How to Make a Natural Herbal Wound Healing Poultice

Got a nasty cut? A painful bruise or sprain? Is it getting inflamed and it looks like it might turn to infection? A burn that is just irking you to no end?  If you have no medical ointment around or you just don't want to use chemicals and pharmaceuticals when you don't need to, here is the solution you've been looking for.

This all natural organic remedy has been recommended by Mother Nature and Your Grandmother for all time. So easy, you'll wonder why you haven't done it sooner.
 
A Poultice is a concoction of herbs mixed together with a carrier oil for a specific intention and applied to the skin. It is 100% natural in all aspects.

If you are using the poultice on a deep burn or a wide open wound, you'll want to apply the poultice to a porous cloth such as gauze or cheesecloth and then apply it to the wound. If the wound is not open or the skin is not easily irritated (like a sprain or bruise) you may apply it directly.

You may make your first poultice immediately before applying, but make extra, because it works much better if allowed to sit overnight in the refrigerator to impart the herbal properties into the oil.

There are many types of poultices for many uses. The recipe I am going to give you here will do several great things for you:

Reduce Pain
Reduce Inflammation
Help Prevent Infection
Soothe the Skin at the Wound Site

TO MIX

You Will Need

Mortar and Pestle

2 Tablespoons Each (in dried form) of:

Lemon Balm (anti-bacterial)
White Willow Bark (pain reliever, anti-inflammatory)
Lavender (antimicrobial, disinfectant, skin conditioner, anti-oxidant)
Queen of the Meadow (Joe Pye Weed) (pain reliver)
St. John's Wort (pain reliver, anti-inflammatory)

Oat Straw (skin conditioner)

4 Tbsp. of Organic Coconut Oil, 76 or 95 degree type (carrier oil, infusion, skin skin softener)

Lavender Tea, 1/2 cup at Room Temperature (made by combining 1/4 c lavender flower heads and 1 c water. Boil 5 min and let cool)

In a large mortar and pestle set, mash all of the herbs until there are no large stems or other large debris left.

Add coconut oil and mash into a paste.

The paste will be rather thin at hot temperatures and thicker at cooler room temperatures. It will thicken when refrigerated.

For best results, allow poultice to sit overnight in refrigerator.  If needed for immediate use, make extra for tomorrow's application.

TO USE

You Will Need

Gauze Pads, (NOT non-stick)
Plastic Wrap (such as Saran Wrap)
Ace or other self-adhesive wrap bandage
Disposable Tongue Depressor, Popsicle Stick or Other disposable applicator (plastic spoon will do)
Poultice Mixture
Lavender Tea Mixture

Prepare wound by gently cleansing with a gauze pad dipped in Lavender Tea. Cleanse in a gentle circular motion from the center of the wound outward. Do not go back over the inside of the circle with the used pad. Use a second clean pad to re-clean if necessary, using the same inside to out motion.  Pat dry with clean gauze if necessary.

Examine the wound and note the color, size and condition of the skin at the site. 

If you are working with a burn, or a large open wound, lay a thin layer of clean gauze over the wound. (1-ply).  If the wound is not open or not easily irritated, you may apply the poultice directly to the skin.


 Spoon a heaping mound of the Poultice Mix over and around the wound area.

Cover with a second layer of clean gauze and pat firmly but gently to make a pancake-like area out of the poultice. Cover the entire wound site as well as the edges around it.

Wrap the area with saran wrap. (If it is an area such as the forearm or wrist, you may wrap around the entire arm. An area such as the abdomen will do better with a smaller area of plastic wrap over and around the wound only. This will not only protect clothing and prevent leaking as well but will allow the body's natural heat to melt the oils and infuse the healing properties of the poultice into the skin and wound area.

After applying plastic wrap, cover again with a layer of gauze wrap or simply secure it by wrapping the area with a self-adhesive wrap or ace bandage. If treating a larger area or an area that is not conducive to wrapping, use a larger layer of guaze and tape over the plastic.

Leave on for a minimum of 4 hours or all day long.  May be left open to air at bedtime, depending on the condition of the wound. Air drying is an effective method of healing as long as the wound is not exposed to dirt and contaminates while open to the air. 

At dressing change, re-clean the wound with Lavender Tea and apply a new Poultice. Examine the wound for increased swelling, redness and pain, as they are signs of infection. If the wound becomes more painful, red or swollen, or if it has not healed significantly within a week, seek professional medical advice.

Continue daily treatment until the wound is well on its way to healing or as long as it is causing pain.

Remember to make your poultice mixture a day ahead and store tightly wrapped in the refrigerator to  allow the herbal mixture to bind with the oils. After brewing and cooling to room temperature, the lavender tea should also be stored in the refrigerator, capped. Store coconut oil, covered, at room temperature.

  Be Well!

 Peace,

 Jo