The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Cayenne
Posted by Dale (Raleigh, Nc) on 11/07/2015
★☆☆☆☆
I tried cayenne on a knife cut I got on my pointer finger. The pain of the initial cut wasn't too bad, and washing it out with soap was bearable. There was no pain remaining and the bleeding had stopped a couple hours afterward when I read the post on Cayenne Pepper hoping to heal the cut faster. I sprinkled a little Cayenne in the cut, and on came the burn. It was an extreme pain, even though the cut was at the tip of my pointer finger, the pain burned through to my thumb and middle finger. I left it for about a minute thinking the "mosquito bite" type pain was under-exaggerated. It just got worse. I eventually washed it out with water, but the pain lingered. I applied neosporin, and the pain slowly went down and away in about 10 minutes. Wouldn't recommend this experience.
I tried to think of explanations because I'm the one Nay as of now. At first I thought the Cayenne I used had salt blended in. But that wasn't the case. Then I thought it was from the grains spreading the would open. That wasn't it either because with Neosporin, I can flap it all the way open without pain.
Cayenne
Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee) on 07/31/2015
★★★★★
I was at a friend's house and was cutting some tomatoes with a sharp knife. I accidentally nicked my finger. You know how those types of cuts hurt! I find they sometimes hurt for days while they are healing. I keep a bandaid on them during the healing process because it does help the cut to stay together and not hurt.
I asked my friend for some cayenne pepper. I sprinkled a bit onto the cut. I expected a bit of a brief sting, but there was no pain at all. I covered the cut with a bandaid so I could finish cutting tomatoes (since fresh tomatoes are the very best thing about summer, in my opinion! )
That night I removed the bandaid. The cut looked healed up already. It never gave me any trouble and I never needed a second bandaid.
I think this would work well for paper cuts, too.
I love when a simple plant can remove little irritations in life!
~Mama to Many~
Cayenne
Posted by Zark (Emerald City) on 02/02/2015
★★★★★
+1 for Cayenne (we just call it 'chilli' in oz).
I had tried out some home made black salve on a mole (it works by the way but is so very potent and must be used with great care and in small amounts) and the wound it left was healing a bit too slow for my liking. After reading this page on EC I tried chilli powder - the speed of healing is astounding. Just in one night a very noticeable healing.
There is only a mild stinging from the chilli which is comparable to a mosquito bite. Previously I was just using turmeric as a precaution against staph, but now I use mostly chilli with a little turmeric.
Comfrey
Posted by Marcjnr (Wellington, New Zealand) on 09/13/2011 1 posts
★★★★★
My husband had a knee replacement and his wound had become swollen and red on the second week. The wound looked like it was going to burst because of the swelling and he was becoming ill as it had obviously become infected. One morning, before we decided to seek medical advise, I had some comfrey growing in the backyard, so I thought I'd give that a try. I picked a handful of the leaves and grinded them with water to make a thick paste. I applied this to his wound and covered it with gauze and left it on all day. When I came home in the evening, my husband asked me to remove the gauze as his wound was so itchy, but it felt a lot better.
I removed the gauze and was surprised to see the wound had completely healed up, the swelling had gone down considerably and the comfrey paste had become hard and dry that I had to peel some of it off his leg. After two days of applying this in the morning, his infection was gone. Great plant to have in the garden as it heals the body extremely well. I use it now for every injury, from cuts and bruises and eat a leaf at least 3 times a week to keep my asthma at bay.
Black Pepper
Posted by Doris (Orange County, CA USA) on 01/06/2009
★★★★★
Black Pepper is loaded with vitamin E. It is a great healer for cuts and scars. Hiking and camping friends all take a shaker along. Once at campout, a climber cut along his finger while climbing. Looked like it could ahve taken 2 or 3 stitches. We watched him pull his salt and pepper shakers from plastic baggies in his backpack. He sprinkled just a dash of table salt in center of his palm, put canteen water in his palm and rinsed it over the cut (stung briefly he said). Then he spriinkled ground black pepper right out of the shaker right onto the cut (said it really stings, but only for a moment, then is numb). He wrapped a clean gauze 2inch square and taped it on (all we had was duct tape!). Next morning changed the bandage (no need to reapply pepper). Cut was half healed. Headed home, 3 days later his cut was gone - and no scar, no pain, full use of finger. Changed dressing daily or as needed. He didn't mess with or touch the wound, just re-dressed it and kept it clean. I wet a washcloth, sprinkled some on, and gently rub it over my old childhood leg injury scar. So far, scar looks stronger healthier, skin not so pale, frail, thin anymore.
