Surgeon issues life-changing injury warning over home remedy for coughs and colds
Warning over common at-home cold and flu remedy
- A leading surgeon has issued a stark warning regarding severe burns sustained from steam inhalation, a common home remedy for coughs and colds.
- Jeremy Yarrow, a consultant surgeon, highlighted that boiling water spills cause serious burns, particularly to children, often necessitating extensive treatment or surgery.
- Medical reviews, including a Cochrane review, have found no clear benefits for using steam inhalation to treat illnesses, with theories of its effectiveness being unproven.
- Mr Yarrow urges the public to avoid steam inhalation, recommending over-the-counter remedies, and advises following the '3Cs' (cool, call, cover) for immediate burn treatment.
- Separately, an occupational therapist warned against hot water bottle burns, advising users to check manufacturing dates, replace bottles over two years old, and never use freshly boiled water.