Getting injured is no fun. Most people head to the doctor when they get an injury if they’re hoping to avoid it getting infected. Doctors are quick to prescribe medication or pharmaceutical lotions which are, indeed, great at helping to fight infections.
However, there are a few reasons that this might not be the best option.
First off, many medications have a number of side effects. Antibiotics, for example, not only kill bad bacteria that are known for causing infections but the good bacteria that are important for helping us maintain our optimal health.
Many medications that improve the speed of blood clotting (a necessary process that helps the skin reform after getting an open wound) can also have unpleasant side effects if they are used when they are not absolutely necessary.
Another issue is that not everyone lives with access to a doctor. In this case, they will want to know a number of natural remedies to help them heal any issues that they develop regarding their wounds!
That’s why we have composed this list of the most powerful natural remedies for healing wounds. Not only do most of these have no side effects, but they are generally good for your health in other ways besides helping you heal your wounds. After reading this list, you’ll probably want to run out and stock your kitchen and medicine cabinet with these healthy wound-healing remedies.
1. Gotu Kola
Gotu kola is a very powerful medicinal herb that has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of pretty much everything. It can help a person manage both physical and psychological problems, ranging from managing depression and cognitive health to helping fight off illness by boosting immunity.
One of the most interesting things that gotu kola can do is speed up the rate at which our blood clots when we get a wound. This means that the wound will heal over quicker and scar tissue will replace the damaged skin quicker.
Gotu kola can be consumed as a tea or in capsules. It’s available in capsules in some health food stores, and can be found in loose leaf form in some other health food stores. It’s not the most common herb, so you might want to look online for it.
2. Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal has become something of a buzz word lately for its ability to help people manage their health. It’s supposed to draw toxins out of the digestive tract as well as from the surface of the skin and can be useful for detoxifying our body overall.
One of the best ways that you can use activated charcoal is for healing wounds. It helps to draw foreign matter out of the skin and can be used for helping to get rid of physical things, like splinters, or for drawing out infections. All you need to do is make it into a paste by mixing it with water and apply it to the affected area.
Activated charcoal is available in many health food stores, often in capsules. The capsules can be broken open and the charcoal used to make a paste, unless you’re lucky enough to find the loose stuff.
3. Chamomile
Many of us have tried chamomile in the form of a relaxing, bedtime tea. However, most plants have more than one medicinal benefit, and chamomile is no exception.
Chamomile is actually known to be a powerful anti-microbial and inflammation fighting herb. It can help a person manage pain and get rid of any uncomfortable sensations that come along with the wound.
Chamomile can be made into a salve or a paste and applied directly to red wounds. This will help to make them less irritated. You can even just use a chamomile tea bag and apply it directly to the wound and you’ll probably notice an improvement in the speed of healing.
Chamomile can be found at pretty much any grocery store in the form of tea bags. You can also get the loose leaf stuff from many health food stores.
4. Honey
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Honey is one of the best natural foods that can be used to help promote the speed of wound healing.
If you’re looking for the best type of honey for your wounds then you’ll want to get manuka honey, which is made from a specific tree found in New Zealand and is known to have far more nutrients and antioxidants than regular honey.
Another cool thing about honey is that it has a virtually infinite shelf life. Honey that was purchased a decade ago will still be great for fighting infections and battling microbes.
All you need to do is spread some honey on your open wound and then cover it with a bandage. Changing the bandage and the honey a couple times a day will ensure that you can heal much quicker.
Regular honey can be found in pretty much any grocery store, and manuka honey can be found in some higher-end ones and in many health food stores.
5. Yarrow Root
Yarrow root is another popular herb that can be great for helping people manage their wounds. It’s known to help reduce bleeding and infections and speed up the rate at which wounds physically heal over.
Yarrow root can be bought in its raw form in many health food stores. You can take this stuff home and make a poultice out of it, or simply simmer the roots in hot water, and then apply this right onto your wounds.
6. Calendula
Calendula, which is often referred to as pot marigold, is very similar in appearance to other marigolds but packs a number of different health benefits. This is because it’s loaded with antioxidants.
Because of this, calendula helps the body send more blood to open wounds. This means that the blood will rush to the surface where it can begin to close the wound by clotting.
You can drink calendula as tea or take a tincture for the best results, however, the essential oil is another way you can use this herb by applying it directly to your skin. These things can be found in many health food stores and in some pharmacies.
7. Comfrey
Comfrey is another herb that’s known to be highly effective for fighting wounds. However, it’s important to know that you shouldn’t take comfrey internally very often because if you take too much, some of the active compounds can cause problems in the liver.
For that reason, you shouldn’t use it for treating open wounds. However, red scratches and other surface wounds that are not actually bleeding can be treated very effectively with comfrey. Using it on open wounds can actually cause them to heal so quickly that the skin will not properly restore itself.
Comfrey can be found in the form of ointments and creams in many natural health stores and pharmacies.
8. Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil has become one of the most popular essential oils in the west, and is actually one of the reasons that the craze for essential oils has become such a consistent thing.
Tea tree oil is very effective in a number of regards, one of which may help to fight off infections and reduce inflammation. The oil should be diluted before applying directly to an open wound because it is very powerful.
