Herbal Medicine for Cuts and Bruises

[Guest guest]

HERBAL MEDICINE

 

[Excerpted from Herbal First Aid by Michael Castleman, Mother Earth

News February/March 2005]

 

Soothe minor cuts, scrapes, burns and bruises — safely and naturally.

An estimated 80 percent of minor injuries occur at home. While some

cuts, burns and blisters require immediate medical attention (see Red

Flags), others can be effectively treated with simple first aid.

 

When stocking a first-aid kit to deal with these inevitable

accidents, don't overlook the many natural products that can speed

healing and reduce the risk of infection. These include items you may

already have on hand, such as vitamin C, aloe and honey.

 

 

 

When the Skin is Broken

To treat minor wounds, it's helpful to understand how the body

responds to injuries. The skin, which is the body's largest organ,

has two layers — the epidermis and the dermis. The epidermis is the

thin layer (about five cells deep) that's in direct contact with the

environment; it is also host to millions of bacteria and other

microorganisms. Ordinarily, these residents cause no problems, but

that can change quickly when you suffer a minor wound that breaks the

skin.

 

Beneath the epidermis is the dermis. When a wound tears the dermis,

microorganisms from the epidermis invade and threaten infection, and

the immune system works to close the breach and kill the germs. Blood

vessels around the wound dilate, and extra blood rushes into the

area, rinsing the wound and cleaning it. The extra blood also carries

a small army of white blood cells that attack infection-causing

microorganisms. This process causes inflammation — swelling, redness

and pain around the wound. Cells injured by the wound die, but before

they expire, they release a protein that triggers blood clotting,

which eventually forms a scab that closes the wound.

 

After about 24 hours, other white blood cells release proteins that

stimulate the repair of injured blood vessels and the creation of new

skin cells and collagen. Sometimes the process is less than perfect,

and collagen forms where you should have skin, resulting in a scar.

 

Wounds also can get infected — in this case pain and inflammation can

persist or increase, and pus, made up of dead bacteria and white

blood cells, may ooze from your scab. However, if all goes well,

minor wounds should heal completely, and the simple remedies below

can help speed that process.

 

 

 

Heal with Vitamin C

No matter what kind of wound you have, taking vitamin C can help,

whether you get it from fruit juice or from supplements. Low blood

levels of vitamin C slow healing, while high levels speed formation

of new skin cells and collagen, according to Dr. Melvyn Werbach,

author of Nutritional Influences on Illness.

 

Studies conducted on vitamin C date back to the 1930s, and recent

research has confirmed these effects. In a 1996 study, British

researchers gave bedsore sufferers standard care plus either a

placebo or vitamin C (500 milligrams twice daily). After one month,

the average sore areas shrank by 43 percent in the placebo group and

84 percent in the vitamin group.

 

New York City-based nutritionist Shari Lieberman, co-author of The

Real Vitamin and Mineral Book, suggests getting even more vitamin C —

5,000 to 10,000 milligrams per day if you have a large wound or burn.

However, large doses of vitamin C can cause diarrhea. If this occurs,

reduce your dose.

 

Other research suggests that vitamin E and zinc also promote wound

healing and reduce the risk of scarring. As wounds heal, Lieberman

recommends a daily dose of 400 to 800 International Units (IU) of

vitamin E and 30 to 50 milligrams of zinc.

 

 

 

Reduce Your Stress Level

Emotional stress impairs immune function. So it comes as no surprise

that stress also interferes with wound healing. Ohio State University

researchers studied 26 women, half of whom were stressed by caring

for spouses with Alzheimer's disease. The researchers inflicted

identical minor puncture wounds on all the women, then treated them

with an antiseptic (hydrogen peroxide) and tracked the wounds as they

healed. Healing took significantly longer among the Alzheimer's

caregivers (49 days versus 39).

 

However, effective stress management accelerates wound healing.

