Welcome to Marmee's Pantry

Welcome to Marmee's Pantry

Friday, October 5, 2012

Mustard Poultice for Chest Congestion

 I am 53 years old (at the time of this post) & was blessed to have my maternal grandma ~ Bigmom ~ live with us for most of my childhood. Bigmom & Poppie raised 14 children before, during and after the Great Depression on a farm in the hills of Kentucky. Because they lived so far out from any city, like everyone else in rural areas back then they had to rely upon home remedies.

And now, many of us are going back to the old home remedies that worked so well for so long & were replaced with Rx. 

Here's another old remedy, this one is for chest congestion ~ Mustard Poultice. Ask you parents or grandparents, I'll be they've used it at least once in their life-times; probably during childhood.

I'll give you two different recipes ~ one for children & one for adults. **PLEASE NOTE** that this recipe will get "hot". It won't burn, but it may become a little uncomfortable. This is VERY effective but USE AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.
 Google Photo
~Children's Recipe~

You will need:

~1 ts baking soda
~1 ts dried mustard powder
~1 ts flour
~water
~soft old t-shirt, cut-up sheet, flannel shirt, or bandana

Directions:

Use enough water to make a paste, smooth it onto the old t-shirt/sheet & place on the child's chest. Leave on for 10-15 minutes, unless it gets uncomfortable. Repeat as needed throughout the day & night. 
Google Photo
 ~Adult Recipe~

You will need:

~1 TB baking soda
~1 TB dried mustard powder
~1 TB flour
~water
~soft old t-shirt, cut-up sheet, flannel shirt, or bandana

Directions:

Same as above, although many adults can wear the poultice all day with occasional replacement of ingredients.

Let me know if you try this. It's amazing.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

**Please note disclaimer at bottom of page** 

25 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing this, I'm trying to comprise a list of old fashioned remedies for us to use. Although mustard poultices makes me think of Grandma Walton :0)

    I could see trying this with myself and my son because out of the family were are the two that when we get a cold it goes to our chest and lingers there. Thanks again.

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  2. Wow, I remember these. Also, the Vick's chest rub was a big one. Thanks for sharing your recipes. We should know the old time remedys since we may have to use them sometime.
    Blessings!

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  3. I had a severe burn from a mustard poultice made from a similar recipe. The instructions had been to leave it on until it dried, but I left it on only 45 min. It became very uncomfortable and I removed it. My skin was red, but the degree of burn did not become apparent for several days. It was painful and blistered. It then scabbed over and so forth. The mustard had produced a chemical burn. I was as surprised as you may be upon reading this. I suggest that you not use any mustard poultice unless you really know what you are doing and I urge that you not use them on children.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for your comment & warning. That's why I say to only leave it on 10-15 minutes UNLESS it gets uncomfortable. Your situation is exactly why I said that. I hope you told your story to whomever gave you your directions.

      Blessings from Ohio . . .

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    2. I also had been taught that mustard plasters should only be on for no longer than 20 minutes or else you could end up getting burned. I couldn't figure out how this could be logical, but your experience proves my 'teacher' as correct (a chemical burn never crossed my mind ...I was only thinking of a temperature burn).

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    3. to the person who got burned. How did this resolve for you. I am almost to week 4 after my burn and it is still red , itchy and very rough feeling.
      Judy

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  4. I am posting a modified comment from an "Anonymous" reader. While I appreciate ALL of my readers, there was a portion of her comment that goes against my Christian beliefs that I will not share. I hope all of my readers will respect my decision. Here is the rest of her comment . . .

    "Hiya - rather than using cloth and applying directly to the skin, my GrandMother and Mother used Bread..they would put the mustard mixture inbetween two pieces of dampened bread..and then they would warm it a tad in the oven..then apply..you still get all the benefits without the burn. They would also put two large basil leaves in the poultice as well as just on the openings of the nose, it seems to clear the path for breathing - Thank you for sharing this!! Bright Blessings"

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  5. Well I am very new to your blog but have fell in love with all your world of information and blessings! I was feeling so poorly this week and am new to EO use for medicinal purposes. I have had a croupy cough and sore throat and ear ache from drainage with only some relief. So I searched the internet for mustard poultices since I heard that mustard was good for the coughing and congestion. Well :) I tried the remedy (children's version since I am somewhat sensitive)AND IT REALLY WORKED! I applied the ingredients to a 5X5 cotton batting piece (from rag quilting) to my chest for 10 minutes then since it was really red afterwards I took a clean 5X5 and applied some lavender and frankincense EO with a little apricot oil. This has seemed to help me all day and there was no redness left. I thank you for your wonderful stories and help! May the Good Lord continue to bless you and keep you and make His glorious face shine upon you!