It should also not be consumed because it can be dangerous for our internal microbes. You can find it in many different topical products like creams and salves, all of which can be applied directly to your skin. These things are found in health food stores, and most pharmacies.
9. Silver Oxide
Silver oxide isn’t the most common treatment, but it’s still quite powerful. It was used very often before modern antibiotics took the world by storm, and it works to help ward off pathogens that might cause infections.
You can find chelated silver creams in pharmacies. These creams can be applied directly to injuries like cuts, rashes, or burns, and you will experience an improvement in the speed at which they healthy.
10. Turmeric
Turmeric is becoming more and more popular every day, not just for its powerful culinary applications but for the way that it can be so helpful in managing various health problems.
One of the most well-known benefits of turmeric is the way that it helps to fight inflammation. It also works as a powerful antibiotics. This is because turmeric contains curcumin, a powerful bioactive compound that is often extracted and sold on its own in many health food stores.
Using either turmeric or ocurcumin, you can make a salve and apply it directly to your skin. You can also simply eat the stuff and it will boost your immunity and reduce the chances of developing an infection. Turmeric is readily available in grocery stores and is quite cheap. Just be careful – it might stain your skin for a couple days!
11. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera has become incredibly popular in recent years. This wonderful, moist plant grows in many desert regions and is regarded as one of the best plants for helping to speed up the healing of wounds and for fighting off infections.
You can find aloe vera in all manner of cosmetic products and these can be found anywhere from health & beauty stores to grocery stores to pharmacies. It’s a great herb for helping speed up the rate at which cuts and bruises can heal, and it can reduce the pain and discomfort associated with burns.
12. Garlic
You might know that garlic can be useful for helping to fight off illnesses like bronchitis and the common cold. The same is true for helping to fight off infections that might target our skin. Garlic was actually used during the World Wars to help prevent soldiers from getting infected after surgery.
You can apply garlic directly to your skin. It might be a little smelly, but the health benefits are undeniable and it will probably be worth it to you to heal up quickly and have to deal with a bit of a smell! Garlic can easily be found in grocery stores.
13. Arnica
Arnica, which is also sometimes referred to as the mountain daisy, is a beautiful orange-yellow flower. Many people use it after surgeries to help themselves manage bruising and discomfort because it helps increase the rate at which the body repairs damage.
The plant can be made into a gel and put directly on the skin. This gel is available in some health food stores. You can also pick the flower yourself and make your own poultice or gel to apply on your skin.
Studies have revealed that arnica is at least as effective as vitamin K for reducing the rate of bruising. One should avoid using it on open wounds though because it can actually cause irritation.
14. Plantain
You probably think of the delicious, banana-like fruit when you first think of a plantain, but these aren’t what we’re talking about. Plantain is also the name given to a very common weed that grows all over North America. There are two varieties, common and narrow-leafed plantains. They grow all over the place.
These ubiquitous herbs can be great for helping to fight inflammation and reduce the discomfort associated with injuries. You can simply pick them yourselves and make your own poultices which you can apply directly to your wounds. If you don’t want to make your own medicine you can probably find some in the health food store.
15. Ice Packs
Ice packs aren’t herbal remedies, but they’re still effective natural remedies for helping to manage the symptoms of an illness. They can be great for managing the pain of bruises and cuts and scrapes, and they can also speed up the rate at which your bruises heal.
You can get pre-made ice packs which are basically just small jugs filled with water that you can store in your freezer. You can also just put ice in a small container, or a bag, but some of the moisture will probably seep out and this can make you quite wet.
16. Witch Hazel
Witch hazel is one of the most important natural remedies for healing wounds. This is because it works as a powerful astringent and can help to tighten and tone the tissue in your body.
For this reason, it’s great for healing bruises. It can help to drain the area of blood and restore natural color to your skin. You can apply witch hazel to a cotton ball and use this to apply it to your skin.
Witch hazel can be found in pharmacies and health food stores, and it’s quite cheap considering how powerful a remedy it is.
17. Cayenne Pepper
Many people aren’t aware of the powerful medicinal benefits of cayenne pepper because they often associate it with the discomfort and burning sensation that it causes when you eat it. That said, cayenne pepper is actually much better at helping you heal wounds than it is at causing them.
Cayenne pepper can help to boost immunity and fight inflammation when consumed or applied externally. That said, you do not want to apply cayenne directly to an open wound or it will hurt quite a bit (though it will, indeed, heal faster). Topically, it should just be used to heal bruises.
Cayenne can be found in the form of creams and salves in many health food stores and some pharmacies. You can also buy it as a spice at pretty much any grocery store and make it into your own health products.
18. Black Tea
Black tea functions as an astringent just like witch hazel does, and chances are you probably have black tea kicking around if you don’t have any witch hazel. You can use it quite easily, by simply moistening a tea bag and applying it to a bruise.
This will help to tighten up the tissue in the area and send the blood back into your bloodstream, restoring natural color to the area. You can find black tea at pretty much any grocery store, and you can find organic stuff in health food stores and natural food markets.
