acute conditions Flashcards
Cuts and abrations
Actions:
antimicrobial - Sage, yarrow, lavender, thyme, oregano, barberry, goldenseal
styptic - Sage, yarrow
vulnerary -yarrow, calendula, plantain, comfrey
Preparations: Wound wash, Compress
bruises
Actions: circulatory stimulants/rubifacients lymphatics analgesics vulnerary
Herbs Arnica Witch hazel Yarrow Chest nut
Preparations:
Trauma oil
1 part St John’s wort
1. part Calendula
2 parts Arnica
Arnica and Yarrow cream for pain, swelling and bruising associated with injuries
Arnica oil is a mainstay in many herbal first aid kits, as an anti-inflammatory, analgesic, vulnerary, and rubefacient used to support healing and ease pain, swelling, and bruising associated with fractures, sprains, and other injuries. Arnica combines well with yarrow in this soothing cream for aches, pains, bruises, and injuries.
Ingredients
¼ cup (2 fl oz) arnica (Arnica spp.) flower-infused jojoba oil
2½ tbsp mango butter
1 tbsp beeswax
½ tsp vitamin E oil
¼ cup (2 fl oz) yarrow (Achillea millefolium) flower infusion made with distilled water
2½ tbsp (1.25 fl oz) aloe (Aloe vera) leaf gel
Natural preservative (optional)
Directions
Make the arnica-infused oil using the instructions in the herb-infused oil tutorial. Note that ¼ cup is the amount of finished herbal oil to include in the recipe—you may need to start with more oil when making the herb-infused oil, as the herbs will soak up some of the oil (if you forget to do this, just top off with some plain oil as needed for this recipe).
To prepare the yarrow infusion, combine 2 tablespoons yarrow aerial parts and ½ cup just-off-the-boil distilled water, steep 20 minutes covered, and strain. Measure out ¼ cup and add aloe gel. If using a natural preservative that needs to be added to the water phase, add now and stir well; otherwise, wait until after cream has emulsified.
Place infused oil, mango butter, and beeswax in a double boiler over low heat (or glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering water) until beeswax and mango butter have melted. Stir to blend. Remove from heat and transfer to a blender or a bowl (if using immersion blender) to cool.
Once oil mixture has cooled to room temperature and looks creamy and semi-solid, add vitamin E oil.
Turning blender on low-medium setting or using an immersion blender in a bowl, slowly add yarrow infusion mixture to oil mixture while blending. Mixture will begin to emulsify and become creamy. Avoid overmixing. Cream will set up a bit more as it cools.
Pour cream into sterilized glass jars, label, and store in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks (if using a preservative, shelf life will be longer).
Burns
Aloe lavender gel
Tumeric honey
analgesic herbs:
poultice include meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) aerial parts, California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) whole plant, and chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) flower (Coffman, 2014). Lavender (Lavandula spp.) essential oil can be added to salve or infused oil, and is specifically indicated for burns as a vulnerary, analgesic, and antiseptic (Mars, 2017). Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) leaf and calendula (Calendula officinalis) flower are both classic skin-supporting herbs that can also help promote tissue healing and proliferation when applied externally (Coffman, 2014). A fresh plantain (Plantago spp.) leaf or chickweed (Stellaria media) aboveground parts poultice provides both cooling and soothing burn relief (Mars, 2017).
Gotu kola (Centella asiatica) leaf is another star tissue-supporting herb that is useful in both wound and burn care. Daily topical applications of gotu kola preparations can be used to help reduce swelling and skin atrophy, inhibit post-burn scar formation, and reduce healing time (Pizzorno & Murray, 1999).
insect stings and bites
plantain to draw the venom
lemon balm to sooth the pain
venomous bites
Echinacea (Echinacea spp.) root is a classic herb to keep in your first aid kit for bites. Echinacea can help neutralize the effects of venom by inhibiting hyaluronidase, the enzyme that causes venom to break down tissue; it also activates the immune system to help with tissue repair and prevent infection (Blumenthal et al., 2000). Saturate a sanitary gauze pad with echinacea root tincture, then apply directly over the bite wound in addition to taking the tincture orally. Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa) root also works as a wonderful natural antidote for venom in the system, helping neutralize the effects of rattlesnake bites, scorpion stings, and other venomous toxins. Administer 1-2 dropperfuls of black cohosh extract and 2 dropperfuls of echinacea root extract orally while transporting the person to the nearest hospital (Christensen, 2000). You can also apply a fresh poultice of plantain (Plantago spp.) leaf to help draw venom out of the wound while you’re waiting for medical care.
