Do you suffer from aches and pains following physical activity, cramps, rheumatism, from lower back pain or do your joints hurt because of arthritis or osteoarthritis? A poultice is exactly what you need for effective relief. Based on clay with anti-inflammatory, analgesic and relaxing properties, we associate essential oils for greater efficiency
INDICATIONS FOR CLAY
- osteoarthritis
- aches and pains
- rheumatic pain
- sprains
- boils, panaris and warts
- bruises
- stomach ache
- rheumatism
- sciatica
Apply a clay compress to the forehead in case of:
- fever
- headache
Clay directly on the skin can provide relief for:
- acne
- sunburn
- infected pimples
- scratches
- superficial cuts
INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE
- Put the clay in a glass or clay bowl
- Cover with water and let it soak in
- Stir with a wooden spoon or by hand until you obtain a firm paste – so that the poultice does not run everywhere!
- Using a wooden spatula, scoop out a little clay and place it on the compress.
- A clay poultice should be 2 cm larger than the wound.
- The thickness of the clay poultice should be about 2 cm.
- Apply the poultice to the injured or painful area.
- Let it stand for 20 minutes and up to 4 hours
- Please note that the more the poultice dries out, the less effective it becomes.
- As soon as the clay starts to dry, apply a new moist poultice.
- Remove the poultice with water as soon as the feeling of relief has gone.
- Repeat these applications until a positive result has been achieved.
- Throw away the old poultice, it can only be used once.
PRECAUTIONS WHEN MAKING YOUR CLAY POULTICE
- do not put the clay in contact with iron or metal (avoid using containers and spoons in these materials) in order to preserve all its benefits
- if you have to make a series of poultices, you can prepare the clay in advance, put it in the sun, and rehydrate it before use: the sun charges the clay with a reviving energy
- When you apply the poultice to a hairy area, shave the area of the body you want to treat
- if the wound is open, in order to avoid tightness and promote healing, apply a thin gauze over the wound before applying the clay poultice.
IMPLEMENTATION
POULTICE FOR CUTANEOUS ABSCESS
A skin abscess is defined as a painful lump of pus that has formed on the skin and the surrounding skin area appears pink or red
To treat an abscess, nothing is better than EO spike lavender and tea tree applied topically.
Both essential oils have antiseptic properties.
When preparing the clay, add 1 drop of each essential oil (spike lavender and tea tree) to your preparation.
Caution :
Do not use this recipe for pregnant and breastfeeding women and for children under 7 years old.
If you don’t have any clay, you can also apply a drop of each essential oil (spike lavender and tea tree) on the abscess with a cotton bud. Repeat several times a day until the abscess disappears.
ANTI-PAIN AND RELAXING CLAY POULTICE
In the case of lumbago, rheumatism, joint pain, aches and pains
For this relaxing and pain-relieving poultice, green clay is used for its analgesic, anti-inflammatory and relaxing properties.
To accentuate the analgesic effect, we add 2 essential oils:
- Wintergreen essential oil is ideal for treating all painful inflammations. Indeed, this exceptionally anti-inflammatory essential oil is useful in many cases of feeling of specific pain and in particular in case of a backache, joint pain, aches and pains… Wintergreen essential oil is considered as a natural aspirin.
- Scots pine essential oil is also effective for lumbago and rheumatism thanks to its analgesic action.
- Eucalyptus citriodora essential oil can be used to replace pine oil as it has proven soothing and anti-inflammatory qualities that will help relieve pain in your muscles and joints
How to make your own relaxing clay poultice?
You will need:
- 12 tablespoons of green clay
- 5 drops of Wintergreen essential oil
- 5 drops of Scots pine essential oil (or Eucalyptus citriodora)
- 1 tablespoon of VO to hydrate the skin. You can choose for example arnica VO as it is perfectly suited in cases of arthritis and muscular pain.
In practice
- Pour 12 tablespoons of powdered green clay into a bowl.
- Add your chosen tablespoon of vegetable oil.
- Add 5 drops of wintergreen EO + 5 drops of Scots pine EO (or eucalyptus citriodora).
- Mix together and then add, VERY PROGRESSIVELY, a little bit of water until you obtain the texture of a paste
- Knead until you obtain a smooth paste.
All that remains to do is to apply the poultice to the painful area according to the process explained above
Leave it on for about twenty minutes before rinsing.
You can apply this poultice twice a day until the symptoms improve.