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Herbal Remedies "up in the village"


Butch

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A few years ago I managed to sprain my ankle really badly while mucking around up in Bicol, stepping off a boat. Cue an hour or so of agony where I thought I'd actually either busted it or torn a ligament.

Rather than go to the doctor for some anti inflamms, a compression bandage and ice pack, the mother in law called the local village "Doctor" (in the Philippines they call them "Doctor Quack Quack" lol). About 10 mins later, a very old lady turned up with a plastic bag full of leaves. She proceeded to twist my already painful ankle a bit more, then went into the kitchen a cooked the leaves etc in a pot then wrapped it all in a minging old tea towel and bandaged the whole lot around my ankle. She said my ankle would be fine the next day.

The following day I still couldn't put any weight on my ankle, it was just as bloody painful and I felt I'd lost 24 hours of maybe getting it a bit better. Limping around like a cripple, everyone asking me how my ankle was, they looked a bit disappointed with the answer. Cue Doctor Quack Quack turning up for another visit, prodding my foot and her expert prognosis was that the cure didn't work because I'm "foreign".

Anyway, since then I've refused all herbal remedies apart from one which does actually work on a lot of insect bites. Again, it's a form of poultice made up of herbs, but when applied to a bite it reduces inflammation and stops any itching pretty quickly. I actually managed to get bitten by a cockroach (or that's what they thought it was) which was pretty nasty, but within about 24 hours the bite was just redness with very slight swelling. I guess there might be some truth in it after all.

Moral of the story:

some herbal remedies work, but some don't if you're foreign, apparently 😂😂😂

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4 minutes ago, Butch said:

A few years ago I managed to sprain my ankle really badly while mucking around up in Bicol, stepping off a boat. Cue an hour or so of agony where I thought I'd actually either busted it or torn a ligament.

Rather than go to the doctor for some anti inflamms, a compression bandage and ice pack, the mother in law called the local village "Doctor" (in the Philippines they call them "Doctor Quack Quack" lol). About 10 mins later, a very old lady turned up with a plastic bag full of leaves. She proceeded to twist my already painful ankle a bit more, then went into the kitchen a cooked the leaves etc in a pot then wrapped it all in a minging old tea towel and bandaged the whole lot around my ankle. She said my ankle would be fine the next day.

The following day I still couldn't put any weight on my ankle, it was just as bloody painful and I felt I'd lost 24 hours of maybe getting it a bit better. Limping around like a cripple, everyone asking me how my ankle was, they looked a bit disappointed with the answer. Cue Doctor Quack Quack turning up for another visit, prodding my foot and her expert prognosis was that the cure didn't work because I'm "foreign".

Anyway, since then I've refused all herbal remedies apart from one which does actually work on a lot of insect bites. Again, it's a form of poultice made up of herbs, but when applied to a bite it reduces inflammation and stops any itching pretty quickly. I actually managed to get bitten by a cockroach (or that's what they thought it was) which was pretty nasty, but within about 24 hours the bite was just redness with very slight swelling. I guess there might be some truth in it after all.

Moral of the story:

some herbal remedies work, but some don't if you're foreign, apparently 😂😂😂

My missus, in the UK occasionally used to obtain pieces of wood obtained from a magic tree in Thailand. To me it looked a bit like the bundles of wood you an buy in petrol stations for BBQs. She used to boil the pieces of wood in a saucepan, which immediately and permanently discoloured the pan, until a brown liquor was formed. She then used to drink it and swear that it had medicinal qualities. I tried it once and it was one of the most foul tasting things I have ever tasted. 

From a cultural point of view, I think that if you believe that something is good and the spiritual aspects are positive the perhaps it is good. 

But from a practical Western point of view, I had to chuck away 2 perfectly good saucepans. 

It doesn't surprise me really that in many small villages, where health care can be expensive and less available, that herbal remedies are frequently used to treat a number of different ailments. Many have been passed down through generations. 

I think that in Thailand, wherever I am, I would opt to visit a doctor or hospital. Mind you, that said, I think think that local doctors and clinics prescribe a pletherer of pills to make money of which many are probably unnecessary. 

 

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You're absolutely right regarding the preference of some Thai Doctors to prescribe tablets mate, a mutual friend of hours was prescribed way too many blood thinners, enough, in the words of my Mrs, "to raise a 3 week old corpse", after a consult with a UK Doctor, his prescription was binned and a different type prescribed.