Honey
Posted by Linda (New Port Richey, FL) on 06/27/2008
★★★★★
Manuka Honey from New Zealand. My son, Brad, had a lymph node removed from behind his heart. There was a tube inserted in his lung so it wouldn't collapse. When the tube was removed the would care team at the childrens hospital was he was being treated for Hodgkins tried everything to close the hole where the tube came out. One day a young doctor which was not part of the wound team told us that Manuka Honey was used at this hospital but because it was termed alternative they discontinued using it. At that time I had to order it from England. It comes in the kind you eat and the medicinal kind. I applied it to Brad's wound and the next day it had closed up by 50%. In a week it was completely. Just any honey will not work. If you investigate Manuka Honey you will find that honey is rated by a IMP factor and Manuka is the highest. Try it, it works. Linda Brads Ma and Champion
Cayenne
Posted by Paul (Brisbane, Australia) on 03/04/2008
★★★★★
I wanted to share the excellent result I got from using "organic" cayenne pepper to stop the bleeding on my foot. Yesterday the 04.03.08 I got a cut on the top middle of my right foot about one inch long and all the way through the layers of my skin. You could see inside my foot! It was very unsettling as I've never had such a deep cut before. I'm a regular reader of Earth Clinic and have been familiar with the uses of cayenne pepper for a long time so my first instinct was to grab it and smear in about 1/3 of a teaspoon into the cut until it completely sealed the cut. Let me say that reading others testimonials is one thing but seeing it personally in action was remarkable. The bleeding stopped instantly and only the slightest pain remained. My family wanted to take me to the hospital to get stitched up but my intuition told me that it would be fine. After about ten minutes there was still no bleeding so I smeared a thin layer of manuka honey(Its rating was UHF 30 ) over the cut and covered it with a large bandaid. The next day I checked the cut and it had rejoined and is healing nicely without any stitches required. I cleaned of the gunk from the previous day and applied a fresh thin layer of manuka honey over the cut and thin layer of organic cold pressed coconut oil to keep it free from infection. Much Love and Gratitude to Earth Clinic and all the people who take the time to share their experiences so that the rest of us can be enlightened on the healing powers of Mother Nature!
Cayenne
Posted by Sue (Montreal, Canada) on 08/10/2007
★★★★★
Hello everyone. This is what I know about cayenne pepper...big zero except that my husband shaves his head and one time he cut himself and like most guys was walking around with a little piece of toilet paper on his head. I remembered reading that cayenne was not only good sor my spaguetti sauce but if you apply it to a cut it stopped the bleeding. He did that and it stopped. Another time he did it again and used the cayenne right away and it worked. I don't think I would try it on a deep cut but I know it works on a cut when shaving. Again, I must say this site is really interesting and well made.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Carrie (Brooklyn, New York) on 08/04/2005
★★★★★
I fell, nearly breaking my leg one summer while cleaning the windows. My leg was so sore that I suffered for many months. I started drinking ACV years later. Not for the leg injury in particular, however I noticed my leg had stopped throbbing from that brutal fall. I began to massage my leg and lo and behold the bruised blood began to move and dissolve. The ACV moves blood that is bruised.
Another mishap on the farm caused me to step on a log nail. I hate tetanus shots, I knew they would make me take one if I went to the hospital. My mother also warned me to watch out for 'lockjaw' which is said to come as a result of stepping on rusty nails. I ran into the kitchen foot dripping with blood. I ingested the ACV along with some regular apple juice. The pain was gone by nightfall. Everyone looked and was amazed at the instant recovery. No limping or soreness as a result of ingesting the ACV. This is truly a miracle substance. I cannot overstate the benefits I have heard about from those individuals who have begun to drink ACV on a regular basis, Someone please Call the Doctors and tell them!
Flour Poultice
Posted by Rob (Kentucky) on 10/04/2024
★★★★★
Flour and Salt: To Stop Bleeding from Wounds. – Bleeding from a wound on or beast may be stopped by a mixture of wheat flour and common salt in equal parts, bound on with cloth. If the bleeding be profuse, use a large quantity-say from 1 to 3 pints. It may be left on for hours, or even days, if necessary. In this manner the life of a horse was saved which was bleeding from a wounded artery. The bleeding ceased in 5 minutes after the application. It was left on for three days, when it worked loose, and was easily removed from the wound, which very soon healed.