19. Mullein
Mullein is an herb that is traditionally touted for its ability to help clear mucus out of the lungs during infections like bronchitis. However, it’s also a great anti-inflammatory herb that can be used for treating both bruises and open wounds.
You can find mullein at many health food stores and you can make it into your own healing poultice. All you need to do is mix it with some olive oil and let them sit for several weeks. That said, this isn’t great if you have an immediate wound – in this case, you can heat the oil up for an hour or so and it will extract all the active compounds.
Just put a couple drops of the stuff on your bruises and it will clear them up really quickly.
20. St. John’s Wort
St. John’s is most often used as an antidepressant, but it has many more properties than this. One of the best things about this herb is that it can be used topically to help you manage any injuries done to soft tissue. It also helps to fight off nerve pain that can be caused by traumatic injuries.
Furthermore, St. John’s Wort can help to fight off some of the irritating symptoms associated with healing, such as itching. You can make your own poultice by harvesting the herb – it grows in many areas in North America – but it’s often easier to find it from the health food store. Some places even have pre-made oils for topical use.
21. Helichrysum
This powerful herb can be found in its essential oil form, but it can also be found in loose leaf form in some health food stores. You can make your own helichrysum poultice by mixing it with olive oil, coconut oil, or any carrier oil and then applying it topically to your skin.
Helichrysum works great for healing deep bruises and can help to improve the rate at which deep tissue injuries heal. It can also fight swollen skin, reduce irritation, and fight pain in both scratches, burns, and bruises.
A single drop of the essential oil can be mixed with other poultices, like arnica gel, and you can apply this directly to your skin to further enhance the speed at which they heal.
22. Onions
Onions are known for being very pungent, a lot like garlic. In fact, garlic and onions are two of the foods that are most notorious for giving people bad breath. On the other hand, they’re also two of the foods that are most well-known for their impressive antibacterial benefits.
It might sound a little strange to suggest that you can speed along the healing of a wound by simply rubbing an onion on it, but this is the truth. Granted, if you have a gaping open wound, you probably won’t want to touch it with an onion because this will hurt. However, it can be useful in small amounts.
If you have a smaller cut or wound that is getting infected, you can bet that slapping an onion on top will help get rid of that infection. Eating onions on a regular basis will also help to build your immune system and prevent you from getting infections in the first place.
Organic onions, purchased from health food and natural food stores, will provide you with the most benefits. However onions can be purchased anywhere that you can buy produce.
Just like garlic, the medicinal compounds found in onions become more potent when exposed to oxygen. This means that you’ll get the most benefit by chopping your onions up beforehand.
23. Rosemary
Rosemary is a pretty potent herb that actually contains a compound that is aptly named as rosmarinol. This compound is known for being a great anti-inflammatory compound and can be useful for helping people overcome infections as well.
Rosemary is most commonly purchased as an herb and can be found in many health food stores and grocery stores. The organic variety is best. You can grind rosemary into a paste and apply this directly to wounds, or use the essential oils to help yourself manage any topical wounds.
24. Peppermint
Peppermint contains a compound known as menthol, which is very soothing. In fact, a number of topical pain relief creams actually contain menthol because it’s known for being incredibly soothing.
You can make your own peppermint extracts by boiling the fresh leaves in water and reducing them. The menthol makes these extracts very pleasant to apply to the skin of injuries, particularly for burns because they’re cooling and can relieve you of the pain immediately.
25. Oregano
Oregano is known to contain some very powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Oil of oregano is most often used for helping people overcome bacterial infections like bronchitis, however, it can also be useful for helping to fight infections that can target wounds.
Oregano oil might be a bit too intense to apply directly to the skin. However, if you take it internally (in reasonable amounts) it can help prime your immune system to fight off all sorts of bacterial and viral infections that can attack your skin.
Oregano, as a herb, can be found at any grocery store. The essential oil of oregano, however, may need to be found at a health food store, a pharmacy or on Amazon.com.
26. Ginger
Ginger is one of the best natural remedies around, period. It is useful for so many things that you’d be hard pressed to find a problem that ginger doesn’t help with. It’s great for everything from nausea to fighting off illnesses.
That said, ginger is great for helping wounds heal because it can eliminate the chances of developing an infection. You can simply cut a slice of ginger and rub it on to a wound and it will ensure that no bacteria or virus will enter your wound.
Ginger can be found anywhere that fresh produce is sold.
In Conclusion
There are many situations that you could encounter that could leave you desiring a natural remedy for your wounds. Perhaps you’re out in nature and you fall and cut yourself. Maybe you live in a rural area far from a doctor.
Whatever the case, it’s good to have this information at hand. Hopefully this list of natural wound healing remedies has shed some light on the amazing power of natural medicine and the healing capabilities of the human body. Good luck and good health!
Disclaimer
The advice in this article is for information purposes only, and is not to be considered medical advice. Before employing any of the advice in this article, please consult your physician. Neither the author nor www.homesteadinghippy.com shall be held liable for any damage, injury, death or any side effects as a direct or indirect advice of applying the advice given in this article.
Nigel enjoys sharing wisdom regarding nutrition and health when he’s not playing music, loving nature, and being at one with the world.