Seeing some of the stuff that are prescribed to some TG's makes one wonder.

It's odd really, one example of a herbal remedy which does work (over here) is to use a Doc leaf on a nettle sting, so there is definitely something in it. Same with the poultice used for insect bites, there's no doubt at all that it works and as you say, a recipe handed down over generations. As for putting a load of hot leaves on a sprained ankle...nah. lol. Bit like my former Doctor here in the UK, when checking me for a rupture, he made me hold his balls while I coughed.

 

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2 minutes ago, fygjam said:

Willow bark (aspirin), foxglove (digitalis), belladonna (belladonna) were probably originally used as teas brewed from the plant material before the active compounds were synthesized.

 

True, many modern commercial drugs are a derivative of natural occurances found in plants. Not to mention stimulants. No doubt about that. But I suspect that there are also many herbal treatments which are less successful in treating urgent or more serious illnesses. 

 

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I was suffering with a really bad cold. Snot everywhere when some old boy wandered past and gave me an aluminium canister which contained a red powder which he told me to snort. Instant end of a runny nose and it never came back whilst I recovered from the cold. Biggest business opportunity I ever missed.

In Kata, Phuket was a pharmacist Dr Chusak. Whenever us locla farangs were prescribed tablets etc. we would go to him, tell him the diagnosis and he would then discard the majoirty of the items as unneeded. We let him keep the discarded items which he used on his annual trip to treat the hill tribes for free.

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On 6/13/2021 at 5:36 AM, Butch said:

A few years ago I managed to sprain my ankle really badly while mucking around up in Bicol, stepping off a boat. Cue an hour or so of agony where I thought I'd actually either busted it or torn a ligament.

Rather than go to the doctor for some anti inflamms, a compression bandage and ice pack, the mother in law called the local village "Doctor" (in the Philippines they call them "Doctor Quack Quack" lol). About 10 mins later, a very old lady turned up with a plastic bag full of leaves. She proceeded to twist my already painful ankle a bit more, then went into the kitchen a cooked the leaves etc in a pot then wrapped it all in a minging old tea towel and bandaged the whole lot around my ankle. She said my ankle would be fine the next day.

The following day I still couldn't put any weight on my ankle, it was just as bloody painful and I felt I'd lost 24 hours of maybe getting it a bit better. Limping around like a cripple, everyone asking me how my ankle was, they looked a bit disappointed with the answer. Cue Doctor Quack Quack turning up for another visit, prodding my foot and her expert prognosis was that the cure didn't work because I'm "foreign".

Anyway, since then I've refused all herbal remedies apart from one which does actually work on a lot of insect bites. Again, it's a form of poultice made up of herbs, but when applied to a bite it reduces inflammation and stops any itching pretty quickly. I actually managed to get bitten by a cockroach (or that's what they thought it was) which was pretty nasty, but within about 24 hours the bite was just redness with very slight swelling. I guess there might be some truth in it after all.

Moral of the story:

some herbal remedies work, but some don't if you're foreign, apparently 😂😂😂

Enjoyed !!!  Well written.

 

I personally have no experience with such remedies. But, nice for you to give it a chance. And... nice for the kind local Quack Quack to provide such service. I am sure it was a major effort for her to treat a dirty falang. A true sacrifice on her part - good karma !

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On 6/14/2021 at 9:43 AM, Nightcrawler said:

I once tried extract of Lark's Vomit for an upset stomach. 

That didn't work either

I was "prescribed" flat 7-up for my bad stomach, shocking as it is, it did kind of work.

For one odd reason, whenever I feel a bit ill in a bar and tell the girl, they always turn up with a cup of hot water and some lime. No idea what for, as my illness is usually due to being hungover.

Do Thai girls still use those bloody nasal inhalers all the time?. I noticed a few were addicted to them a few years back.

 

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34 minutes ago, Butch said:

 

Do Thai girls still use those bloody nasal inhalers all the time?. I noticed a few were addicted to them a few years back.

 

I think many of them are. I have loads of them littered around the place. I have a theory........... 

Maybe it helps to stop them picking their nose in public?

Dont see so much of that these days. I remember one time there was an absolute stunner in a gogo in WS. I was besotted until I saw her digging her nose out on the way to the toilet. 

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2 minutes ago, Nightcrawler said:

I think many of them are. I have loads of them littered around the place. I have a theory........... 

