Aloe vera promotes healing and pain relief naturally.Aloe vera promotes healing and pain relief naturally.

Sometimes there are minor injuries or illnesses which could be dealt with at home. Many people already do, so let’s have a look at the minor irritations which could be treated in your home.

Sprains and pulled muscles are commonplace and generally taking a pain killer is the preferred option. However, RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) is the best answer for these types of injuries immediately after they occur. If you don’t keep an ice pack in the freezer, then a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a light tea towel will suffice.

Cryotherapy, as it is known, works by cooling the inflammation, which is caused by the body when a sprain or damaged soft tissue triggers the pain within the body. Carrying out ‘short and often’ application is more productive than leaving the ice on the damaged area for a long time. This is not recommended.

In addition, Arnica as a gel or tincture is a herbal remedy that is well known for its calming effects. It can soothe overstretched tissues. It is also invaluable for bumps, bruises and general aches and pains, even osteoarthritis. One point to remember – never put arnica on an open wound.

Moving on to tense muscles, usually found in the back of the neck and shoulders, and caused by stress or general lifestyle such as working on a laptop all day or hairdressing or the work of a surgeon. All of these jobs cause long-term tension in the neck and shoulder area. Lavender oil, warmed in your hands and rubbed on to the affected area, has a soothing effect. Even better if you can get a partner to do it for you.

A small, open wound, such as a cut or abrasion, can cause pain and irritation. Sesame oil is a good natural remedy for small wounds like this. First disinfect the wound, then dribble a few drops of sesame oil onto a clean, cotton cloth and place it over the wound as a compress. If necessary hold it in place with a bandage or adhesive plaster.

Sesame oil is rich in vitamins A and E, both of which are natural anti-inflammatories, and promoters of new cell formation. Sesame oil is also a good help for gum problems and can be gently rubbed into the sore area.

If you don’t keep an ice pack in the freezer, then a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a light tea towel will suffice

Minor burns are painful and can be treated incorrectly at home. I remember a friend telling me that after a serious burn on her arm when she was a child, her grandmother immediately coated it with butter. This, of course, would have literally fried the skin; however, that was what they thought should be done years ago.

Now we know that cold compresses should be the first treatment, immediately after the burn. If possible holding the affected area under running cold water is an immediate reaction. Following on by wrapping a clean cloth around ice cubes and then placing the pack over the affected area until the ice begins to melt. Repeat until the pain begins to subside.

Chamomile is known to promote wound healing and relieve pain as it contains a variety of chemical compounds. If you have chamomile handy it could be infused in the compress.

Aloe vera is the burn plant. If you have this in your medicine cupboard at home it is the ideal product to place on the burn when the compress is taken off. It will promote healing and pain relief naturally. Aloe vera has a very long history of healing going back to 500 BC when it was used to treat soldiers’ wounds.

There is nothing more irritating than a burnt tongue. If you have eaten any food or drink that was too hot, and burnt your tongue, try squeezing a few drops of lemon juice onto the affected area for instant relief. This also works well for cold sores and inflamed gums.

Nausea is very difficult to treat. Ginger is the best remedy for queasiness of any sort (that could be from food poisoning, travel sickness or even the nausea that accompanies indigestion). The spicy heat of ginger is derived from the gingerols and shogaols it contains. These are compounds with strong anti-emetic (nausea reducing) properties.

Fever, which can often arise in the middle of the night, at a time when it is difficult to contact your GP or other medical support, there is an old domestic hydrotherapy remedy that could be used immediately. Dampen cotton cloths with lukewarm water and place one around each calf.

Loosely wind another dry cloth around the first to make a compress on each lower leg. Don’t use cold water as this stresses the body too much.

Remove the compresses when they have taken on body temperature. This is usually within 15 to 20 minutes. Once the calves are too warm again, repeat the process.

kathryn@maltanet.net

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.