Treating a Cut with Fresh Yarrow

Last night I talked about yarrow in my class on herbs for the skin. It is an excellent herb for wounds and bruising. What did I do first thing this morning but cut my finger pretty badly on the lip of the toaster. Ouch! It hurt like the dickens and bled a lot, too. I put yarrow on it immediately. My daughter brought me in some leaves while I washed out the cut and used pressure to curtail the bleeding. I used a quick spit poultice (chew it up then apply to the wound) and covered with a bandage. Ah! Relief in just a few seconds. The bleeding stopped and the throbbing pain was gone. I do have a bit of pain with direct pressure on the cut but I’m sure it’ll heal fine. Yea to yarrow and my daughter for saving the day!

My course of treatment with this wound will be fresh yarrow mixed with a very good raw honey. I keep bees so I will use my own raw honey but Manuka honey or any local, raw honey would work just as well. Once I know the danger of infection has passed, I will switch to infused oils: St. John’s Wort oil, calendula oil and possibly comfrey oil. I feel that these oils help prevent scarring and nerve damage.

I’ve found a wound like this can also be treated with dried yarrow (it's a bit scratchy), or if you don’t mind the sting, yarrow tincture, though fresh yarrow is my preferred choice. Yarrow is a wonderful ally that has been used since ancient times for battlefield wounds by the Romans and Greeks. It can also be considered a magical plant and has been found as an offering in the graves of Neanderthals.