It’s late at night. You are far from home. And you have a cold, or an ear ache, or your muscles are sore and there isn’t a drug store open. What to do? Cast your eyes around your hotel room and you’ll discover a myriad of “cures” at your disposal to help ease those nagging symptoms until you can find a doctor.

Does you ear ache? If a cold or airplane flight has left you with an aching ear the hair dryer can help. Just hold it about 18” to 20” from the affected ear and blow the warm air over it. The warmth will help the Eustachian tubes open and drain, relieving pain.

Developing a cold? Drink lots of fluids. The coffee and tea tray provides lots of options, but try and stay away from the caffeine loaded coffee. Instead make a whole pot of tea. Place the tea bags and filter where you normally brew the coffee and you’ll soon have a soothing brew to sip.

* Make sure you wash the cup before pouring your brew. Although the cup may appear clean, the can actually be laden with germs. Cleaning staff may simply be wiping them with the same cloth used to clean mirrors and counters.

Chapped lips? Grab a tea bag from the coffee and tea tray, wet it with warm water and press it over your lips for 5 minutes. The tannic acid in tea helps lock in moisture and promotes healing.

Have you stood on your feet too long while sightseeing or manning a booth at a trade fair? Coffee to the rescue! Mix ¼ cup of coffee with 4 TBS seltzer water in a basin of warm water and soak your feet for 5 minutes? No handy basin in the hotel room? Use one of those sturdy plastic laundry bags. Place the bag in the tub and sit on the rim – no need to worry about spills or leaks.

Or you can sooth aching feet with a can of chilled soda from the mini-bar. Roll your foot on a can of cold drink for 5 to 10 minutes. The cold will help reduce the swelling and rolling massages tense muscles.

Your ice bucket can assist in making you feel better. Are your neck or shoulder muscles aching from dragging your roll aboard through the terminal? Put some ice into a plastic bag, such as one of those ever present laundry bags, and wrap in a towel, apply this to the aching area for 10 minutes. This should help to reduce the muscle spasm. If the pain persists, then reapply the ice.

Did you indulge too much the night before and your puffy eyes are ready to tell the tale? Soak two tea bags in cool water and apply to your eyelids. The tannic acid will help reduce the swelling.

See? It may not be a deluxe room in which you are staying, but you can feel like you have your own physician on call to ease some minor aches and pains by just looking around your room.