When your GP gets a bout of stomach flu, how does he treat it? What does your dermatologist do when she gets sunburned? How does your pediatrician handle her child’s nasty cough in the middle of the night?

Doctors experience health issues, too, and they don’t always have medication at their disposal. When that is the case, they need to make do with improvised home cures, just like everybody else. Thanks to their medical background, they only know what actually works.

Here are 13 home health cures that medical experts swear by…

Nausea

Nausea is a common ailment that can occur for a variety of reasons, but many times sugar can take the edge off. In fact, sugar is a prominent ingredient in many over-the-counter nausea remedies.

The next time you feel queasy, drink the fruit syrup from a can of peaches to calm your stomach and prevent vomiting, according to medical experts. Flat soda and apple juice work, too.

Diarrhea

For bouts of diarrhea, try pomegranate skin tea. The tannins in the rind (dried peel can be stored for up to six months) help with the production of mucus for lining the stomach, which can reduce irritation.

To prepare the tea, add a tablespoon of dried pomegranate skin to a cup of boiling water and let it stand for 3-4 minutes. Oak bark tea is another home remedy that can help with diarrhea.

Coughing

Hacking coughs can leave your throat dry and irritated and your chest muscles aching. Fortunately, several remedies can reduce the symptoms when you don’t have cough syrup.

Try this doctor-approved home health cure for coughs: Add two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to eight ounces of hot water. Then add a tablespoon of honey with a sprinkle of cayenne.

Mosquito Bites

When a mosquito attack leaves you scratching, fight back with aspirin. Simply crush up a low-dose aspirin, add an ounce of water, and dissolve to make a paste. Then apply to reduce swelling and itching.

Aspirin is effective against mosquito bites (and stings, pimples, etc.) because it is an anti-inflammatory that contains salicylic acid. This is the main ingredient active in acne medications.

Eczema

Struggle with eczema or psoriasis? Give olive oil a try. Experts recommend applying it directly to affected areas, rubbing in a teaspoon per square inch to soothe and moisturize dry, irritated skin.

Some of the most popular skincare products incorporate olive oil because it repairs and nourishes the skin. On its own, though, you get all the benefits without any possible chemical irritants.

Burns

Minor burns from your stove, curling iron, hot beverages, or even the sun can be treated with black tea when applied to the skin, as it contains phytonutrients that reduce blood vessel inflammation.

When treating such a burn, place two or three wet black tea bags over it and wrap them in gauze. Alternatively, soak a dish towel in cold black tea (green tea is fine, too) and apply.

Food Poisoning

Food poisoning is another common health problem that can be remedied with black tea, alleviating disturbing symptoms. The tea is particularly effective when consumed with black toast.

The tannic acid in the tea neutralizes toxins. The charcoal in the toast detoxifies by absorbing contaminants like a sponge. Together they work together to make you feel better a lot faster.

Sore Muscles

Workouts tend to produce sore muscles, especially challenging workouts, but don’t fret if you’re out of ibuprofen. You can drink tart cherry juice to reduce soreness and speed up recovery.

Tart cherries have anti-inflammatory properties and are high in antioxidants. Specifically, they contain high amounts of anthocyanins, which help to repair muscle damage from strenuous activities.

Nasal Congestion

Using a decongestant or saline spray can provide relief from a blocked, stuffy nose. When you don’t have any handy, though, there’s another option that can be equally effective: steam inhalation.

Start by boiling some water in a pot and letting it cool for a minute or so. Then, lean over it (at a safe distance), keeping a towel over your head to trap the steam. Inhale for approximately five minutes.

Back Pain

Back pain can make living life difficult. Sometimes, it is the result of an injury or disease. Other times, everyday activities strain the muscles, such as exercise and incorrect posture.

For knotted muscles resulting from the latter, experts suggest lying on the floor on a tennis ball and rolling around on it until you feel it under a tense spot and relaxing the body into that area.

Headaches

No pills for your throbbing headache? No problem. Grab a large bowl, add some hot water, mix in a few teaspoons of mustard powder, and submerge your feet for headache relief.

The hot water from the bath redistributes blood and gets it flowing throughout the body, while the essential oils from the mustard powder provide skin stimulation and distract from the pain.

Insomnia

If a racing mind keeps you up at night, take some advice from experts: listen to an audiobook. When you entertain your mind with an interesting book, there’s no room for your own worrying thoughts.

Herbs can also be helpful. Valerian root, for example, can calm the nervous system and help to induce sleep. To make tea, soak 2-3 grams of dried valerian root in a cup of hot water for 12 minutes.

Hangovers

The best way to squash a hangover is to prevent it in the first place, but when that’s not possible, a cup of tomato juice with a little Tabasco sauce mixed in can you help you recover faster.

This simple concoction stimulates the liver and contains the antioxidants needed by the body for replenishment. Of course, you’ll also want to drink lots of water to replace lost fluids.