It’s surprising how many preppers don’t know that the plantain plant provides natural pain relief. This is probably because many people wrongly assume it’s a weed.
Most people run these plants over with a lawn mower, or remove them from their lawns without a second thought. Little do they know this plant can make an excellent, natural pain reliever.
The plantain plant has been growing all across the United States for centuries. And people have been using its natural pain-relieving properties even before the colonization of this great nation began.
How To Identify The Most Common Species Of Plantain
There are more than 200 different species of plantain plants. However, for simplicity’s sake it’s important to focus on the two that are most common to the U.S.
These are the Broad Leaf plantain (top picture) and the Narrow Leaf plantain (bottom picture).
As you can see from the images below, the Broad Leaf plantain has wide, broad leaves with 3-5 veins. The flowering part of the plant is long and narrow.
Meanwhile, the Narrow Leaf plantain features long, narrow leaves. The flowering part of this plant is shorter than that of the Broad Leaf plantain.
Every single part of these two plants can be effective for medicinal uses. This includes the seeds, flowers, roots and leaves. They’re also safe to ingest and to use as a topical treatment.
Now that you know how to identify this plant, let’s go into its various survival uses for treating pain…
5 Ways This Plant Provides Natural Pain Relief
Soothe Bug Bites
Bites from snakes, spiders, ticks, and other creatures can not only be painful – they can also be poisonous. Luckily the plantain plant has anti-toxin and anti-venom properties that can help remove these impurities.
Treat Burns
Most people typically add some cream or aloe to a burn. However, if you don’t have either of these plantain plants can work as a substitute to soothe the burn.
Ease Pneumonia Symptoms
Plantain plants provide an herbal remedy for helping treat pneumonia. They also help treat other respiratory problems, such as allergies, asthma, and lung infections.
Acts As An Anti-Inflammatory
Plantain plants work to reduce the amount of swelling that comes from stings and bites. This can be particularly helpful to those who get allergic reactions to bee stings.
Disinfects Wounds
The miraculous plantain plant also works as a natural antibiotic. This makes it very useful for disinfecting wounds. Just make sure to disinfect the wound before wrapping it in order to prevent further infection.
2 Ways To Use Plantain Plants For Healing
Two of the most common ways to use plantain plants for healing are…
Making A Plantain Poultice
A poultice is basically a layer of wet plants that’s laid onto an affected part of the body and then covered with a cloth. This is essential for exterior wounds such as bug bites and burns.
There are various ways to prepare this plant for a poultice. For instance, if you’re home and are lucky enough to have a blender, you can blend up the plantain plant with a touch of water and then apply the wet plants to the skin.
However, when SHTF you may need to get more creative. For one, you can crush the leaves between your hands by rubbing them back and forth. You can also grind the plant between two rocks. OR in an emergency situation you can always put the plant in your mouth, chew it up, and then spit it out onto the skin. Sure, it’s a bit gross… but when a crisis hits it’s really not going to matter.
Apply the wet plants to the skin and wrap a cloth around it to secure it in place. If you don’t have a cloth, you can use a clean t-shirt.
Here’s a short video showing you how to make a plantain poultice.
Making Plantain Tea
You can also brew plantain tea, which provides many medicinal benefits. Simply fill a container with water and allow it to boil for a few minutes. Doing this will help ensure it’s safe to drink.
Then take the container off the heat and drop a bunch of plantain leaves into the water. Wait a few minutes to let the plants steep. Then strain out the leaves. Once the tea cools, it’s time to drink.
If you want to be thrifty, you can also use the spent tea leaves as a poultice after straining them.