Researchers at Southeastern Louisiana University worked with 24

people who had their gallbladders removed. After the patients emerged

from surgery, half received standard care, while half were given

audio tapes containing a relaxation program. A day later, the

relaxation group showed less anxiety, lower blood levels of the

stress hormone cortisol and less inflammation from the surgical

incision.

 

Any relaxation program can help, including meditation, yoga, tai chi,

visualization exercises or listening to music. (For more on reducing

stress, see Running from Bears, Mother Earth News February/March

2005.)

 

 

 

Herbal Healing

A number of herbs can be safe and effective for aiding your skin in

healing.

 

Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) makes a tasty, calming tea. The oils

in this herb are also anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and promote

skin regeneration. That's why Germany's Commission E, the government

panel that judges the safety and efficacy of herbal medicines,

recommends the herb for wound healing. Make a strong tea using 1

heaping teaspoon of flowers per cup of boiling water. Steep until

cool. Apply using a compress.

 

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) contains allantoin, a compound that

helps heal wounds. Dr. James Duke, author of The Green Pharmacy,

suggests applying fresh, washed and bruised leaves directly to wounds

as a poultice, or applying comfrey as a paste of powdered leaves.

(You could also try skin-care products that contain comfrey,

available at health food stores.)

 

In recent years, comfrey's reputation has suffered because it

contains compounds that can cause liver damage when ingested. You

shouldn't ingest this herb, but there's no danger in using it

externally for wound healing.

 

Calendula (Calendula officinalis) has been used for centuries to help

heal wounds, and Commission E also recommends calendula for wound

healing. Brew a tea using 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried flowers per cup

of boiling water. Steep until cool. Apply using a compress, or mix 1

to 2 teaspoons of tincture in a cup of water and apply.

 

Gotu kola (Centella asiatica) has been used to heal wounds in India

for centuries. It's no wonder: The Asiatic herb's acid stimulates

collagen synthesis. Gotu kola salves are available at some health

food stores and herb shops, or you can apply a compress containing

tincture, liquid extract or tea. For tea, use 2 teaspoons of dried

leaves per cup of boiling water. Steep until cool.

 

 

 

First Aid Basics

Follow the steps below to handle common household injuries:

 

 

Care for Cuts

The bleeding from cuts usually stops by itself. If not, apply direct

pressure until it does.

 

Immediately wash cuts carefully with soap and water.

 

Apply antiseptic. Doctors often suggest iodine, antibacterial

ointments and hydrogen peroxide, all available at pharmacies. Aloe,

tea tree oil and honey, however, are equally effective natural

alternatives.

 

The gel inside Aloe vera's fleshy leaves is best known as a treatment

for minor burns, but it also helps treat cuts. In fact, aloe became

medically prominent more than 2,000 years ago when Alexander the

Great's army used it as a treatment for battle wounds. Modern

researchers have identified several reasons why aloe gel spurs wound

healing: It has antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral compounds

that help prevent wound infections. It also has immune-stimulating

and anti-inflammatory compounds, and it stimulates collagen synthesis

and skin regeneration. Aloe contains vitamins C and E, plus the

mineral zinc.

 

" Most household cuts and burns occur in the kitchen, " San Francisco-

based family doctor Anne Simons says. " Keep a potted aloe plant in

yours, and you'll have fresh gel handy whenever you need it. Just

snip off a leaf, slit it open, scoop out the gel and apply it. "

 

When British explorer Capt. James Cook first arrived in Australia in

1777, he found the indigenous people treating wounds with crushed tea

tree leaves (Melaleuca alternifolia). The oil in tea tree leaves is a

powerful antiseptic.

 

" I use tea tree oil on wounds, " Duke says. " It's as good as any

nonherbal antiseptic. "

 

Ancient Egyptian medical writings advised covering wounds with honey.

Recent research shows they were onto something — honey has potent

antibacterial action. British researchers cultured all the bacteria

that commonly cause surgical wound infections and then placed two

drops of honey in each petri dish. Honey treatment substantially

inhibited most bacterial growth.

