        |
First Aid and Home Remedies for People and Pets
Here's a list of First Aid and Home Remedy essentials:
Arnica - both cream and homeopathic
Aloe Vera - preferably the fresh plant, if that's not possible, in gel form in a tube
Comfrey - fresh plant if possible and/or as a cream
Lavender oil or Tea Tree Oil
Manuka Honey
Ferrum Phos tissue salts
Rescue Remedy or Emergency Essence
HyperCal - a great anti-bacterial, anti-septic herbal mix.
Ice pack
Tweezers
Bandages
Sterile wound dressings
Swabs and Pads
Adhesive tape
Saline solution to rinse eyes as well as wounds.
Scissors
Disposable gloves
Disposable protective face mask
Your doctors phone number and emergency number
Your local hospitals phone number
I've kept this info simple and have suggested easily sourced remedies that are available in health food stores. I discuss each of these in detail if you scroll down below the quick reference chart.
For quick reference, here's how you use them:
Injury |
Solution |
Action |
Insect bites and stings |
Lavender |
Dab lavender or tea tree oil onto sting. For a bee sting, remove the barb quickly by scraping it sideways with a fingernail or the side of a sharp object. Don't pull or squeeze the barb as this can cause more venom to be injected into the skin. Symptoms including swelling and redness or breathing difficulty may indicate an allergic reaction, so medical attention should be sought |
Bruises and sprain |
Arnica |
Arnica cream can be smoothed gently over the injury as long as the skin is unbroken. A dose of homeopathic arnica or ferrum phos would also be useful. Resting, elevating and initially applying a cold compress to the injury may help the symptoms. Always seek medical advice if there’s severe bruising or swelling as this could mean internal bleeding or a broken bone. |
Superficial cuts, grazes and other minor wounds |
Aloe Vera
|
Any of these 3 remedies are good. If you are using fresh aloe vera, please see the note below. Clean the wound thoroughly and cover it with a non-fluffy, non-stick dressing to help prevent infection. If the wound is larger than 2.5cm, deep, won’t stop bleeding or contains debris that can’t be removed, seek medical help. |
Sore throat, cough |
Manuka Honey
|
Manuka honey is probably the easiest to administer. If you have Ferrum Phos, I'd recommend you use it in addition to the honey for it's anti-inflammatory properties. HyperCal diluted as directed is another very effective remedy. Lots of cool fluids, rest are important too. |
Minor scalds and burns (including sunburn) |
Aloe vera
|
If you have fresh aloe vera, this is a fantastic soother and healer. See the note below for use. The gel in a tube is good too. Cool the burn by running under cold water or applying cold compresses, but don't apply ice directly to the skin. Seek medical help if it blisters and is bigger than your palm, or becomes more painful or infected. |
ARNICA
Arnica is a must for any shock, bruising or trauma.
I'd recommend you keep it in 2 forms, the cream which is for application to unbroken skin and the homeopathic to be taken by mouth. I've made some notes further down about giving children and animals homeopathic medicine. Arnica has numerous common names. Many reflect the plant’s ability to heal. “Wound herb”, “fall herb”, and “well-bestow” are some of the most common nicknames. In the mountains of Germany, it is best known as “Stoh up ungoh hen” or stand up and go home.
ALOE VERA
The leaf gel of the aloe plant has important medicinal uses, making aloe one of the most respected medicinal plants found in many gels, creams and lotions. Don't confuse aloe gel with aloe juice which acts as a strong laxative. It has antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral compounds that help prevent wound infections. It also has immune-stimulating and anti-inflammatory compounds, and it stimulates collagen synthesis and skin regeneration so it's great for acne and sensitive skin. Aloe gel contains vitamins C and E, plus the mineral zinc. Aloe vera gel is soothing, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial - helps heal wounds of all kinds.
If you have fresh aloe vera, run a sharp knife along the leaf holding the blade flat to the leaf, so you expose the gel. Scoop out the gel with a spoon. The yellow sap that collects along the edges is bitter and can stain, so avoid it.
