Healing Bruises, Breaks and Sprains with a Comfrey Poultice

Last week, I was carrying Bee and walked full speed into the end of a metal banister, smashing the back of my hand between the banister and Bee. The crunch felt big. That evening, as I was out and about, my hand started swelling up and becoming tender and painful. After an agonising drive home where changing gears was causing me to yelp, I was starting to worry that I’d done some serious damage.

I knew that I needed a comfrey poultice and went into action as soon as I got home. I brewed a pot of strong comfrey and meadowsweet tea, using 3 tbsp of each herb in a medium pot and leaving it to brew for 30 minutes.

I had a bruising balm that I had made inspired by my mentor’s the Seed SistAs’ recipe - which blends comfrey and horseradish oil with other anti inflammatory herbs. I smeared it on and then found an elastic bandage. I poured a cup of the comfrey and meadowsweet tea and soaked the bandage in the tea before wrapping the lovely warm bandage around my hand. I popped a marigold rubber glove over the top of the bandage so it wouldn’t drip everywhere and went to sleep with my hand dressed in herbs.

In the morning, the swelling had gone, I could freely move my fingers and wrist and all that was left of my injury was a slight bruise where the impact had been. It was a truly miraculous recovery. I did the poultice the following night as well and my hand was a million times better after just two days.

Common Comfrey - Symphytum Officinale

Comfrey is traditionally known as knitbone or boneset since it has been used for centuries as a poultice to heal injuries.  The root or leaves can be used externally and contain allantoin which helps heal damaged tissue at a cellular level.* Meadowsweet, filipendula ulmaria, the other herb in my tea is anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving.

As spring comes around, I really recommend drying out your own supply of comfrey leaves so that you can make your own comfrey poultice if you or your family have any bruises, breaks or sprains.

* Comfrey has some controversy surrounding it. The plant contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) which can cause liver damage. To play it safe, only use comfrey externally as an infused oil or cream.