 

Another option, according to Dr. Richard Knutson, an orthopedic

surgeon in Greenville, Miss., is to use a paste made from granulated

sugar and water. Sugar also helps prevent infection and speeds

healing.

 

 

Beat the Pain of Burns

Cool it. As quickly as possible, run cold water over minor burns, or

use an ice pack. Place a few ice cubes in a plastic bag wrapped in a

cloth (or use a commercial cold pack). Apply for 20 minutes, then

wait 10 minutes before applying again. Flushing with cool water is

especially important for chemical burns caused by drain, oven and

toilet cleaners. Flush the area with cool water continuously for 15

to 30 minutes. If the chemical container is available, read and

follow the first-aid instructions on the label.

 

Pacify the pain. Doctors recommend aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol)

or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil). A natural alternative is white willow

bark (Salix spp.), which contains pain-relieving compounds similar to

aspirin. Commission E endorses white willow bark for treatment of

pain. For a decoction, soak 1 teaspoon of powdered bark per cup of

cold water for eight hours. Strain. Drink up to 3 cups a day with

honey and/or lemon. If you're sensitive to aspirin, do not use

willow — the herb may upset your stomach.

 

Apply aloe. Aloe first came to modern medical attention in the 1930s,

with a medical journal report that the herb helped heal burns

inflicted by radiation treatments. In 1995, Thai researchers treated

27 people with second-degree burns with either aloe gel or petroleum

jelly under gauze dressings. The average time to healing in the

petroleum jelly group was more than 18 days. In the aloe group, it

was about 11 days.

 

Spread on honey. Indian researchers treated burn victims using either

a standard dressing or one soaked with honey. The honey group's burns

healed twice as quickly (nine days versus 18 days).

 

Herbalists and aromatherapists Kathi Keville and Mindy Green, co-

authors of Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the Healing Art, suggest

placing a few drops of lavender oil on burns or mixing three drops

each of lavender oil, tea tree oil, chamomile oil and calendula oil,

and applying the mixture to the burn.

 

 

Don't break blisters. When burns cause blisters, it's tempting to pop

them, but doing so risks infection. If blisters break on their own,

wash the area thoroughly with soap and water, then cover with gauze

soaked with honey, aloe, lavender oil or tea tree oil. Wash the

broken blister and change the bandage and dressing once a day.

 

 

Banish Your Bruises

Bruises are red, blue or purple marks on the skin. Around the eyes,

they're called black eyes. Bruises occur when a fall or blow leaves

the skin intact but damages the capillaries beneath it. People bruise

more easily as they age because skin capillaries become more fragile.

 

Apply an ice pack as quickly as possible. Ice reduces pain and

swelling. Do not take aspirin or use willow bark — they are

anticoagulants and prolong bleeding.

 

 

Take bromelain. This enzyme is abundant in pineapple and has anti-

inflammatory action. Bromelain is available at health food stores and

supplement shops (chewable varieties of bromelain supplements taste

delicious), or you can eat more pineapple.

 

If Infection Develops

As wounds begin to heal, pain, tenderness, redness and swelling

should subside. If they persist or get worse, the wound is infected.

Minor infections can be treated safely at home by washing with soap

and water, soaking the affected area in warm water and applying aloe,

honey, lavender and tea tree oil. But if symptoms continue —

especially if pus begins oozing — see a doctor.

 

— Michael Castleman is the author of The New Healing Herbs, a

scientific investigation of 100 plants used in traditional herbal

medicine. Visit www.mcastleman.com for more information.

 

 

RED FLAGS

Consult a physician promptly for:

 

Cuts that won't stop bleeding, or those with jagged edges that won't

come together. You may need stitches.

Wounds that contain dirt or other foreign material you cannot remove.

The wound should be professionally cleaned.

Any burn over an area larger than your hand (except sunburn).

Burns that produce extensive blistering, or any blister more than 1

inch across.

Any human or animal bites that break your skin. Animal bites carry

considerable risk of infection.