how to make a comfrey poultice
Two weeks I ago I sprained and hairline-fractured my ankle…and tore my tendon. I was running barefoot on ocean rocks in the rain because I was listless. “I know, I’ll do something slightly off-kilter, so I can feel a bit more alive.” In addition to demolishing my ankle I also ran into three nude men. Another story.
Jo. Me. Bung ankle.
So. I can’t walk for 6 weeks, run for 3 months. It’s a sentence. It’s a sign.
But this has helped. A comfrey poultice. I researched online the various benefits. Much has been said about it’s ability to heal sprains and even fractures. I looked at the different techniques and decided to get witchy with it myself.
Frankly, I’ve come up with the Creme de la Creme of Healing, Soothing Poulticessssss.
Check this shit out…
1. Cut up comfrey leaves – about six – and stick-blend in a plastic container(which means you don’t get your blender machine dirty) with some water…enough to make it soupy.
2. clever trick #1: Most recipes say to add a good handful of flour to get it paste-like. Good. But I used chia bran and psyllium husk because it got it SUPER pasty. Like a rubber. You need this so you can use the poultice like a goob and it won’t run everwhere.
3. I bought these little guaze swatches from the chemist for 45c. You could use an old nappy or teatowel cut in strips. I put a 1cm thick patch on each, about the size of your ankle. Or whatever.
4. clever trick #2: I then applied the swatch to my ankle…and used clingwrap to keep it there. Not only holds it in place firmly, it also stops leakage! I ran a bit of surgical tape around it to keep it in place.
5. clever trick #3: With the left-over swatches…I stuck them in the freezer. Which turned them into the most clever healing ice packs.
Feel free to cut and keep this for when you next go barefoot rock running in the rain on a nudist beach.
PS Got any other kind of cures like this? Favourites?
ugh, i once had a stress fracture in my shin and couldn’t run for 3 or 4 months. pure torture. but, you get through it and you learn. i’m much more careful with myself now.
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Hey Sarah, I hope you feel better. I’m a bit confused what it is meant to do? xx
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Matching sweatshirts…how cute!
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‘Running barefoot on ocean rocks in the rain’….even I could have told you how that story would end before seeing photos of your strapped up ankle! Perhaps it’s not so much a sign to slow down but about thinking things through more carefully.
Must say the 5th photo looks a rather grose. But always good to hear of new ways to treat wounds. Just yesterday I heard that Emu Oil is brilliant for scars and arthritis.
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Haha, yes, we matched. Although I’d like to match with the long legs also!
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Take caution when applying cold temperatures to sprains & breaks beyond a few days – it slows down blood flow which can in turn draw out the healing process & sometimes actually cause further damage. Be sure to alternate heat and cold compresses to prevent this occurring. Moxa is a fabulous chinese medicine treatment which invigorates blood flow and increases healing at the same time. See if you can hunt some down. I hope you’re feeling better really soon. I’m sure with all you’re doing you’ll be back on the rocks with the nudies in no time
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April 22nd, 2011 at 5:02 pm
THanks Nat…happy never to run into those nudies again!
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Nude men?? Scary. Hope you recover soon!
Comfrey tea does wonders for the garden so no wonder it helps an injury!
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April 22nd, 2011 at 5:03 pm
Recover from the nude men? Or the ankle!
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Hmm Interesting story Sarah! Yes I believe in the wonderful powers of comfrey. I have spent many a season at various ski resorts and have learnt that comfrey can be fantastic for healing sporty-induced sprains. On a side note, I like these real life photos much better than the magazine-type glamour ones you sometimes use on the blog.
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Boneset works wonders. My ex husband once had the same injury and I applied a polstice after the clinic sent him home to rest (we lived in the mountains). He was to go back on Monday – but the bone set worked so quickly – the doctor had to rebreak it to set it straight.
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April 22nd, 2011 at 5:03 pm
Noooooo!!
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Hey Sarah, that is hilarious , i take it you had the injury after spotting the nude men, i am just imagining you lying on the ground and the nudes bending over you!!!Imagine that view!.
I have sprained my ankles (both) numerous times snowboarding and also by wearing heels drunk, it seems to be a recurring injury for me.
I have always found ARNICA the best remedy and once someone gave me rhus tox and that is great too, i take arnica internally and also apply an external cream and it really helps speed up the healing for me.
It sux you can’t excerise but it always happens to me when i need to slow down, at least we are not at the height of summer.