COMFREY
Its name means to heal. It's easy to grow and conveniently available in cream form. Comfrey has been used for centuries for its bone mending qualities, hence it's common name 'knitbone'. It's also known for its healing effects on ulcers, and for its general soothing effect on the mucous membranes, making it invaluable in soothing sore throats and coughs. Comfrey salves, ointments and teas are best know for the topical treatment of burns, skin ulcerations, abrasions, lacerations, flea and insect bites, and just about any skin irritation. Well known and widely used by early herbalists, science now confirms the healing effects of comfrey are attributable to allantoin, a compound shown to speed cell production both inside and outside the body. Comfrey works so fast that many herbalists will add antibacterial herbs such as goldenseal or thyme to comfrey salves to prevent sealing bacteria inside a fast healing wound.
LAVENDER OIL
Lavender is one of the most most versatile of the essential oils. This oil is quite literally a medicine chest in a bottle and has well known antibacterial and soothing properties. It's useful in almost any blend intended for daily skin care, and strong enough for healing burns, scalds and disinfecting cuts and insect bites.
In general lavender is used to relax muscle spasms anywhere in the body, and to relax the body in the presence of pain. It can induce sleep, so is useful for insomniacs. Lavender oil can also be used in facial skin care to sooth and clear the redness often associated with acne prone skin, and act to prevent acne breakouts. Please note: Lavender oil is a powerful medicine and if you are applying it undiluted directly to the skin, it should only be used once or twice in this way. Epileptics and pregnant women are advised to avoid using it and to choose another remedy.
TEA TREE OIL
Another oil renowned for its anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and anti-microbial properties. Some folks find the smell rather strong, so if this is the case, I'd suggest you use lavender oil. I've also seen Tea Tree Oil used to remove ticks. Please note: Tea tree oil is a powerful medicine and if you are applying it undiluted directly to the skin, it should only be used once or twice in this way. Epileptics and pregnant women are advised to avoid using it and to choose another remedy.
MANUKA HONEY
Another home remedy that has proven anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. It's useful for internal use because it's pleasant to take. In warm milk it can make a soothing bedtime drink.
FERRUM PHOS TISSUE SALT
You'll find this in the Dr Scheussler range of products in any health food store. It's great for any first aid situation to treat shock. The other use is for any sort of inflammation, for example a sprain or strain and for things like an inflamed, sore throat. Tissue salts are made homeopathically, so follow the suggestions further down the page.
RESCUE REMEDY or EMERGENCY ESSENCE
Both of these remedies are flower essences. Rescue Remedy is English and made originally by Dr Edward Bach. Emergency Essence is Australian and made by Ian White. Both treat shock of any kind, emotional and/or physical. You can drop these straight under the tongue, put them in water and drink them, put them in water and syringe them into a baby or pet's mouth or you can simply dab them on the skin or fur. Whatever is safest for you and most soothing for the one who's traumatised.
HYPERCAL
HyperCal is a mixture of the herbs Hypericum and Calendula. It can be used as well as a healing lotion by applying daily till the wound is healed. Dilute 10 drops in 1oz (30ml) of water. Any good herbalist will make this up for you. As well as providing antibiotic and antibacterial protection, it promotes wound healing. Be sure to dilute it if applying to broken skin otherwise it will sting.
ADMINISTERING HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE
Your homeopathics should be kept in a cool, dark place. Avoid touching them. They should be tapped out into the cap of the container, then tossed into your mouth, where you allow them to dissolve. In the case of tissue salts, you might like to chew them a bit to help them dissolve. The medicine is absorbed by the mucosa of the mouth and taken through the meridians to where it's needed, which means that homeopathics act very quickly.
If you're treating a child or animal, it's easier to put the medicine in a syringe, draw up 2 or 3 mls pure water, tap the syringe about 20 times, then squirt the dose into the mouth of the child or animal. If this is impossible, squirt it onto the hair, skin or fur.
You can buy oral dosage arnica and ferrum phos in spray bottles, which is convenient, but more expensive.
The other thing I'd recommend is that you do a First Aid Course run by an accredited organisation like St John First Aid. This link is to the Queensland office. They have courses for parents with young children as well as a range of other life saving courses.