at Michigan State University found that daily applications of Vicks VapoRub cleared nail fungus in 32 of 85 patients. That’s as good as Sporanox at less than 1 percent of the price.
Doctors trust the FDA approval process to produce safe and effective medications. But patients are losing faith in the feds. Vioxx for arthritis and Avandia for diabetes have both reinforced the fear that long-term side effects may not show up for years. Vioxx increased the risk for heart attacks and strokes, while Avandia boosted the odds for heart failure.
It should be clear by now that FDA approval does not guarantee safety. Doctors should not be upset if people can get relief from arthritis pain with home remedies. We have heard from hundreds of readers that golden raisins soaked in gin, plant pectin (Certo) dissolved in grape juice or the Indian spice turmeric can be an affordable alternative to pricey prescription pain relievers. For those who would like details on some of our favorite remedies, we offer our Guides to Unique Uses for Vicks, Alternative Treatments for Arthritis and Home Remedies.
Home remedies are never FDA approved. Nevertheless, readers of this column have often found relief from problems such as leg cramps, coughs, hiccups, dandruff, athlete’s foot, arthritis and nail fungus. If it might help, won’t hurt and is affordable, we love to share such folk wisdom.
