Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Sometimes Advice Should Be Ignored

I had an interesting conversation with a woman during my physical therapy appointment yesterday and it only reinforced the importance of seeking advice from a physician, pharmacist or just flat out using common sense.

According to her, extra strength Orajel can be applied to other areas of the body, not just on the gums of a person's mouth. Apparently, she said, it contains a better numbing agent then some of the other creams on the market.

I thought, you know, maybe she's on to something here. Orajel is used all the time for teething babies. Why not other types of pain?

She recommended applying a good-sized goop along with some heat and swore the pain would disappear for three years.

My therapist and I exchanged looks and I jokingly said, “Well, I guess I'm gonna have to fill my tub with some Orajel tonight.”

Come on, a three year pain cure? Taking nothing for face value, I looked up her claim on the internet as soon as I got home and found Orajel or rather its active ingredient, benzocaine, is used as a numbing agent for certain medical procedures and even minor skin irritations; however, it should NEVER be applied over larger areas of skin. An overdose can cause fatal side effects.


Don't believe me?  Please check it out for yourself:

2 comments:

  1. Three years, huh? That could have been dangerous if you had followed her advice. Good thing you checked it out first.

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  2. I agree, Tamara. Advice regarding medical treatment should never be taken at face value. One should always do their homework first.

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