Treating bruises with herbs
Natural remedies for bruising
Medicinal herbs that discourage swelling and promote quick healing are good for treating bruises.
Arnica is the most well known herb for treating bruises, but chamomile, lavender, Saint-John's-Wort, burdock, elderberry flowers, fennel, sage, comfrey, and calendula work good, too. Read more about the healing properties of arnica.
Healing herbs should be applied as soon as possible for best results. Place crushed leaves or flower petals from the plants on your bruises three times a day. Leave on for an hour each time. Discontinue if rash appears and do not get herbs in your eyes.
Bruises can be treated with essential oils.
One of the best healing essential oils comes from frankincense. Add a few drops of frankincense essential oil to a teaspoon of olive oil and apply to bruised area. This will help with pain and healing. You can also use lavender, rosemary, and sage essential oils.
Essential oils may also be added to arnica creams and ointments for extra strength.
Lots of bruises occur because we are in a hurry. We trip and fall, run into things, and stump our toes! Bruising also is a result of sports like football and boxing. These type bruises can be successfully treated at home.
Bruises that seem to come out of nowhere may be a sign of a serious underlying condition. In these cases, please consult with your healthcare professional.
Home remedies can help.
Parsley is good remedy for bruises and can be used as a poultice or in a compress.
Powdered burdock root also helps heal bruises. Sprinkle on purple area then cover with warm, damp cloth.
Read more about making herbal products at home.
Placing a slice of fresh pineapple on a bruise can speed healing. Other things to try include orange slices, yellowroot tea, vitamin E oil, and diluted tea tree essential oil.
Ice packs are helpful for soothing a bruised area, and cold witch hazel compresses can also bring relief.
Comfrey for bruising
Comfrey ointment has been proven to help heal bruising caused by enoxaparin injections. Eighty people with acute coronary syndrome were tested and results were clear.
Comfrey helped heal bruising at the injection site. Several effects were noted including a quicker healing time and a lighter color bruise. Even size was reduced when compared with a control group.
Using old time natural remedies to treat bruises
Bruise compress recipe ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon of tincture of arnica flowers
- 1 tablespoon Saint-John's-wort flowering tops
- 1 tablespoon chamomile flowers
- 1 tablespoon powdered Witch Hazel bark
- 4 drops of lavender essential oil
- 2 tablespoons of water
Directions:
Heat gently until mixture is really warm but not scalding. Soak in a clean cloth and apply to bruised area as soon as possible after injury.
Bruise easily? Add vitamin K to your diet
Vitamin K is recommended for people that bruise easily. Add alfalfa sprouts, sea vegetables, green peppers, citrus fruits, and leafy greens like kale and collards to the diet.
Many times frequent bruising is a sign of a more serious problem. It could be part of aging, since skin thins as we grow older.
It could also be leukemia, a blood clotting disorder, or a simple vitamin deficiency.
*Do not take arnica internally. If you are taking blood thinners, consult with your doctor before eating lots of vitamin K rich foods. Always consult with a healthcare professional before using any herbal remedy.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8716702/
https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/arnica
Blessings to you and yours!
Thanks so much for reading my blog. Jan.
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