Patty Kunze As a registered nurse for over 30 years, Patty Kunze, BSN, has accumulated a wealth of health care information and experience she wishes to share with others. She has worked on a spinal cord injury unit, neonatal ICU transport team, labor and delivery/newborn nursery management, and as a nursing instructor for nursing students. She became a wheelchair user in 2009, when she sustained a T4 complete injury in an auto accident.

Kunze and Palmer are both experienced and knowledgeable nurses who use wheelchairs. Their goal is to share information with readers that is evidence-based, timely and easy to understand. Find them online at www.rollinrns.com and on Facebook.

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Some of the savviest adaptors out there are people living with a disability. And for those of us who live with a spinal cord injury or similar condition, creating workarounds becomes almost routine. These workarounds not only apply to technology and day-to-day living but also home medicinal remedies, which is especially important because maintaining optimal health can be an ongoing challenge.

Working with health care professionals to keep you on a healthy path is important, but home medicinal remedies can be a pleasant complement to their advice. Here are some home remedies that might just help keep you out of their office.

1. Bladder Health

Maintaining a healthy bladder is an important goal to avoid urinary tract infections. For this reason, many health care providers suggest taking a daily cranberry supplement. Researchers think that the chemicals in the cranberries keep bacteria from sticking to the cells that line the urinary tract where they can multiply. When bacteria are unable to adhere to the bladder walls, they are literally flushed out with urine in a normal and healthy manner.

One wheelchair user with an SCI who lives in the Dallas area shared that her urologist suggested a cranberry supplement called ellura. Ellura has 36 PACs (proanthocyanidins) which are a natural compound found in the pure juice of cranberries. This brand has a higher potency of PACs, which makes them more effective in preventing UTIs but also makes them more costly than other cranberry supplements. She goes on to say that she and other people she knows who take ellura daily have had much success in preventing UTIs.

If you suffer from frequent UTIs, talk with your urologist or health care provider about the benefits of adding a cranberry supplement to your daily routine. You know what they say: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” And don’t forget to increase your water consumption!

2. Swallowing Difficulties and Probiotics

John, one of our readers who asked that we not use his full name, created another useful workaround for two different challenges. It started with John inquiring about probiotics for his digestive health after reading The Rollin’ RNs article titled, “Making your Tummy Happy … the Differences Between the ‘Biotic Brothers’ Pre and Pro.” The other challenge he had was difficulty swallowing his daily pills.

In the nursing world, a common solution is to suggest the person try swallowing a pill with something like applesauce, yogurt or pudding. Not only will the thicker texture of a soft solid make it easier to swallow, but it will also mask the taste of a bitter pill. This leads us back to the subject of probiotics and how to introduce one into your diet. Here’s a mnemonic trick: When thinking prObiotics, think yOgurt!

Of course, there are other ways to incorporate probiotics in your diet, but for the purpose of solving John’s difficulty with swallowing pills, yogurt is a no-brainer. With yogurt in mind, John proceeded to try out some different options. “I can report that the citrus-flavored Yakult probiotic milk is delicious, and I take my morning pills with it,” he says. He went on to describe the other brands he’d tried but found the Yakult worked best for him, saying, “Thank you for your help. I am now getting my probiotics without choking on another pill!”

3. Healthy toenails

Fungus of the toenails is a common scenario among wheelchair users because our feet can be difficult to reach for daily care. Prescription oral antifungals, such as Lamisil or Diflucan, are traditionally used to treat toenail fungus and are often effective, but may cause serious side effects ranging from upset stomach and dizziness, to severe skin problems and jaundice. For that reason, it’s worth checking into some of these home remedies.

• Vicks VapoRub is a topical ointment originally designed for cough suppression, yet its active ingredients, camphor and eucalyptus oil, may help treat toenail fungus. A 2011 study in The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine found that Vicks VapoRub had a “positive clinical effect” in the treatment of toenail fungus. To use, apply a small amount of Vicks VapoRub to the affected area at least once a day.