Splinters
Pine (Pinus spp.) resin, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) leaf, and plantain (Plantago spp.) leaf are all excellent drawing herbs
contact dermatitis
Addressing skin irritations caused by poison ivy and poison oak is slightly different than general contact dermatitis. Unlike other forms of contact dermatitis, when working with poison ivy and poison oak, it’s important not to spread the oils from the blisters to other parts of the body, which could spread the rash further. There are several herbs, including jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) aboveground parts, plantain (Plantago spp.) leaf, and aloe (Aloe vera) leaf gel, that can mitigate the effects of poison ivy by lifting some of the oils off of the skin (Mars, 2017). (For these herbs, it’s best to use fresh plant when possible; fresh jewelweed can be juiced or pureed, then frozen for storage.) These specifics can be combined with anti-inflammatory herbs that can modulate the local immune response to help reduce itching and swelling. Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) aerial parts, white oak (Quercus alba) bark, plantain (Plantago spp.) leaf, echinacea (Echinacea spp.) root, and chickweed (Stellaria media) aboveground parts are all excellent choices as topical anti-inflammatories for contact dermatitis (Pursell, 2015).
An herbal wash or bath can be prepared using any part of oat (Avena sativa), marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) leaf or root, or chickweed (Stellaria media) aboveground parts. This type of emollient bath will help calm itchy, reactive skin, whether it’s caused by poison ivy or oak or another skin irritant. Traditionally, slippery elm (Ulmus rubra) bark has been used by the Mohawk people as an emollient topical application for soothing general contact dermatitis and inflammatory skin conditions (Erichsen-Brown, 1979). The bark is first infused in water to release its mucilaginous content, and then the affected area is soaked in the solution. Due to sustainability issues with slippery elm, the emollient herbs discussed above should be sought as alternatives.
Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) flower is another herb that is commonly applied topically as a compress, poultice, lotion, or cream to soothe the symptoms associated with contact dermatitis. Although chamomile is soothing in many instances for general contact dermatitis and is considered a very safe herb, there are some cases where chamomile can cause allergic contact dermatitis, particularly in individuals with a sensitivity to the Asteraceae (daisy) plant family (Shenefelt, 2011).
Cold sores
Cold sores are a common viral skin condition caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV), and can be greatly supported by herbs. Cold sore outbreaks occur in four stages and the stage of outbreak can help to determine both which herbs to use and the best herbal preparation.
During stage one, the area feels tingling, itchy, hot, and generally more sensitive. At this time, use cooling and drying antiviral and immunomodulating herbs topically. Echinacea (Echinacea spp.) root, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) aerial parts, licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) root, and St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) aerial parts are all ideal herbs to use liberally during this stage, and can potentially keep an outbreak from developing further, depending on how soon and frequently they are applied (Coffman, 2014; Pursell, 2015). Lemon balm is an herb specifically indicated for HSV and can help reduce localized swelling and nerve pain in particular (Coffman, 2014). A lip balm made from the infused oils of echinacea, St. John’s wort, and/or lemon balm is a simple preparation that can be made ahead of time and applied during this stage.
In stage two, the skin becomes a bit more sensitive and the outbreak blisters begin to form or have fully formed, but have not yet burst. After washing your hands, warm the antiviral and immunomodulating lip balm slightly, then apply gently over the blisters with a clean finger or cotton swab. A raw honey mask with added propolis extract is another wonderful topical preparation that can help soothe inflammation, while lending localized antiviral and antimicrobial support (Coffman, 2014) during this stage; manuka honey is excellent, but any raw honey can be used. Keep the area as clean as possible without irritating the skin further.