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Hi Sarah
The typical man in me says “no way am I trying this” but, in keeping up with my effort to try new things I might just give this a go.
I play ice hockey and sprains, breaks and bruises are frequent, I used to get over an injury alot quicker than I do now, but lately it takes a while, and an injured man becomes a little grumpy boy and hard to tolerate and manage, so the quicker I can get over it the better off humanity will be.
I have never tried anything like this, can you suggest anything for a sore groin and back pain? At the moment I’m just complaining about them.
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Hi Sarah,
Hope your ankle gets better soon. I used boenset on my broken ribs some time ago, the rate they healed was incredible!
I’m in my third year of herbal medicine studies at Australian StillPoint Institute in Perth, love, love, love the herbal way!! It’s certainly all very fascinating and interesting.
Great post.
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Hope you get better soon, Sarah. When I was little (in the early ’50s!) a neighbour hurt her leg – massive bruising and swelling, possible hairline fracture (?) – and the G.P. told her to use a comfrey poultice; she just bruised the comfrey and held it in place with a wide bandage. It worked really well. We knew comfrey then as ‘knitbone’.
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Hi Sarah, good luck with your recovery! I sprained my ankle terribly last October, tore all the ligaments etc. I started using comfrey after about a week and the recovery really sped up as soon as I started using that. I’ve heard stories of it hleping heal broken bones really quickly (how do we convince doctors to let us slather it on before they put on the paster cast?). I’d combine your poultices with arnica for the pain and bruising. Dislocated my thumb the other day (klutzy much? yes) so its comfrey and arnica again for me!
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Sarah,
I’ve only recently cottoned onto your blog and if the last couple of posts are anything to go by, I think we’re travelling on the same wavelength.
I too am working on my vata, subconsciously and consciously. I was also told last week to acquire some comfrey leaves to aid a battered foot. Too weird!
May I ask where you rustled up (no pun intended) those leaves? They’ve hard to find. I’ve been told comfrey oil is a sufficient substitute though.
Hope your foot is surviving and you don’t have to wear a moon boot, they’re hard to stylise. x
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Hi Sarah,
Similar story, I hopped out of my care [raining] because an elderly gentleman whom I know slightly, could not hear me calling to him to give him a lift home. As I ran after him, acrosss the road, leaping on the footpath on opposide side and down I went, rolling over on the very wet grass, spraining my ankle. All because I was chasing after a MAN to a good deed. I do not think I got a good deal at all…. You have to laugh don’t you??!
However, I massaged Hirudoid Cream into my foot, ankle and above around the bottom of my leg. It works wonders. Bruisisng is drawn out and away goes the pain. Of course I sat with the leg up for the afternoon. Visualising how I must have looked rolling the wet grass.. how [dis]graceful can one be???
Vera
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I just read the ‘and I also ran into three nude men’ bit. Thanks for the laugh
I get the running on wet rocks idea because of being listless, when I’m feeling a bit blah I find a bush track or a rough coastal path, the concentration needed to run on those tracks always focuses my mind, it’s a great way to be in the moment and crowd out any other thoughts. The negative bit being the propensity to fall once in a while so it’s interesting to hear fresh comfrey works. I’ve only ever seen the ointment.
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I use a similar application of whipped up egg whites for bruises. Pop one on overnight and it can make a huge difference!
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Hi Sarah
A very close friend of mine has done a real number on his ankle on Saturday night – tearing ligaments off the bone. He is a professional rugby player and I want to help him ease the pain and swelling and help get him back on the field as soon as possible.
I came straight to this post – this may sound incredibly stupid but where do I find comfrey leaves can I buy them at a florist? or do I need to start peering into peoples gardens?
Also is there any other herbal remedies I can suggest to him as he is willing (god love him) to try anything “magical”.
I hope your Healing well!
Best wishes
Charlie
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I have just purchased your “I Quit Sugar” book. The version I printed off cuts letters out of words which makes it difficult to read (and re-read) smoothly. WIll I be sent a complete version by post if I ordered this online?
M
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Hi Sarah
Stumbled across this searching for a recipe to help heal Mum’s broken arm. She got herself a new pair of rollerskates, enough said. Great info! Thanks mate, you’re a legend
Alex
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Clever trick #4
“You could use an old nappy”
If you use an old nappy you wouldn’t need the comfrey paste, as it comes with it’s own.
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Hi, I have injured my shoulder and I would like to try a comfrey poultice. Where do I buy some comfrey before surgeon has a go.
Thanks Allan.
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