A Guide to Making Herbal Poultices at Home

Making herbal poultices is a very similar process as making salves and ointments other than those poultices have freshly cut herbs, are more watery and are used as a temporary compress. You will make herbal poultices to aid in the relief of swelling, redness, pain and help with wounds and injuries. You generally make herbal poultices with olive oil or mineral water but aloe Vera juice is effective as well. People swore by slippery elm being added as a binding agent. You make herbal poultices by blending fresh herbs but the powdered herbs can be utilized as well.

After you're done making herbal poultices they are applied to cloth and that is mixed with the binding agent. All of this is laid against the skin and should be covered with either an ace bandage or plastic wrap. Old remedies like the putting of mustard on a person's chest to help with a cold would be an example of making an herbal poultice. Herbalists still make herbal poultices like this now; one-tablespoon dry mustard, four tablespoons flour and one egg. Mix all this add a small bit of water and rub on the chest.

Onion poultice is another very good everyday choice for someone looking to make herbal poultices. This poultice is effective in relief of pain and swelling especially when due to tendon injury. To make herbal poultices with onion; chop up onion, mix it with aloe Vera juice, apply it to cloth and lay it on the injured area.

Another very effective for cuts infections wounds and abrasions is to make herbal poultices consisting of Goldenseal, Aloe Vera Juice, Slippery Elm, and Comfrey. Aloe Vera is especially helpful as it aids the healing process the skin's surface is permeated by the juice, elm holds everything together, Comfrey begins quick healing and Slippery Elm is a binding agent while Goldseal kills any infection causing bacteria. To help with pain related to inflammation and swelling (i.e. joints, arthritis etc) White Willow and Aloe Vera juice are the best choices.

Case Study: A teenager twisted her knee walking home from school; it was twisted completely out of place. The kneed was pushed into place thankfully and officials at her school recommended that she go to the hospital because it swelled up to 3x original size and she was unable to walk. Her mother took the approach of making herbal poultices would be a solid solution. One was made with aloe Vera juice, onions, golden seal and white willow. Within 15 minutes all pain was gone with this 90%.

Sources:

Hoffman, David The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal : A Safe and Practical Guide to Making and Using Herbal Remedies 1996

Hoffman, David Holistic Herbal 4th Edition: A Safe and Practical Guide to Making and Using Herbal Remedies 2003