Rubbing dock leaf on a nettle sting may be an old story, as an NHS study found that lettuce also works.
Doctors estimate that the benefit comes from the cooling sensation of the leaf sap evaporating from the skin.
The ancient folk remedy is more than 600 years old, but the science behind it has not been tested.
A&E doctor Dr Rajendra Raman, from Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, said: “It is possible that rubbing the area or the cooling effect of the sap evaporating from a crushed leaf could be calming.
“In this case, any large, fresh, non-toxic leaf would do.
“Dock may have become the leaf of choice simply because it grows in similar habitats to nettle.”
Raman and eight other NHS Fife staff studied the effects of port furloughs on themselves.
The effect was not significantly different between dock and lettuce. It is possible that the same relief would have occurred without any treatment.
Dr Rajendra Raman
They were blindfolded and poked on both arms and someone rubbed dock leaf on one arm and lettuce on the other for a minute.
They rated pain on a scale of one to five for 20 minutes.
After five minutes, average pain ratings in the dock leaf arms dropped from five to two, and in the lettuce arms, from four to two.
A separate scale found that both leaves cured the skin reaction at the same speed.
Writing in the Emergency Medicine Journal, Dr Raman said: “We observed that the discomfort from the nettle stings decreased rapidly over 15 to 20 minutes on the dock and lettuce arms, but the effect was not significantly different between the two.
“It is possible that the same relief would have occurred without any treatment, and our study does not conclude that dock or lettuce are better than simply doing nothing.
“This was deliberate, as patient engagement work from other studies suggests that children, in particular, do not consider doing nothing to be an acceptable option when they are in pain.”
WHICH OLD WOMEN’S TALES ARE TRUE?
MANY ancient remedies, sayings and superstitions have been passed down for hundreds of years without most people really knowing if they are true.
We critically analyze some of the most common:
An apple a day keeps the doctor away – It’s not exactly true, but eating fruit every day is good for your health.
Chocolate gives stains – Truth: an inadequate diet can make your skin worse.
Carrots help you see in the dark – Truth: Carrots are rich in vitamin A, which helps maintain healthy vision.
Feed a cold, starve a fever – False: It is important to eat when you are not feeling well, as your immune system needs energy to react.
Crusts give curly hair – False: Your hair type is controlled by genetics, not your diet.
Cheese gives you nightmares – False: In one study, most people slept soundly after eating cheese.
Read the full article here
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
