How to Create a Poultice
Learn about the different types of herb poultices., Choose the right variety of herb for your ailment., Try mint for congestion., Use dandelion and yellow dock for skin problems., Treat inflammation and discomfort with goldenseal or slippery elm...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Learn about the different types of herb poultices.
There are many different herbs that can be used in a poultice, but they are often divided into three categories.
A poultice may be one of the following types:
Astringent.
Astringent poultices cause your skin to contract, which can be helpful if you need to remove splinters or fragments of foreign objects.
Astringent poultices may also be helpful in to drawing out an infection.
Astringent herbs include witch hazel, oak bark, yarrow, and flax.
These herbs can be used fresh or dried.
Activated charcoal, baking soda, and bentonite clay may be used as well.
Heating.
A heating poultice is used to increase circulation to an area, thus increasing the warmth of the area.
This type of poultice can relax muscles, relieve congestion in the lungs and sinuses, and help relieve sprains and strains.
Mustard and onions are most commonly used in a heating poultice.
Vulnerary.
In herbal medicine, a vulnerary is an herb that promotes wound healing.
They are usually a bit gooey because they contain mucilaginous and oily material in order to soothe and protect the wound.
Fresh herbs are best as vulneraries, but powdered or dried herbs can be used as well.
The most commonly used vulnerary herbs are comfrey, marshmallow, flax, slippery elm, okra, and plantain. -
Step 2: Choose the right variety of herb for your ailment.
Different herbs can be included in a poultice to address the symptoms you're attempting to treat.
The medicinal properties of different herbs vary, so it's helpful to invest in a handbook or field guide about local flora so that you can get a better sense of what's available and how it can be used.Most herbal remedies are unverified and based mostly on historical anecdotes and folk stories.
That doesn't mean that they don't work, only that they have not yet been medically confirmed and should be used in conjunction with traditional medicine. , One of the most commonly grown and used herbs for use in poultices is mint, which is especially useful in treating congestion and other respiratory issues.
Fresh mint makes an effective and pleasant-smelling poultice on the chest to help with upper-respiratory issues or congestion.
Peppermint, wintergreen, and other common mints are all effective when used this way.
Herbs that have a similar effect and could be used to replace mint include lavender, lemon balm, calendula, and licorice root. , Skin dryness or oiliness are commonly treated with a combination of these three herbs.
Containing similar fatty acids and phytonutrients, these herbs can be somewhat effective at helping to clear up skin condition, along with regular washing with soap and warm water.Use a poultice of these fresh herbs as a home remedy for acne, eczema, psoriasis, and some mild rashes. , General pain or rheumatic discomfort may be treated with a poultice of goldenseal and slippery elm.
Other herbs used for similar afflictions include elderberry, fenugreek, flaxseed, slippery elm, and lobelia.
Slippery elm in particular is valuable in treating inflammation, displaying protective, emollient, expectorant, diuretic, and nutritive properties in healing.
Slippery elm contains a significant amount of nutrition, comparable to oatmeal.In the American South, a poultice made from goldenseal combined with sage was once commonly used to treat breasts that were sore from lactation., While it may not provide the best-smelling poultice, onion is a commonly used treatment for ear or other sinus related pain, as well as foot odor.
In either fresh or dried form, onion can make an effective poultice for its astringency and potency.
In Ayurvedic medicine, onion poultices are also commonly used on the chest to address chest pains, congestion, and other breathing-related ailments. -
Step 3: Try mint for congestion.
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Step 4: Use dandelion and yellow dock for skin problems.
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Step 5: Treat inflammation and discomfort with goldenseal or slippery elm.
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Step 6: Try onion for ear or sinus pain.
Detailed Guide
There are many different herbs that can be used in a poultice, but they are often divided into three categories.
A poultice may be one of the following types:
Astringent.
Astringent poultices cause your skin to contract, which can be helpful if you need to remove splinters or fragments of foreign objects.
Astringent poultices may also be helpful in to drawing out an infection.
Astringent herbs include witch hazel, oak bark, yarrow, and flax.
These herbs can be used fresh or dried.
Activated charcoal, baking soda, and bentonite clay may be used as well.
Heating.
A heating poultice is used to increase circulation to an area, thus increasing the warmth of the area.
This type of poultice can relax muscles, relieve congestion in the lungs and sinuses, and help relieve sprains and strains.
Mustard and onions are most commonly used in a heating poultice.
Vulnerary.
In herbal medicine, a vulnerary is an herb that promotes wound healing.
They are usually a bit gooey because they contain mucilaginous and oily material in order to soothe and protect the wound.
Fresh herbs are best as vulneraries, but powdered or dried herbs can be used as well.
The most commonly used vulnerary herbs are comfrey, marshmallow, flax, slippery elm, okra, and plantain.
Different herbs can be included in a poultice to address the symptoms you're attempting to treat.
The medicinal properties of different herbs vary, so it's helpful to invest in a handbook or field guide about local flora so that you can get a better sense of what's available and how it can be used.Most herbal remedies are unverified and based mostly on historical anecdotes and folk stories.
That doesn't mean that they don't work, only that they have not yet been medically confirmed and should be used in conjunction with traditional medicine. , One of the most commonly grown and used herbs for use in poultices is mint, which is especially useful in treating congestion and other respiratory issues.
Fresh mint makes an effective and pleasant-smelling poultice on the chest to help with upper-respiratory issues or congestion.
Peppermint, wintergreen, and other common mints are all effective when used this way.
Herbs that have a similar effect and could be used to replace mint include lavender, lemon balm, calendula, and licorice root. , Skin dryness or oiliness are commonly treated with a combination of these three herbs.
Containing similar fatty acids and phytonutrients, these herbs can be somewhat effective at helping to clear up skin condition, along with regular washing with soap and warm water.Use a poultice of these fresh herbs as a home remedy for acne, eczema, psoriasis, and some mild rashes. , General pain or rheumatic discomfort may be treated with a poultice of goldenseal and slippery elm.
Other herbs used for similar afflictions include elderberry, fenugreek, flaxseed, slippery elm, and lobelia.
Slippery elm in particular is valuable in treating inflammation, displaying protective, emollient, expectorant, diuretic, and nutritive properties in healing.
Slippery elm contains a significant amount of nutrition, comparable to oatmeal.In the American South, a poultice made from goldenseal combined with sage was once commonly used to treat breasts that were sore from lactation., While it may not provide the best-smelling poultice, onion is a commonly used treatment for ear or other sinus related pain, as well as foot odor.
In either fresh or dried form, onion can make an effective poultice for its astringency and potency.
In Ayurvedic medicine, onion poultices are also commonly used on the chest to address chest pains, congestion, and other breathing-related ailments.
About the Author
Samuel Murphy
Enthusiastic about teaching DIY projects techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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