Go Back
A woman spreading comfrey poultice onto gauze sheets.

Comfrey Poultice

Melissa Norris
Learn how to make this easy DIY comfrey poultice to use on sprains and sore muscles. Just a few simple ingredients is all you need.
4.62 from 13 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Freezing Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Herbal Medicine, Herbal Remedy
Cuisine American

Equipment

  • Gauze If you don't have gauze, you can double up cheesecloth or muslin. 100% cotton fabric also works in the form of a sock, tea towel, or even old sheets.
  • Blender If you don’t have a high-powered blender, you can use a mortar and pestle, a food processor, or simply a sharp knife.
  • Bandage or Wrap Optional to secure the poultice.
  • Measuring Utensils Scale and measuring cup.

Ingredients
  

  • 45 grams Comfrey Leaves (1.55 ounces/45 grams fresh leaves OR .51 ounces/15 grams dried comfrey)
  • 1 cup Water
  • ¼ cup Binder If you have bentonite clay, that works well as a binder. You can also use arrowroot powder, cornstarch or regular old flour (which is what I'm using in the video).

Instructions
 

How to Make a Comfrey Poultice

  • Take the comfrey flowers, leaves and stems and place them into a high-powered blender. 
  • Add water and add the lid. 
  • Blend until you're left with a rough puree.
  • Add binder (I used flour) and blend again. Check consistency and add more binder, as needed, until you reach a paste consistency (similar to a muffin or cake batter consistency).

Making a Comfrey Poultice Pack

  • Separate a large piece of gauze into two pieces. 
  • On the gauze with the wider weave, spoon on the comfrey poultice. How much you use and how wide you spread it out will be determined based on the injury.
  • Cover the poultice with the tight-weaved gauze. This is simply to keep the poultice from running off the gauze.
  • You can freeze the poultice to create a healing ice pack. Put it in an airtight container, and store in the freezer for up to 12 months.

Notes

Tips:
  • Grow Your Own Comfrey - Comfrey is one of the easiest medicinal herbs to grow. Once established, it returns year after year and produces abundant leaves throughout the growing season.
  • Harvest Before Flowering - Leaves harvested before flowering are often considered ideal for medicinal preparations because they are tender and vigorous. To make sure you are getting the most from your medicinal herbs, read how to harvest herbs for medicinal purposes.
  • Freeze for Future Use - Fresh comfrey leaves can be frozen and thawed later for making poultices when needed.
  • Keep Dried Leaves on Hand - Dried comfrey stores well and allows you to make a comfrey poultice year-round, even when fresh plants aren't available. Before drying comfrey, check out the best methods for drying herbs. 
  • Test Sensitive Skin - If you have sensitive skin, test a small area first before applying the poultice more broadly.
How to Use a Comfrey Poultice:
Once prepared, place the comfrey poultice over the affected area and leave it in place for approximately 20 to 60 minutes.
Traditionally, a comfrey poultice has been used for:
  • Bruises
  • Sprains
  • Strains
  • Sore muscles
  • Minor swelling
  • Achy joints
  • Minor skin irritations
Many herbalists apply the poultice once or twice daily as needed.
Important Safety Note: Comfrey is generally recommended for external use only. Do not apply a comfrey poultice to deep wounds, puncture wounds, infected skin, or broken skin without guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. Because comfrey may encourage the skin's surface to heal quickly, it is best reserved for appropriate external applications.
Keyword Comfrey Poultice
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
QR Code linking back to recipe