[CH] Homemade Chile Preparation for Sore Throat Relief
W. Phil Cody (76422.1413@compuserve.com)
Sat, 31 Jan 1998 16:52:04 -0500
It has been about 5 months since I contributed anything to the list.
During this time I have enjoyed a daily dose of CHs info via the Digest
mode. The recent posts regarding medical research using capsaicin for
various ailments spawned an idea last night as I lay awake in bed with an
incredibly severe sore throat.
This morning I made a homebrewed capsaicin preparation using some
ingredients on hand as described below. I applied the solution via the two
methods described.
First, I gargled repeatedly with a very small amount of solution. Each
successive time the sensation on the back of my throat was a little more
intense. I believe this was because each previous time it had cleansed the
throat membranes of the substances coating them. The anticipated chile
burn sensation followed on the back of my throat, tongue, and lips after
spitting the solution out. My searing sore throat pain was now replaced
with the familiar general mouth burn we all enjoy from eating chiles. Now,
for a CH, the new burning sensation was pleasant. This lasted for about 30
minutes during which the sore throat feelings were absent. After the
familiar chile burn wore off, the pain from the sore throat was still
absent even while swallowing, which had previously been excruciatingly
painful. Occasional coughs were still painful however. I believe this can
be attributed to the distortion of the inflamed throat membranes coughing
causes.
The gargling resulted in nearly three hours of relief. Since this is a
Saturday, I chose to take a snooze after our two CH-sprouts went down for
their daily nap. When I awoke I was very aware of the sore throat again.
(Irritation from post nasal drip perhaps?) I decided to try an experiment
and try a spray application. I took some of the same solution and put it
in a small spray bottle. I sprayed it on the back of my throat while
saying aaaaaahhhh. I repeated the spray application several more times.
The spray pattern was confined to the throat area. I anticipated a general
mouth burn would follow but it never came. I have had relief from the sore
throat sensation for almost 1-1/2 hours now as I write this. Here is the
recipe:
Phil's Chile Mouthwash & Throat Spray
Ingredients
1 TBS. vodka
1/16 tsp. Habanero powder
3 TBS. Water
Method
Place the Hab powder in the bottom of a small glass and add vodka. Cover
the glass and let it rest for about an hour during which time a deep amber
color will develop. (My Hab powder is reddish brown.) Add the water to
dilute. It is now ready to use. Yields 2 oz.
Comments
The alcohol percentage I estimate to be on the order of 10% and
approximately that of commercial mouthwashes. Interesting note, the
diluted solution has the exact appearance in the glass as the old standby
"Mediciney Tasting" mouthwash.
Nothing special about using vodka. I just used it as a ready source of
ethanol for the capsaicin extraction from the powder. <Recalling from
posts some months back, some of you have very strong preferences for the
particular flavorings in your ethanol. Scotch Flavored Capsaicin Mouthwash
anyone?> For those of who don't care to imbibe alcohol this really is no
different that using a commercial mouthwash, that is, unless you choose to
swallow it.
Gargling this stuff really cleaned me out! Even my nasal passages became
clearer after a few minutes. The gargling method got rid of a bunch of junk
coating the throat, upper bronchial area, and sinus just above the throat.
According to my spouse, the process produced lots of gross noises with all
the gargling and involuntary responses <insert gag & cough>. Even provoked
a question from my 2-1/2 year old of "Daddy are you alright?" Much to my
surprise, the spray did not evoke any coughing responses but it did take
away the sore throat sensation.
Warnings and Disclaimers
Consult your family physician. Self-medication can be dangerous. Do not
try this at home. Do not skydive without a parachute. Etc. etc. etc.
W. Phil Cody
wpcody@compuserve.com
When the situation is desperate, it is too late to be serious. Be playful.
Edward Abbey