From the Book - Dr. Chase's New Receipt Book and Medical Advisor or Information for Everybody page 234, by A.W. Chase M.D. 192
Zinc Wrap
Posted by Barbara B. (Denver, CO USA) on 08/03/2021
★★★★★
I had something similar that wouldn't heal. After a few months of visits to dermatologists to find an answer, I finally went to a sports doctor. She applied a zinc wrap around the affected area, and it healed it quickly and easily. Within two weeks it finally started to make new tissue. And it was painless and not expensive. I think they can be purchased online through amazon, and possibly other sites. The bandage comes with the sink ointment already in it. Hope this helps! Good luck
Cayenne
Posted by Deirdre (Earth Clinic) on 11/07/2015
Dear Dale,
Wow, your post brings back memories! A long time ago I added a post to Earth Clinic warning about using cayenne for deep cuts. I just hunted for my post and found that I had posted it as a WARNING! back in 2009 instead of a NAY.
You are right about the extreme pain lingering from the use of cayenne. Makes me shudder to remember how painful it was for many hours after I washed the cayenne off.
I should have gone for stitches that day instead of sprinkling cayenne all over the deep cut I got from a glass bottle that had fallen out of the fridge and onto my foot. Because it didn't heal properly, anytime I touch the scar on the bottom of my foot, I still get a mild shooting pain.
Cayenne
Posted by Cindy (Illinois, Usa) on 12/08/2015 523 posts
Hi! Just wanted to share a tip regarding the application of substances to the skin.
I had a cut on the bottom of my foot and applied cayenne with "kinesiology tape" and forgot all about it. Two days later IT WAS STILL STUCK! And it wasn't hard to get off, either!
It's called "Kinesiology Tape" and comes in all kinds of different colors - I'd heard of it and then forgot all about it until I noticed it at my GROCERY store! Apparently it's very widely used for whatever they use it for which I don't fully understand, but what drew my attention when I first heard about it was that it stays put, even if you sweat. And it really does!
Plus, using it as I did, the roll I bought will probably last me the rest of my life because you don't have to "wrap" it around and use a bunch of it - you just cut a little piece, put the herbs or whatever you're applying in the middle and leave a clean edge to stick to the skin. Just a small piece is all it takes.
Awesome!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Zark (Emerald City) on 09/02/2014
★★★★★
ACV works very well!
A very dear friend of mine was in the passenger seat during a car accident. Her face was quite badly cut and bruised when the airbag activated.
We recommended ACV and it worked beautifully. All the bruising and swelling cleared nicely. The first morning after the accident she woke with swelling around her mouth (the airbag hit her mouth and cut it quite badly), she applied the ACV and the swelling quickly went down. 3 weeks later and it is healing beautifully and it looks like there won't be any scars.
It stung a bit so we diluted it until tolerable, she found that it would only sting at first and then after a few minutes the sting would cease to be an issue when ACV was reapplied. ACV can dry the skin out a little (nothing major), in which case you just need some moisturiser.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Miracles (Santa Monica, Ca, United States) on 07/11/2013
★☆☆☆☆WARNING!
So I've used Earth Clinic for a few cures since I discovered it and loved it! I even turned on my clients to this wonderful site - as I totally believe in holistic healing & alternative medicine - and would prefer to do something natural than put chemicals into my body!
But something happened this past week that made me think, I must first listen to and follow my intuition! In my excitement to "test out a remedy" from EarthClinic, I ignored my intuition and pain - I have a high tolerance for pain!
One week ago, I was not paying attention to where I was going (another message to pay attention and stay in the moment! ) - and I slipped on asphalt while wearing my barefoot tennis shoes. I scraped both knees and they were bleeding profusely. I cleaned it up with apple cider vinegar (or so I thought! ). And put comfrey and calendula on the wounds. Then I went about my merry day working out and having fun! I wasn't sure whether to keep the wound dry or wet so I kept a bandage on it and then, removed it to let it air out!