Stage three occurs when cold sores break open and begin to ooze and crust; this is typically when sores are at their most painful and irritated. During this phase, apply cooling, demulcent herbs and keep the area as clean as possible to prevent the outbreak from spreading to nearby areas. Use soothing antiviral and vulnerary herbal washes or compresses frequently throughout the day. Commonly used herbs during stage three include lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) aerial parts, St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) aerial parts, self heal (Prunella vulgaris) aerial parts, plantain (Plantago spp.) leaf, and calendula (Calendula officinalis) flower (Coffman, 2014). Avoid applying thicker salves or beeswax-based preparations during this phase, as the outbreak sores are technically considered open wounds and pathogenic bacteria can become trapped inside, causing secondary infection.
The final outbreak phase is stage four, when the sores are beginning to harden and scab over. In this stage, focus on using emollient and vulnerary herbs intermittently without breaking the scabs open, and allow them to stay dry enough so that they heal. Antiviral manuka honey or other raw honey can be applied as a mask directly over the sores to help promote tissue healing. Fresh aloe (Aloe vera) leaf gel is another soothing option that can be applied topically.
Scars
Several herbs and essential oils can be used to help reduce scar tissue formation and aid in the restoration of damaged tissues. Herbs that are particularly helpful for scar support include vulneraries, lymphatic decongestants, and analgesics (if pain is present).
Comfrey is an excellent vulnerary, and some sources specifically suggest its use in preventing or resolving scars; comfrey is also rich in silicic acid, a more bioavailable form of silicon, which is considered a necessary coenzyme for synthesizing collagen during the repair of connective tissue (Holmes, 1989). However, as noted previously, comfrey can cause excess cell proliferation that results in the formation of keloids or raised scars; it may be advisable to use comfrey only in the later stages of wound care. As an alternative, gotu kola (Centella asiatica) leaf serves as an excellent vulnerary that stimulates wound healing and tissue repair, but is not associated with overproliferation of cells or scar tissue development. St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) aerial parts is another specific for scar support, not only for its vulnerary and analgesic properties, but also because it can directly support neuralgia when a wound causes nerve damage.
Helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum) is one of the best-known essential oils to incorporate into external preparations for scar healing. Note that helichrysum contains italidone, which can expedite the wound-healing process so much that it is not suggested for use on wounds that need to remain open for draining (Bowles, 2003). Other essential oils with vulnerary properties for scar tissue repair include frankincense (Boswellia spp.) (be sure to obtain from a sustainable source), German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), and cistus (Cistus ladaniferus). Remember that when using essential oils for skin care, always be sure to properly dilute them in a carrier oil or salve before applying.
Keloid scars occur when scar tissue grows much larger than the initial wound, forming a raised and oftentimes lumpy pocket of tissue over the area. Some individuals are more prone to developing keloids than others (American Academy of Dermatology, n.d.). There are a couple of additional considerations to take into account when using herbs to care for keloid scars. The enlarged tissue that forms around keloid scars can be more sensitive, itchy, and lumpy than scars that are flat against the skin—this can make it more challenging to apply external herbal applications. Oil infused with gotu kola (Centella asiatica) leaf and fresh aloe (Aloe vera) leaf gel (squeezed directly from the fresh leaf) are both useful herbal preparations that can be lightly applied over keloid scars to soothe itch, reduce inflammation, expedite skin healing, and help to keep them from growing larger (Busia, 2016).
Pigmentation changes can occur during the scarring process. Aloe (Aloe vera) leaf gel is a premier preparation for supporting pigmentation changes—aloesin, a constituent found in aloe, has been shown to have a direct inhibitory effect on melanogenesis, a process that leads to long-lasting pigmentation of the skin (Choi et al., 2002; Hollinger et al., 2018). Arbutin, a constituent found in uva ursi (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) leaf, was found to show synergistic activity with aloesin, resulting in greater pigmentation suppression than either ingredient used alone (Choi et al., 2002; Hollinger et al., 2018). Fresh aloe gel can be used and applied directly from the aloe leaf or it can be combined with uva ursi-infused oil to make a salve or light cream. Note that if any abnormal pigmentation changes occur around a scar or other skin area, it is important to seek evaluation by a doctor or dermatologist.
