Bruises and Sprains

by Penny Keay

Oooh, oouch, wow! All that pain, swelling, and beautiful coloring!

We thought we'd cover something that can happen to anyone at any time.

Bumps and bruising, and sometimes even a sprain.

Not that I'm accident prone, but awhile back, I missed a couple steps while descending our stairway. Down I went, not back or butt first, but landed on my hands and knees. I landed hard on my left hand and wrist, in so doing broke the large blood vessel in the "heal" of the palm of my hand where it joins the wrist. It started to swell.

Immediately we put ice on the area. Then a cold pack, we always have them handy. No sprain, or break - as I had full range of movement and no discomfort whatsoever that would have indicated a break or sprain.

We kept the cold pack on for about 20 minutes. Then we applied some Helichrysum . We applied a couple drops to the bruise and gently rubbed it in with finger tips.

Of course during this whole time we kept the hand elevated and very quiet. We followed basic first aid for this type of injury. We immediately put ice on the area to help reduce further bleeding, rested and elevated it. The cold, elevation and resting kept the discomfort to a minimum.

We applied a cold compress a couple hours later and then a few more drops of Helichrysum. By the next morning, most of the discomfort was gone from the hand and there was very little bruising.

Throughout the next day we applied Helichrysum a couple more times. Within just a few days, all you could see was just a small nickel size area of discoloration (you know the green/yellow coloring). We feel that had she not followed this protocol the bruising would have easily extended well over her whole hand and well up her arm beyond her wrist.

If we had not applied the ice, elevated and rested her hand, we are certain the bruising would have been much worse. Adding the Helichrysum also helped to keep bruising to a minimum.

Bruising and Sprains are treated similarly in Aromatherapy. Sprains, can of course be and are much more serious. If pain and swelling continue, please see your doctor.

As you can see, the top essential oil for bruising is Helichrysum. It has the unique ability in its chemical makeup to penetrate tissues and enter the circulatory system to help with swelling and hemorrhages (the trauma to the underlying blood vessels damaged in the bruising or spraining.) Helichrysum also has the ability to help take away acute pain in this type of injury.

Simply apply a couple drops mixed with a couple drops of a carrier oil to the affected area several times a day. You should always dilute this and other essential oils with a small amount of a carrier oil when applied to the skin. This will help reduce the swelling, bruising and discoloration in the affected area. Other oils that can also be applied to bruises include Lavender and Roman Chamomile.

Helichrysum - Helichrysum italicum is also known as "Immortelle" or "Everlasting". The oil comes from the strawlike flowers. It is not an inexpensive oil. But you don't need it very often, unless your accident prone!

So remember, RICE + H = Rest, Ice, Compression (if needed for sprains), Elevation, and of course, Helichrysum!

Other uses for Helichrysum include:

abscess, acne, boils, burns, cuts, eczema, inflammation, muscular aches and pains due to rheumatism, and painful strained muscles. The respiratory system may be helped in cases of asthma, bronchitis, coughs and has been used in Europe to treat Whooping cough. Helichrysum is sometimes used to help fight bacterial infections and some folks use it when they have colds and flu.

Emotional support is given by Helichrysum to help with depression, lethargy and nervous exhaustion.

A blend of Helichrysum and Rosehip seed oil applied to surgery incisions (once the suture materials are removed) can help lighten and heal the scar tissue much more quickly.

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Please do not use my information without my permission.

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