Thursday, January 7, 2010

How to make a poultice....sore muscle relief

This recent injury that I sustained has been one of the most stubborn and painful injuries I have ever received and the pain has been just sharp and intense. I have a very sensitive stomach with a lot of allergies so for me to take pain killers or muscle relaxers would be inviting the opportunity for a bout of vomiting as well. The muscles right now on my neck and shoulder are so knotted you can visually see the bulge I am sure you can imagine how terrible this feels. I thought a poultice might bring some relief. Sure it is kind of an old fashioned sort of thing to do but they have been used for 100's of years and have wonderful healing benefits, and they are very easy to make.
Here are some snap shots and the steps of how I did this

    Make a Fresh Herb Poultice

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I used Rosemary and Lavender from my garden.
  1. Step1

    Chop up about 1/2 cup of the fresh herb and mix with 1 cup of water in a saucepan.

  2. Step2

    Simmer herbs and water for about 2 minutes.

  3. Step3

    Squeeze out excess moisture, but don't drain.

  4. Step4

    Spread the herbal mixture over a piece of gauze, cotton or muslin that is large enough for the affected area.

  5. Step5

    Clean the affected area before placing the poultice on it.

  6. Step6

    Wrap the poultice with a towel or plastic wrap and secure it into place.

  7. Step7

    Keep the poultice on for anywhere from 1 to 24 hours depending applying a fresh poultice as needed



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The results of this were wonderful it brought much soothing and pain relief and a wonderful benefit was the simmering herbs make your house smell absolutely fabulous. As an additional note I also added an herbal heat wrap on top of my poultice to supply some extra warmth and heat, a hot water bottle could also be used.
If you want to see all the wonderful things a poultice can be used for google the word poultice, I think you will be surprised at how useful and beneficial this skill is to know it is wonderful for many ailments. I do of course hope you never need to use one.
Wishing you a most Blessed Day ~Heather
I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13

5 comments:

  1. Oh my dearest friend,

    Your pain sounds so acute! Poultices are wonderful stuff. They are natural and the herbs when heated release exactly the medicine we need to soothe the pain.

    One of the things that everyone must remember is that it takes time. It is not a quick, fixer-upper but instead it is a time to just relax and be still...and allow the aroma and warmth of the pads to work on your muscles.

    ps: isn't it wonderful that you have a garden? Remember last year when you didn't have one? Now, the Lord has blessed you with what you needed to calm you during this injury!

    Praying that the Lord gives you calmness and that you relax and accept it ;-)

    Blessings dear one,

    maria

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  2. Dear friend,

    I think there is nothing so wonderful as using natural remedies! I applaud you and how wonderful it worked! I am sad to hear you are in such pain, and I hope it goes away quickly for you. Thank you for sharing this - I am just beginning to get interested in all things natural so I KNOW I will use this!

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  3. Dear Heather,

    I am so happy that you found some relief! The Lord has indeed placed these healing plants right at our feet~It's just up to us to figure out how to use them!

    Lavender and rosemary are two of my favorite herbs; what a blessing you have them both right there.

    Love,

    Marqueta

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  4. Where did you get the Anne of Green Gables and the Little House pics and sayings from in your left side bar? I'd love to have them if it's ok with you. Tose are 2 of my favorite books, and movies!

    Paula

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  5. That's great that you were able to use two herbs right out of your garden! I love the scent of rosemary and lavender. Glad to know it's helped you feel better.

    Blessings,

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