Maybe it helps to stop them picking their nose in public?

Dont see so much of that these days. I remember one time there was an absolute stunner in a gogo in WS. I was besotted until I saw her digging her nose out on the way to the toilet. 

Tell me about it, I've even seen Hooters girls (no pun intended) "dialling the telephone" and then going about their business as if nothing has happened. It's bloody disgusting and if I see a TG doing it, I always ask "is it a good meal this time?".

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1 hour ago, Butch said:

I was "prescribed" flat 7-up for my bad stomach, shocking as it is, it did kind of work.

For one odd reason, whenever I feel a bit ill in a bar and tell the girl, they always turn up with a cup of hot water and some lime. No idea what for, as my illness is usually due to being hungover.

Do Thai girls still use those bloody nasal inhalers all the time?. I noticed a few were addicted to them a few years back.

 

Mom used to give me 7up when I had an upset stomach. Amazing how well it worked.

Last year in December there was a period between the second and third waves in Thailand. I travelled down to Patts from Chiang Mai for a few days visit (f**k fest).

Near the end of the stay I got violently ill with some kind of stomach ailment (incredible puking), haven't had anything like that in years. I am certain it was from eating some bad ass.

I couldn't hold down anything and I had a flight to catch, I was semi panicking. I then decided to have some homemade chicken soup from the shop in my condo. It was like magic how well it worked.

Typically the recommendation of chicken soup is for colds, but it works well for stomach issues as well. It certainly was a lifesaver that day !

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Our second day on a visit back to Thailand, I sprained my ankle something terrible by a beer bar on Patpong 2 many years ago, to the point I was on crutches a day later.  They did x-rays and it wasn't broken but I couldn't put any weight on it at all. 

Back in the village it was determined I had to see the "Mor Bow," a kind of local witch doctor.  I went with it and every morning and evening he'd wrap leaves and sprigs around my ankle, light candles and incense, and chant.  It didn't seem to help at all. 

Finally our time in the village was up and we were headed to Pattaya then Bangkok for the last few days.  I got into the back of the truck with my crutches and the "Mor Bow" showed up and said he had a dream:  A ghost at the bar where I was hurt knocked me down because I didn't offer him a drink - I hadn't mentioned where I got hurt, maybe TW did.  He also said I wouldn't need the crutches anymore when I got down there.

It was April 19th in Pattaya, and with Songkran the roads were immobile in the afternoon on walking street.  So I told TW I'd meet her at a beer bar near our hotel, got out of the truck, and walked to the bar without the crutches or more than the slightest twinge in my ankle.

I don't know what to think about that, but back in Bangkok I went to that Patpong beer bar and poured a Heineken all around the perimeter while the girls working there cheered.

 

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my wifes sister grows plants for all sorts and uses them in cooking if you have ailments.. one for heart, one for blood, one for stomach, one for headace...

not saying they work - but they do taste good!

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21 hours ago, Chappo said:

my wifes sister grows plants for all sorts and uses them in cooking if you have ailments.. one for heart, one for blood, one for stomach, one for headace...

not saying they work - but they do taste good!

Do any of the plants look like this ? if so i can understand your ''taste good'' comment lol I have witnessed these plants being grown in the villages, nobody GAF

  Cannabis indica - Wikipedia

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On 6/22/2021 at 9:22 PM, Pumpuynarak said:

Do any of the plants look like this ? if so i can understand your ''taste good'' comment lol I have witnessed these plants being grown in the villages, nobody GAF

  Cannabis indica - Wikipedia

 

Are those raspberries ?    55555555555555555

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There is a difference between traditional medicines and herbal remedies and made-up solutions. Sometimes the traditional medicines are herbal approaches, but all herbal approaches are not traditional medicine. Traditional medicines and traditional knowledge do work. It is necessary to ask questions about the origins of solution been presented to you to discern the difference. 

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I heard about some Thai geezer in Korat who cured all sorts of complaints with his instant herbal remedies.

He used to hold group sessions every Thursday where everyone attending got a swig of his magic instant cure herbal elixir.

Last week this Brother and sister turned up with the Brother on crutches and the sister with a terrible stutter. They both were given the magic elixir to drink.

He then cried out

"Tim, Tim, throw away your crutches!"

"Porn, Porn........ Speak, speak!"

"T.., T...T....T....T... T,,tim's fallen over."

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