Herbal Medicine – External Use

Hey all and welcome back to another article on Herbal Medicine. Last month we discussed utilizing herbs for internal use which talked about teas, tinctures, and capsules. This month I would like to dive a little deeper and speak about utilizing herbs for the use on the outside of the body.

The utilization of herbs has been found by archeologists that date back before written human history, they suggest that even as far back as 60,000 years ago. These archeologists have located a burial site in northern Iraq that had large amounts of pollen from different species of plants, some of which are still used in medicinal healing today.

While the majority of these herbs can be used both internally and externally, this month we will focus a bit more on the latter. There are several different ways we can get the healing benefits of herbs through external uses such as in body oils, compresses, herbal baths, salves, and poultices.

Compress

The herbal compress has been found to have been created in the Middle Ages in Thailand and was typically used to treat soldiers returning from battle with different kinds of injuries and to help with inflammation and prevent infection.

The most common way to utilize a compress is to steam it and apply the compress directly to the body. Steaming the compress that allows the pores to open and the herbal medicine to be absorbed through the skin, also works well to relax sore muscles.

While similar to a poultice a compress differs as it is generally soaked in the medical liquid from the herbs such as if you were making a medicinal tea and then applied to the wound.

A compress can be used either heated or cooled. For example, a heated compress once heated can create a strong aroma that can be inhaled through the nose. Whereas a cold compress can be used to treat headaches or reduce inflammation. The cooler temperatures have a stimulating effect on the body while the heat usually provides a relaxing effect.

Herbal compresses are typically used to treat the following ailments:

• Muscle aches
• Joint pain
• Stiffness
• Cramps
• Tension
• Insomnia
• Skin abrasions
• Acne
• And more.

Salves

An herbal slave is made from mixing infused or essential oils that are thickened with wax, commonly beeswax so they remain in a solid form at room temperature, an example would be chapstick. The biggest advantage of using a salve is that the healing properties are centrally located in the affected area. The disadvantage of a salve is that it takes a longer period for it to be absorbed into the skin, which means it will take longer to get the healing effects of the herbs.

An herbal salve cream or herbal cream is very similar to a traditional salve but is formed by combining a liquid into the oils utilizing an emulsifier.

Salves can be used as soothing agents for the skin, muscles, or wounds and are derived from flowers, roots, or fruits; a perfect example of this is Aloe vera, which is a great skin moisturizer and helps with minor burns such as sunburn.

Some of the more common herbs to utilize in a salve are:

• Aloe Vera – A natural moisturizer that helps with minor burns
• Arnica – Helps relieve pain
• Blue chamomile – Tightens the skin and protects skin cells
• Chickweed – Well known as a moisturizer
• Cocoa butter – protects and moisturizers the skin
• Eucalyptus – cleans, soothes and cools the skin
• Jojoba seed oil – moisturizes, cleans, and balances the skin
• Myrrh – great skin moisturizer

This is by no means a complete list.

Poultice

An herbal poultice as stated earlier is similar to a compress, the main difference is that a poultice utilizes whole herbs and is formed into a paste that is applied directly to the skin. The biggest benefit is that the medical herbs can be left directly on the affected area for hours at a time allowing the body to absorb as much as possible.

Poultices can be used with warm water or cold. Typically, warm water is used to draw out/ remove an infection while cold water is typically used to treat inflammation.

You make a poultice utilizing dried or fresh herbs that have been ground down with a motor and pestle and mixed with oil or water to form a paste. It is then applied directly to a layer of cloth then covered with another layer of cloth and wrapped over the affected area; in some cases, you can apply it directly to the skin, this depends upon your skin’s sensitivity or the ingredients being used. Cheesecloth can be used, the biggest thing to remember is that you do not want the cloth to absorb the liquid or be too thick to prevent the oils from coming in contact with the area it is applied to.

Poultices can be used to treat the following:

• Inflammation
• Insect bites,
• Burns
• Boils
• Infections
• Sore muscles
• And more.

Herbal Baths

An herbal bath is a great way to soothe muscles, soften the skin, and improve circulation. Your skin will absorb the oils naturally just from soaking in them and additionally, you inhale the medicine through the steam. To me, this is the best of both worlds.

Think of your tub or shower as a very large teapot. The warm water extracts the healing properties of the herbs you use similar to seeping and allows your body’s largest organ the skin to absorb the nutrients.

Utilizing an herbal bath frequently has been shown to help with:

• Relaxing sore muscles
• Opening up of pores
• Helps encourage digestion
• Improve circulation
• Soften the skin
• Helps boost the immune system
• Helps promote a restful sleep

Dried plants are best for extracting the medicinal properties when it comes to an herbal bath, however, essential oils that you have extracted previously are good as well.

Utilizing bath salts like Epsom salt and carrier oils like coconut oil are great additives that you can implement into your bathing routine.

I couldn’t tell you how many times I have come in after a long day on the homestead and my wife, God rest her soul, has run me a bath mixed with herbs and Epsom salt.

Body/Culinary Infused-Oils

Body oils are the simplest form of utilizing herbs for different medicinal reasons or as a great way to smell good!

Historically it has been women or men of providence that have used oils as a perfume of sorts. It has been said that even Napolean used to douse himself daily with rosemary. Some of the more common herb-infused oils that have been used include lavender, chamomile, and more.

Herbal body oils are not just used to smell nice or to gain medicinal benefits, they can also be used to infuse food called culinary oils, with the same benefits. You can utilize oil-infused herbs like garlic, ginger, and cayenne pepper mixed with avocado oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil, or coconut oil as salad dressing or to help season and create delicious meals.

Alright, folks we have come to the end of this episode of Herbal Medicine – External Use. I hope you have enjoyed it; as stated last month here is my disclaimer:

** I am not a medical doctor, nor do I play one on TV. Nothing in this article constitutes advice or replacement of official medical doctrine. Please seek medical attention and advice for all medical issues. **

I really appreciate each and every one of you following along with me on this journey! I have a little surprise for you all today, My wife used to make a salve to help with my aches and pains so today I am sharing that with you and the process in which to make it.

Until Next Time,

God Bless