A week later --- one of the knees healed beautifully and started scabbing. The other knee, however, got infected and it was hurting even more. I was tempted to not go see a Western medicine doctor - but when I visited a homeopathy pharmacy, both technicians there recommended I go see one as it looked infected. I immediately went to Urgent Care!
The Urgent Care doctor said I must keep my knee wet at all times - covered by a bandage - and clean it with just water and soap three times a week - then, apply the antibiotic ointment he prescribed (stronger than Neosporin which I had been using as well).
In short, all is great and healing - but I just wanted to let everybody know - first and foremost, run every remedy by your intuition - and don't risk your health or anybody else's. Each person must listen to his/her intuition when it comes to his/her body's wisdom.
Thank you so much to Earth Clinic and everybody who writes in with their remedies/cures!
Cayenne
Posted by Rsw (Uniontown , Oh) on 03/26/2013
Hi Rick, Thanks for the feedback on the cayenne pepper. Good to know.
I have seen several people on the LDN Yahoo Group who have done very well after discouraging cancer reports by using low dose naltrexone, IP6, DCA, PawPaw, fasting from Sunday morning until Wednesday morning with vegetable juicing and liquids and then the first thing Wednesday AM take baking soda mixed with a small amount of sugar or Maple syrup to carry the baking soda directly to the cancer cells who have continued to work (while normal cells slow down from the fast) and pick up the baking soda, causing cell death, and reducing chemo distress by taking the treatments on Tuesday while the normal cells are in slow-down mode from the fast and seem to not absorb the chemicals as readily. Best wishes and thank you for your thoughtfulness in posting your experience.
Coconut Oil
Posted by Maasmusik (Eugene, Oregon) on 12/14/2012
★★★★★
I want to share about another wonder of coconut oil. I discovered that applying coconut oil to a cut immediately heals the cut. Absolutely amazing. A few days ago, I had two small, paperlike cuts with one bleeding to where I needed to use a bandaid. I applied coconut oil on the cut and covered up the cut with the bandaid. Two days later, the cut without the application of coconut oil still hurt while the other cut that was bleeding was completely healed. I immediately applied coconut oil on the hurt area and it healed immediately. Then two days ago, I was cooking dinner for 100 and I accidentally cut into my finger, cutting the nail and bleeding. I immediately applied the coconut oil and used a bandaid. This was a rather deep cut. The next day, I could still feel the pain. However, two days later, it completely healed. It's an absolute miracle.
Tomato
Posted by Citygirl27 (Richardson, Tx, Usa) on 06/17/2012
★★★★★
A tomato remedy that I learned at one of my old jobs - This is apparently an every day "cure" in traditional Mexican areas. I cut my finger on a broken coffee pot and one of my Mexican coworkers threw a tomato slice at me and told me to put it on there. It stopped the bleeding right away... I have no idea how but it did and it worked. She said leave it on for 5 minutes. Even the manager was amused.
Cayenne
Posted by Ec6270 (South Florida, Fl, Us) on 07/20/2011
★★★★★
Amazing results, a bad knife cut on my forefinger bled profusely for 45-60 minuted. After reading EC suggestions, I swabbed it with ACV and then put as much cayenne powder on the area as I could. Bleeding stopped immediately, wound stayed closed in subsequent days and healed much faster than expected. Thanks again EC!
Cayenne
Posted by Jake (Chicago, Il) on 12/11/2010
★★★★★
This past summer my soon to be 94 year-old mother fell and sliced a three to four inch gash on the back of her hand just above the knuckles. The bleeding was moderate but there was about an inch distance between the two sides of the cut. Anyone would have said it cannot heal without stitches. But the skin was so fragile, I wondered too how any stitching would be able to hold together. Adding to the complexity of the moment, my mother is on blood thinning medication and I was a bit nervous to take the situation into my own hands.
I nonetheless packed the space with cayenne which in a short time stopped the bleeding. I bandaged her and each time in the days afterward - I cleaned the wound and reapplied cayenne, and I pulled the two sides of the canyon closer together in hopes that the skin would eventually reconnect. The wound oozed for weeks and almost daily my mother protested and was sure she needed to see a real doctor. She didn't see the daily progress that I noticed. When a scab finally seemed to take, I applied iodine to help the healing, and that seemed to speed the process fairly dramatically. Eventually she healed perfectly, no scarring, and I myself was amazed how clean the result turned out. I called it a work of art, and we both laughed.