• Tea tree oil is an essential oil with antifungal and antiseptic properties. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, some small-scale clinical studies showed that tea tree oil might be effective against toenail fungus. To use, paint the tea tree oil directly onto the affected nail twice daily with a cotton swab.

• Oregano oil contains thymol. According to a 2016 review, thymol has antifungal and antibacterial properties. To treat toenail fungus, apply oregano oil to the affected nail twice daily with a cotton swab.

Be cautious when using tea tree, oregano or any other essential oils, as they may cause skin irritation or allergic reaction.

Keep in mind it takes time and dedication to get rid of a nasty toenail fungus. It’s extremely important to wash, dry and inspect your feet daily. Using a long loofah brush in the shower is one way to reach and clean them. Next, make sure they are completely dry — especially check between and under your toes where moisture can hang out and lead to fungus. A good lotion will help keep your feet soft, but avoid getting it between and under your toes.

One wheelchair user was able to combat her nail fungus using two over-the-counter products found on an online retail site. First, she washed her feet every day with a foot soap containing tea tree oil. Then she applied a liquid nail polish with a blend of tea tree and oregano oil and allowed it to sit on her nails for about 15 minutes before removing it and putting on her socks and shoes. Over the course of several weeks, her nails grew out pink and healthy again without her needing to take prescription drugs.

4. Foot blisters

We all get friction blisters on our feet at one time or another and scratch our heads as to how we got them and what to do when we find one. Sitting in a wheelchair for long periods of time can lead to reduced circulation in our lower extremities, swelling of the feet, and pressure on areas we cannot feel. Well-meaning friends may suggest heading to a wound care clinic right away if a foot blister appears, but a bit of patience and self-care might work just as well. And yes, we will discuss when you should seek medical attention for a blister.

A friction blister is a soft pocket of raised skin filled with clear fluid caused by irritation from continuous rubbing or pressure. This type of irritation creates minor damage to the skin and the tissue just below with fluid accumulating beneath the outermost layer of skin.

Friction blisters typically drain on their own within days but, because of the decreased blood supply to our lower extremities, a blister will more than likely last longer than a few days. As it heals, a new layer of skin forms beneath the blister and eventually the blistered skin peels away.

Because the skin provides natural protection against infection, a blister should be left intact if possible. Do not try to drain the blister, or puncture or cut away the overlying skin. Instead, we have found that applying betadine — an inexpensive over-the-counter antiseptic — to the blister daily aids in drying it while protecting against infection. Another suggestion is to wear compression hose. We know that sounds counterproductive, but remember, the reason we wear them is to promote circulation. Increasing circulation to the affected area speeds up the healing process. If the blister should break on its own, wash the area with soap and water, gently pat dry, use an antibacterial ointment and cover with a bandage.

Visit your doctor immediately if you have (or think you have) any of the following:
• an infection
• significant redness
• drainage that is not clear fluid
• a fever
• diabetes
• any medical issue that may delay healing

Keep in mind that each one of us is unique and so are our disabilities — a home remedy that works for one person may not for another. The key is to find out what works best for you! Take charge of your health and talk with your health care provider about any complementary health approaches you use. Together you can make shared, well-informed decisions.

It’s all good, so keep on rollin.’

Further reading:

• An overview of SCI nutrition: livingwithsci.ca/nutrition/
• The importance of fiber: healthline.com/nutrition/22-high-fiber-foods#What-is-fiber
• About cranberry supplements: webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-958/cranberry
• More home remedies for toenail fungus: healthline.com/health/home-remedies-for-toenail-fungus#see-a-doctor
• Additional information about tea tree oil: nccih.nih.gov/health/tea-tree-oil
• Two articles about VapoRub: sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/piiS0308814616306392  and jabfm.org/content/24/1/69.full
• More about friction blisters: health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/friction-blisters-a-to-z

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