There are some medical needs that simply must be dealt with in a hospital or doctor’s office. We’re talking big things like cancer, heart attacks, and traumatic injuries. No one should be looking for home remedies to deal with a major concussion. In fact, anyone who tells you that homeopathy remedies can cure brain injuries might be dealing with a brain injury themselves.
There are some long-term medical issues that can be mostly managed from home, however. They’ll likely require occasional visits to the doctor, of course, but other than that, patients can do most of the work on their own at home.
Sleeping disorders
Sleep disorders affect millions of Americans every year. Many of those Americans refuse to seek treatment, but that can be very dangerous in some cases. Take obstructive sleep apnea. It’s generally a bad idea to avoid treating anything with “obstructive” in its name. Basically, breathing starts and stops many times during the night. People who suffer from it may even awaken with a loud snort or other unsettling noise. It can cause severe health problems in people who refuse to see a doctor about it. That’s the bad news. The good news is that it can be managed very well with something called a CPAP machine. A CPAP machine uses air pressure to ensure your airways stay open. Attaching the mask to your face may feel a bit weird at first, but you’ll sleep better and be an overall healthier person with a CPAP machine.
Don’t try and stop using it after a few months, either. You won’t be magically cured of your sleep apnea, unfortunately. In order to keep getting the benefits of non-obstructed sleep, you need to use the cpap machine every single night. And don’t forget to clean it regularly, too.
Mental illness
People who know they suffer from a particular mental health issue can usually recognize it when it starts creeping up on them. Anxious people may experience racing thoughts and a vague worry that something Very Bad is upon them. They can also feel more tension in their body, namely the neck, back, and shoulder area. People who suffer from depression may know something is wrong when they start feeling disinterested in things that usually make them happy.
It’s never good when an old illness rears its ugly head again, so people with mental health issues often have to act fast before their symptoms become unbearable. “Acting fast” can be hard to do when you’re suffering from something like depression, but it’s critical. Dig out your SAD light to fight back against seasonal depression. To combat anxiety, go to the gym and work out until you feel that rush of endorphins that tells you all hope isn’t lost after all. Try to take comfort in the healthy rituals rather than the unhealthy ones. Staying in bed all day because you’re sad is an unhealthy ritual. If you can, make your home a mentally-healthy place to live. If you’re buying, talk to realtors, such as those at SW Ohio Real Estate, to find a house with natural light and an open floor plan. If you already have a home, establish a personal sanctuary, complete with books and posters that reinforce coping skills.
Your doctor can prescribe medication for anxiety and depression, but it won’t do you much good if it stays in the bottle. It’s common for patients to go through good periods where they feel like they don’t “need” medication. If you get to that point, talk to your doctor about slowly weaning yourself off a certain drug. But while you can do a lot to manage your mental health on your own, you shouldn’t try to manage medications on your own. Remember that you’re neither a doctor nor a pharmacist.