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    1. Oh, I'm so excited that you liked it & that it worked for you. You will enjoy making your own products, be they health care, home care, skin care, fragrance...

      I'm so glad that you found Marmee's Pantry & that it has blessed you. You have blessed me with your kind words. Hurry back!

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  6. A nurse from years ago used mustard mixed with camphorated oil for children and put it directly on the child's chest. The mixture had a tendancy to run so one needed to keep scraping the mustard and oil back on to the chest. There was no burn. I think I kept the mixture on for 20 to 30 minutes.

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    Replies
    1. That's very good to know. Thank you, for the insight & the variation tip.

      Blessings . . .

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  7. So I need a little clarification. I made the mustard paste, put it onto a cloth and then wasn't sure if I put the mustard part face down onto my chest with the fabric part up OR if I fold it over to make an enclosed packet that I put onto my chest (no mustard touching). It felt kind of cold, so wasn't sure if I was supposed to heat it up or anything. Please advise or revise my understanding. Thanks.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, for your question. Yes, you are to put the mustard ON your skin. DO NOT heat up because it will generated enough heat on it's own. As I mentioned in the post above, be VERY careful how long you leave it on your skin. It may take some "practice" ~ if you feel the mustard getting hot, gently take it off. NEVER leave it on any longer than 15-20 minutes. It's VERY effective, but you need to use caution.

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  8. i burned my chest using the mustard polutice and its still red and itches and rashy 3 weeks later. ive been using fresh aloe and neosporin. it just stays the same, red and rashy. what should i do

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    Replies
    1. Dear Anonymous ~ I'm not sure if you are the same "Anonymous" who commented above about having had a previous issue from using the mustard poultice, if you are, you are obviously allergic to something in the poultice and should stop trying to use it.

      If not . . . I'm sorry you had a bad experience with it, it is very strong. How long did you have it on? I did note in the post that it is "hot" and should only be used for a short time and at your own discretion. My recommendation would be to apply a thin layer of colloidal silver first aid gel. It is cooling and a highly effective healer. It is also homeopathic and will not interfere with any Rx you may be taking. It should really help for this and other topical needs.

      Blessings . . .

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  9. its been almost 4 weeks and the skin on my chest is still red and rough although the scabs and blisters are gone. I am not the same poster as earlier. I am now putting coconut oil on it. How can i prevent scarring. Doctors want to give me steroids. I dont want to take steroids. I have silver biotics which is silver particles and deionoinized water. Would that be ok to put on until i get the ointent. Thank you so much. It was clearing up but i went out into the sun with a white cotton top and it seems the sun went through the top and made it worse again.
    ANy ideas of what else to do. Thank you Judy

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    Replies
    1. Mustard contains sulfa.
      if you have a Sulfa allergy or your allergic to penicillin you shouldn't use the poultice.

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    2. Thank you. That explains my reaction.

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  10. I would go with the colloidal silver in the GEL form. I think you are on the right track to use that, I would. Again, I'm not sure how you applied it. Did you take my recommendation to take it off immediately if it starts to get too hot, or did you try to leave it on? I feel so badly that it happened in the 1st place, but especially bad that it was aggravated again. Blessings to you, Judy. I will be praying for you.

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  11. Thanks for the mixture for a mustard plaster. My Dad would use these in the Michigan winter about 50 years ago to relieve back pain and just about everything else. I had forgotten about this home remedy. I made up a small amount of this and put it on a small patch of cloth and put it on a gangling cyst (small liquid bubble under the skin) on the top of my foot and it either boiled the liquid out or dissolved it. I now have one on a sprained toe and it is relieving the pressure.

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  12. This is very interesting. I have never heard of mustard poultice or poultice itself, to that effect. Maybe this is where they get the idea of a vapor rub for chest congestion? Thank you for sharing this.

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  13. Have you ever done it with venegar and mustard? I am allergic to white flour i have gluten free flour? Is there a specific type of flour that must be used?

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    1. Hi Alicia ~ That's a very good question. If i were going to use a different type of flour, I would probably try either spelt or coconut; especially with a gluten allergy. Please note that you may have to use a little more thank a TB. Play with it and see, then let us know. :-) Blessings from Ohio . . .

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  14. I use Vicks as a rub almost daily. I am curious if do you think i could add the mustard for more of an effect. This is for myself only. At this moment it feels like an elephant on my chest. This began two weeks ago. I Went to doctor for chest xray it was clear. I am uninsured and not interested in pharmaceuticals when I can avoid them. If i did this do i omit the baking soda..

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  15. Thoughts on using thugs for an 8 mo old with bronchitis? Mostly wondering about duration. Dont want to burn his skin

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