A poultice is a simple product, but it’s one that not many people have heard about. Upon hearing the word, your first question may be, what does poultice mean, and where do you use it? You may also be wondering how to make a poultice.
The fact is, you have probably already used a poultice in your daily life, but you may not realize it because you are calling it something else. We can describe this product as a pack or salve that helps with the process of healing for sore muscles, skin issues, or forms of pain. For example, your pack could include baking soda to draw out infection.
Creating this paste is easy if you know the steps and a good potent health poultice recipe. Here are a few of the basics to know for preparing your first natural poultice.
How to Make a Poultice: Begin by Choosing a Base
Before you start creating baking soda poultice, garlic poultice, or a poultice for abscess, you need to decide how long you will be using it on the affected area.
Time is important because you will either be using a flour-based paste or a cheesecloth-like application filled with the mixture you will be using.
If you plan on keeping the poultice in the area for a long time, go with the cheesecloth application. This method will hold everything together.
If you will only be using the pack for an hour or less, the flour-like paste is a better choice.
Say you’ll be creating a poultice for abscess; you first need to know how long you’ll be keeping it before you proceed to the next step. Once you have decided this, you can move to the next step of making the mixture for the pack.
Get Familiar With Different Herbal Interactions Before Starting Poultice Recipes
You probably already know that different herbs help with various issues. But did you know that some herbs or ingredients can have harmful interactions with your skin?
For example, you do not want to mix mint and capsaicin in one application.
This combination is not advisable because menthol and heat from the capsaicin can cause burns to the skin and increased irritation and issues with the infected area.
Instead, choose one, and then add other herbs that aren’t a part of mint or pepper families. You can use a more mild application such as chamomile for soothing.
Prepare the Area Properly Before Applying the Herbal Poultice
Before applying your bread poultice or baking soda poultice, you need to prepare the area where you will apply it.
The first step is to make sure the area is clean and free of debris.
Prepare the area as you would for any over-the-counter medicated application or cleansing. This makes it faster to keep the area or wound clean and helps the pack to begin working as soon as possible.
Simple Bread Poultice Recipe
There are so many poultice recipes on the internet, and you’d be surprised at how easy it is to create one. Here’s one simple recipe to try out:
Bread Poultice
If you have an abscess or splinter, try this easy recipe.
Ingredients:
- A slice of bread
- Two to three tablespoons of milk
- A saucepan
How to Make a Poultice
1) Using low heat, warm your milk in a small saucepan
2) Let it cool a little bit
3) Place the bread in the saucepan and leave it to soften
4) Once soft, stir the mixture together until you have a paste
5) Apply as needed
Takeaway
By using these basic steps, you can create an effective mixture for your needs. Remember, do not reuse the poultice. You will need to make a fresh one for each application in order to reduce the chances of infection or irritation from bacteria. But now that you know how to make a poultice, putting together a new one will be a breeze.