BITES and STINGS: Aloe vera gel, lavender essential oil, fresh sage leaves

BURNS: Serious burns should always be referred to hospital. Do not attempt to remove any clothing which is stuck to a burn. Mild burns and scalds should first be cooled under running water followed with aloe vera juice or gel or cider vinegar followed by honey. Rescue remedy should be given for shock. Later, St John’s wort oil will help reduce any nerve pain, while marigold ointment or oil will encourage healing. Ensure that the burn is kept scrupulously clean.

CUTS and GRAZES: Clean the wound, apply tea tree or calendula (marigold) ointment and cover with a bandage.

HEADACHE: Massage lavender or rosemary essential oils into the temples and drink chamomile, lime blossom or lemon balm tea.

FAINTING: Ginger tea

NOSEBLEED: Soak a cotton bud in distilled witch hazel and gently insert into the nostril.

SHOCK: Bach Rescue Remedy and chamomile tea.

SPLINTERS: If the splinter cannot be removed with sterile tweezers, apply a poultice made with slippery elm powder and hot water to draw it out, then apply calendula ointment.

SPRAINS: Elevate limb and apply icepack; apply arnica tincture or distilled witch hazel followed by a comfrey poultice and compression bandage.

TOOTHACHE: Apply a little clove oil to the offending tooth, and arrange to see a dentist.

VOMITING and NAUSEA: Drink chamomile, fresh ginger or peppermint tea.

Contact: [email protected] Please complete the 'Subject' heading or your email will be assumed to be spam and automatically deleted. Before you contact me, I'd be grateful if you would please check to see if this website has the answer to your question (search box at the top of the homepage) - I have time to answer only a few of the many emails that arrive in my inbox every day. See also the statement below:

For your safety I am prohibited from giving specific medical advice to individuals over the internet or telephone so please do not waste your time or mine by emailing or calling me with detailed information about your health problems - I can only undertake face-to-face consultations for what should be obvious reasons. Diagnoses cannot be made remotely, and I am unable to offer any advice or treatment until I am completely satisfied that I know what I'm dealing with!  The herb profiles and treatment suggestions on this website will help enable you to choose which herbs might be appropriate for minor ailments. For more serious or chronic conditions you should seek professional advice. This is particularly important if you are taking medication from your doctor or pharmacist, as some herbs can interact adversely with other drugs. If you would like to have a consultation with a medical herbalist then you should click here  then scroll to 'Professional Organisations' at the bottom of the page to find a qualified practitioner in your area.

Christine Haughton, MA MNIMH MCPP FRSPH

Wold Farm, West Heslerton, Malton, North Yorkshire YO17 8RY, UK

Last updated 27th November 2014     ©Purple Sage Botanicals