Outdoor first aid must-haves, promising pain relief

PRIME – June 2013 By Jonathan Evans Herbal Information Specialist, The Herbarium Happy summer – almost. The season hasn't officially begun and I have already been bombarded by people asking for natural remedies and treatments for poison ivy. That stuff is everywhere, and it appears it is getting more potent. Poison ivy and other injuries I have a few suggestions for you weekend horticulturists, hikers and campers. First, carry a small herbal first aid kit with you when outdoors. My wife Kathy and I always have a small container of green clay with us. This works on poison ivy by drying up the blisters, and it can help remove bee stingers as well as treat insect bites. To use, make a thin paste of the clay and apply to the affected area. It is very soothing and will relieve the itch for hours. I have found green clay to work better than Calamine lotion, which always seems to dry the area so much it causes more itch and irritation. A homeopathic remedy called Rhus tox is also very useful for poison ivy sufferers. These are tiny pellets that dissolve under the tongue and are absorbed through tiny blood vessels. Full disclosure – don't freak out, but Rhus tox is actually poison ivy, in a very dilute form. Be certain to have a herbal bandage in your first aid kit. This is a combination of herbs that helps stop bleeding, fights infection and forms a protective cover over the wound. It is best used on gashes and punctures, not scrapes. Magic Salve is another treatment for any skin problem from rashes to cuts, it helps heal like magic. Kathy created this salve years ago and it has been a staple in our medicine cabinet ever since. Lastly, always carry our BugZaway insect repellant. Another Kathy creation, it helps repel any biting, sucking insect from mosquitoes and black flies, to fleas and ticks. It has been used everywhere from the Maine woods to Malaysia with great success. New treatment for pain I have to share this story with you all. Last month I witnessed a miracle . literally. I was introduced to a device that combines cold laser light and microcurrent electrical stimulation to treat muscle and joint pain. I watched a demonstration and saw several people say it worked, so I tried it and it did relieve my pain for several hours. I was familiar with both technologies and have seen mixed results with both, but the combination really intrigued me. After some research I ended up buying a unit and used it on my staff and family with good results. Then Billy, a long-time customer, came into the store. I knew Billy had suffered chronic, debilitating pain for years. Morphine patches did nothing for this guy. I asked him if he would like to test out the new device on his chronic pain. He agreed, and I used this hand-held device on his back. After four minutes he said, "The pain is going away." I gave him another two minutes, and he said, "Jonathan, the pain is gone!" I said ''No kidding!" (or words to that effect). He got off my Reiki table as easy as can be and was smiling, because he couldn't believe it, either. I asked him to keep track of how long he felt relief and to get back to me. About an hour later his wife called, demanding to know what I had done to Billy. She told me he was downstairs playing his guitar, which he had not done in years. The next morning he called and said the pain relief was still going and he wanted to buy one of the machines. Billy went nearly 24 hours without pain in his back. His wife called me crying, saying she had not seen him this pain-free and moving so easily in 15 years. I am excited by the results thus far, and am gathering more anecdotal evidence of the results from the therapy. It is reported the combination laser and microcurrent helps to excite the cells, allowing them to produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy currency of every cell in the body. Between ATP and supplements, maybe this new approach to treatment will result in repair and relief. Lets hope the "miracles" continue for those with chronic pain. – Jonathan Please send your questions on botanical remedies to Natures Rx: Jonathan Evans via email at info@theherbarium.com, or by regular mail to: The Herbarium, 264 Exchange St., Chicopee, Mass. 01013. If requesting additional information from Evans, please include a self-addressed stamped envelope.