Tips for cuts, grazes and burns

We have something generally growing right under our nose (or in the garden) for the ailments.

Almost everyone's heard that if you get stung by a nettle you rub a D

ock leaf on the sting to soothe it. Conveniently dock leaves grow near the nettles. Nature's way of providing remedy I suppose.

Below you find a list of my personal tips and tricks (herbal of course) for some of the little surprises nature can throw your way.

(Above-Dock leaf being rubbed onto a Nettle sting)

A lot of people have this plant in their house because it looks great. Little do they know how useful this can be for burns, cuts and wounds.

The gel is generally extracted from the plant and you buy it in

most local herb stores or pharmacies. Also a great trick for sunburn or general household burns.

What is this magical plant? How do I get hold of it?

Why it's Aloe Vera of course!

Most garden centres stock this quite inexpensive plant. It makes a great decoration around the house or garden and is so so handy when it comes to burns, cuts or wounds; you simply just break off a leaf and gently squeeze the soothing gel from inside the plant out. (as seen left)

Now, just a tip; quite a lot of gel is held in each leaf or branch of the plant so if it's a minor burn just break the tip off the leaf rather than taking too much. Just rub gently in, again you can cover with a bandage to aid the healing process if you wish. I generally rub it in leave it to soak into the skin and then let good old fashioned air do the job. Aloe is great at aiding the healing process and also it helps to prevent scarring.

If you are buying gel out in the shop make sure that Aloe Gel is listed in the ingredients. You can get gels like this one here is many herbal shops and pharmacies.

Not only is this gel organic it also contains 99.9% Pure Aloe Vera Gel. It certainly does the trick. Personally I keep a stock of this in the house and take it away with me in case I happen to get sunburned. I t soothes and cools the skin instantly.

If you have the plant then you needn't worry around the house. But for handiness sake you may want to purchase a gel to keep with you. (It doesn't have to be the gel pictured or that brand, it's just used as an example).

Calendula is great for wounds! I always have an ointment ready made in the house. But you can also get hold of Calendula tincture and cream at your local herbal shop. The uses of Calendula, like many herbal remedies dates back to the at least the 17th Century when it was commonly used as defence against the "plague".

Calendula is anti-bacterial as well as anti-inflammatory.

Just massage a little infused cream or oil onto the scrape or cut or if you are using the tincture apply a few drops. Then cover the cut with a bandage. Onc

e the wound heals and a scab begins to form remove the bandage as this will allow the air to penetrate and heal the rest of the cut/scrape.

If you have a cut that has become infected I would recommend using a rosemary wash. Rosemary is a great antiseptic herb. You can easily make this wash by steeping dried Rosemary (pictured left) in boiling water. This infuses the herb. Allow to cool and then bathe the infected wound in the infusion. You can use this remedy up to four times a day until the wound heals and the redness subsides.

Other remedies for wounds include Juniper Berries. This remedy has been passed down for generations to treat wounds externally. Also Yarrow is commonly used to clean wounds and help blood clot faster. Witch hazel is also another common remedy that has been used and almost every household has a bottle of distilled Witch Hazel. You can use this remedy on cuts, wounds even some rashes or pimples. It's a very handy item to keep in stock.

A compress of St. John's Wort can be used externally on deeper cuts. However, prolonged use of the herb increases sensitivity to sunlight in some people so check with your local herbalist first before you use this or any other remedy mentioned.

If you're wound is very deep, gaping or has been contaminated by soil or any chemicals please consult a Doctor immediately. Do not treat large open wounds with Herbal Remedies unless under the direction of a professional.

Some herbs such as Comfrey aka "Knitbone" actually cause the skin to heal over the wound quite quickly. This sounds great and like a quick fix but if you have an infected or contaminated wound the Comfrey will actually heal the skin so quick that you will end up with the infection in the bloodstream if not properly cleaned and attended to.

So please, if in doubt or you have a serious wound seek medical attention.

As always stay safe!