Place the soaked cloth on the affected area and, if possible, wrap it around the body. Soak a clean piece of fabric or a washcloth in the tea and squeeze out the excess liquid. The tea can be heated back up if necessary. Let the tea cool if making a cold compress, or use it right away (at a comfortable temperature) for a warm compress. Make a strong comfrey tea, using 2 Tablespoons of dried herb per cup of hot water. Cold compresses are constricting, slow down circulation and can help reduce bleeding and pain. Warm compresses will be more relaxing, help with muscle tightness and bring more blood to the area. The skin absorbs the healing properties of the liquid and penetrates to the affected area. A compress is simply a cloth soaked in an herbal tea (or sometimes a tincture or oil) and then placed on the the body. If you’ve never made one before, it may sound daunting but it is actually very straightforward. One of my favorite ways is to make a simple compress. There are many ways to use comfrey topically on the body through compresses, poultices, liniments and infused oils. Just don’t use comfrey on deep open wounds, and avoid all internal use. That said, there is no reason to fear this plant when it is used correctly. These alkaloids can do damage - especially to people who already have a compromised liver - so it is advised to use comfrey topically and not internally to be on the safe side. The controversy is due to the fact that the plant contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can be harmful to the liver in high doses. In addition, much debate surrounds the safety of consuming comfrey internally, even though for centuries it was used in Greek medicine and by European physicians for respiratory and digestive issues. So please do avoid comfrey for major skin wounds, and use it only for bruises, sprains and minor cuts and scratches. It could potentially heal the top layer of skin before the bottom layer, resulting in an abscess. It is such an excellent and speedy wound-healing remedy that it actually should not be used on deep wounds or lacerations. A foot soak or a poultice of comfrey can bring relief and help speed up the healing process.īut comfrey must be used with caution and respect. It is a wonderful first aid herb to have on hand in case you or someone you know twists their ankle. The plant is also excellent to use topically on sprains, pulled muscles, swellings and fractures. It was amazing to see this transformation happen so rapidly. I once witnessed the external application of comfrey placed on terrible blue-black colored bruises and after being on the effected area for one night (as a poultice) the bruises quickly started to fade and went from black in color to a pale yellow. This compound is a cell proliferant which helps to regenerate wounded areas of the body and speed up new healthy cell growth.Ĭomfrey is one of my favorite herbs for bruises, especially, and I have seen it work its magic overnight. The incredible healing action this plant has on broken bones and wounds comes from a constituent contained in the leaf and root called allantoin. The botanical name, Symphytum, means “to unite.” Early colonists brought the plant with them when they settled in the new land.Ĭomfrey was once commonly called Knitbone because of its amazing ability to heal broken bones and “knit” them back together again. Warning: Seek medical attention if ingested.This lovely plant is originally native to Europe but it’s commonly found naturalized throughout parts of North America. The stiff hairs on the leaves and stems can cause skin irritation. Repeat exposure may lead to liver failure. Ingestion may cause delayed liver damage. Symptoms: All parts of the plant are poisonous. The leaf base is tapered into the stem giving a winged appearance.įruit/Berries: The fruit is a shiny, smooth black nut to 6mm. Leaves: Leaves are covered with stiff hairs, oval to lance-shaped, arising from a basal rosette, decreasing in size towards the top of the plant larger leaves to 25cm long. ![]() Cultivated for culinary or medicinal use.įlowers: Flowers are mauve, purple or creamy yellow, bell-shaped and in clusters along one side of the flower stem, often drooping downwards. General description: A coarse, vigorous, clumping, tuberous perennial herb covered with stiff hairs growing to 90cm tall and up to 50cm wide.
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