mustard plaster
{{Short description|Medicinal poultice}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Alternative medicine sidebar}}A mustard plaster, also known as a blister, is a poultice of mustard seed powder spread inside a protective dressing and applied to the body to stimulate healing. It can be used to warm muscle tissues and for chronic aches and pains.{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fE3YnfgAE_0C&q=%22mustard+plaster%22&pg=PA102 | title=Modern Hydrotherapy for the Massage Therapist | publisher=Lippincott Williams & Wilkins | author=Sinclair, Marybetts | year=2007 | pages=101| isbn=9780781792097 }} It was once part of conventional medical treatment,{{cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ghpFAQAAMAAJ&q=sinapisms&pg=PA710 |title=Reports of Societies: Western Medical and Surgical Society |journal=British Medical Journal |last=Hewett |first=Prescott G. |date=1863-11-14 |page=534 |quote=With stimuli and sinapisms, he soon recovered.}} and available in prepared versions in pharmacies. It fell from favor in the 20th century and is now used only as a home remedy.{{cite journal|last1=Scheindlin|first1=S|title=Transdermal drug delivery: PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE.|journal=Molecular Interventions|date=December 2004|volume=4|issue=6|pages=308–12|pmid=15616157|doi=10.1124/mi.4.6.1}}
Uses
Mustard plasters were used for aches and pains, including rheumatism, arthritis, and sore muscles.{{Cite book|title = Top 100 Food Plants|url = https://archive.org/details/topfoodplantswor00smal|url-access = limited|last = Small|first = Ernest|publisher = NRC Research Press|year = 2009|isbn = 9780660198583|location = |pages = [https://archive.org/details/topfoodplantswor00smal/page/n366 347]}} It was also used for chest congestion.
Side effects
If left in place for too long, it can produce first-degree burns to the skin.
Vapors might cause nausea.
See also
- Mustard bath
- Fanny Crosby, possibly blinded as an infant by mustard plasters
References
{{reflist}}
Further reading
- {{cite web
| title = Black mustard
| work = PDRHealth
| publisher = Thomson Healthcare
| url = http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/herbaldrugs/100280.shtml
| accessdate = 2007-07-16
|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070710034250/http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/herbaldrugs/100280.shtml |archivedate = 2007-07-10}}
- {{cite web
| publisher = Metropolitan News-Enterprise
| date = 2005-02-17
| title = Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Mustard Plasters
| author = Roger M. Grace
| accessdate = 2007-07-16
| url = http://www.metnews.com/articles/2005/reminiscing021705.htm
}}
{{Authority control}}