Accelerating the Healing of Bruised Ribs
by
So I visited my doctor. She agreed that it was simply bad bruising to the muscles around the right side of my rib cage, caused by the jarring movement in the ribs when I landed across the wall. Unfortunately, the only remedies conventional medicine offers those suffering the pain and discomfort of bruised ribs are rest and painkillers. She estimated a painful, extended healing time of two to three weeks!
I have a busy schedule and was in the throes of renovating my flat, so two to three weeks was time I didn’t have. I started investigating ways I could use simple home remedies to heal my bruised ribs and get back to my normal routine faster. After some home study, I decided to throw the following natural remedy regime at the painful, bruised ribs:
- Raw apple cider vinegar compresses
- Epsom salt and lavender oil baths
- Turmeric
- Blackstrap molasses tea
Apple Cider Vinegar Compresses
Three times a day, I mixed a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with the same amount of water. I dipped a clean muslin rag or paper towel into the apple cider vinegar mixture and held it against my bruised ribs firmly for about 15 minutes. This technique is typically used for headaches, so I thought I’d give it a try on my ribs.
Raw, unpasteurised apple cider vinegar with the ‘mother’ has traditionally been used to heal bruises. As the bright complexion of anyone who takes apple cider vinegar regularly will testify, it stimulates blood circulation. In this case, apple cider vinegar helps the body to remove the clotted blood from beneath the skin, both improving the appearance of the bruising and speeding healing.
Epsom Salt and Lavender Oil Baths
Normally, I shower to conserve water, so a daily bath for a week felt like an absolute luxury. The body absorbs magnesium sulphate through the skin as you soak in an Epsom salts bath, which helps to reduce the inflammation of the bruised ribs. It pays to have Epsom salts in your bathroom cupboard, as they can be bought very cheaply from your local pharmacy or online and are brilliant for soothing all kinds of aches and pains.
I added a cupful of Epsom salts to a warm, not hot, bath, along with a couple of drops of lavender oil to promote relaxation of the muscles.
Turmeric powder
Turmeric
Completely natural and safe, turmeric is one of the most powerful home remedies for the treatment of injuries. Turmeric’s active ingredient, curcumin, is a potent anti-inflammatory and speeds healing.
I took a teaspoon of turmeric with a grind of black pepper (piperine, one of the chemicals in ordinary black pepper, enhances the bioavailability of turmeric significantly) in water three times a day. I’m used to downing it quickly, but if you’re not a fan you can buy the active ingredient, curcumin, in capsule form for convenience.
Blackstrap Molasses Tea
Another traditional home remedy, blackstrap molasses has long been used by arthritis sufferers as an alternative to conventional pain relief, so I thought I’d try it for my aching bruised ribs.
I drank a tablespoon of blackstrap molasses dissolved in water once daily whilst my bruised ribs healed. Blackstrap molasses assuages my sweet tooth and is packed with iron, magnesium and potassium to support the body while it heals.