Why I Use Comfrey Leaf + Benefits for First Aid, Wounds & Joint Pain

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Comfrey Leaf Uses and Benefits
Wellness Mama » Blog » Natural Remedies » Why I Use Comfrey Leaf + Benefits for First Aid, Wounds & Joint Pain

I love herbal remedies for mild ailments that we can take care of at home, and my comfrey leaf salve has been a go-to for years. Comfrey has come under some scrutiny in medical literature, so let me take you through the benefits and risks of this pain-soothing, skin-nourishing herb.

What Is Comfrey Leaf?

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is a perennial herb with a black root. It has hairy broad leaves (that grow fast) and bell-shaped flowers that can vary in color.

Comfrey is native to Europe and parts of Asia but is now found in North America too.

For centuries, comfrey has been used for ailments like broken bones and other wound support. They called it “knit-bone” and “bone-set” for these abilities. In fact, comfrey’s Latin name Symphytum comes from the Greek symphis (“growing together”) and phyton (plant).

In keeping with its name, comfrey ointments have been used for centuries in folk medicine for:

  • pain
  • bone mending
  • inflammation
  • joint health
  • bruising

Comfrey contains many constituents that are thought to help with these uses. Two that are most associated with benefits are allantoin and rosmarinic acid.

Comfrey also contains nutrients such as vitamin C which is known to support collagen production in the skin and overall skin health.

Health Benefits of Comfrey

Here’s why comfrey leaves are a staple in my home, and why it’s been used for thousands of years:

Wound Care

Many cultures historically used comfrey on open wounds. It can be helpful beyond cuts and scrapes even. I’ve used comfrey for bug bites or bee stings, and to soothe a stinging nettle encounter. Science supports some of these uses as well.

A clinical overview published in 2012 shows that science backs traditional uses of comfrey for wound support. According to the overview, research suggests that comfrey can help reduce wound size as well as support collagen formation.

Additionally, “the healing time when using ointment containing comfrey extract was significantly shorter” compared to preparations with no active ingredients.

Helps Muscle and Joint Aches & Pains

As I mentioned, comfrey can help with wound healing in my experience, but its benefits to the body go deeper. Comfrey can help with pain inside of the body — either muscle or joint pain.

The 2012 overview mentioned above also found that comfrey is helpful in supporting healthy muscles and joints. Pain reduction was observed in the group using comfrey topically. In one of the studies, over half of participants suffering from joint pain found complete symptom resolution, while only about 5 percent had no improvement at all.

In another interesting study, researchers discovered that comfrey resolved symptoms more quickly than cryotherapy. Similar outcomes happened in studies focusing on lower back pain and osteoporosis pain. Overall, studies found that comfrey was helpful in supporting the relief of pain.

Supports Blunt Injury Recovery

Comfrey is most famously used as a poultice for broken bones. Allantoin is the constituent thought to be responsible for this benefit. Allantoin can diffuse through the skin and tissues to reach the affected area. Studies also suggest it supports tissue formation.

I once broke my pinky toe (actually, this has happened more than once thanks to late-night stumbling in the hall to get water for kids) and was told that this is not an injury that doctors can really help and that it would have to heal on its own.

I decided to research natural options to help with the pain and stumbled on information about comfrey in the process. After more research, I decided to make a poultice of comfrey leaf and plantain and apply to my broken toe several times a day.

Since I’d had this type of injury before, I knew that it often took several weeks at least to heal and that the pain often lasted this long. With twice-daily comfrey and plantain poultices, I noticed a reduction of pain within a few days and the pain was almost not-noticeable after one week!

By the second week, I was back to wearing whatever shoes I wanted! Now I’m a believer in the benefits of comfrey.

Uses for Comfrey

Comfrey clearly has many benefits and has earned a place in my natural remedy cabinet. Here are some of the best ways to use comfrey:

  • As a poultice for bone breaks and ankle sprains, or muscle and joint pain. (A poultice is a paste made from herbs (and sometimes clays or other ingredients) that is put directly on the skin and covered with cloth.) This is the safest way to use herbs on the skin and is what I used on my broken toe.
  • Ointment or healing salve for topical wound dressing – I use healing salves or liniments for wounds to keep them clean and help them close faster.
  • Lip salve – I add herbs to lip balms and salves for the health benefits. In this case, adding comfrey can help support healthy lips and avoid chapped and cracked skin.
  • Black drawing salve – I learned about this remedy from an Amish farmer who said it worked well from drawing out splinters and even spider venom. It’s a bit complicated to make but is very effective.
  • After birth sitz bath – Recovery from childbirth can be difficult (especially if you struggle with a sick baby or postpartum depression). Add this herbal remedy to a bath or Peri Bottle to soothe soreness.

Some herbalists who still recommend internal use of comfrey (under specific guidelines) will use comfrey tea for digestive issues, respiratory issues, and urinary issues. I would not personally use it internally and recommend further research and checking with your doctor before you do.

Why? Read on…

Is Comfrey Safe?

Used externally, comfrey is generally considered safe for children three or four years old and older as well as most adults.

As I mentioned earlier, comfrey has come under some scrutiny. The reason is that studies have pointed to comfrey having side effects when taken internally. This is based on the fact that comfrey contains a number of pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can cause liver damage and liver disease.

Some herbalists argue that many studies that came to this conclusion isolated the pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) and injected or fed them to animals at higher levels than herbalists would recommend. In the cases where people had negative health effects from ingesting comfrey, the intake of comfrey was also well above the recommended dosages.

Since the jury is out, to be on the safe side:

  • Do not use comfrey on any type of broken or irritated skin.
  • Do not use if pregnant, even for external use.
  • Avoid it if you have liver problems or cancer.
  • Do not use comfrey in combinations with anything else that affects the liver, such as pain relievers, alcohol, and prescription medications
  • Do not use in combination with herbs such as kava, skullcap, valerian, or CBD oil.

That being said, I like to err on the side of caution and avoid internal use of comfrey if possible. One reason is that there is likely another safer herb I can use in place of comfrey in ingestible preparations.

As always, consult a doctor and/or qualified herbalist before using this or any herb!

This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Jennifer Walker, an internal medicine physician. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor or work with a doctor at SteadyMD.

Ever used comfrey to help a broken bone or other use? Share below!

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

160 responses to “Why I Use Comfrey Leaf + Benefits for First Aid, Wounds & Joint Pain”

  1. Stewart Avatar

    My experience with cattle & deer is that they are incredibly keen to get at the plant & will brave electric fencing to graze it. By all accounts Comfrey is very good in producing quality meat.

    I have also eaten a leaf a day folded into a smoothy; I do opt for more mature leaves as opposed to younger more vigorous leaves.

  2. Kay Avatar

    You mention using Comfrey and Plantain poultice for a broken toe. Could you please advise the quantities of each used, how you prepared it and how long you left the poultice on for? I want to use it on a dog that has a cracked sesamoid on his front paw. Currently using Comfrey cream topically that we bought from the Chemist. Many thanks.

  3. Angela Avatar

    Hi what do you suggest for someone who has a broken leg however it has already been placed in plaster?

    Thanks

  4. dianna horne Avatar
    dianna horne

    my roommate stuck her arm through the window and got a horrible cut. she is plump and her meat and fat were coming out of the hole and it looked scary bad.

    she did not want to go to the ER and i just happened to have a huge comfrey plant with leaves as big as my hand.
    so i washed the wound and got her promise she would go to ER if she got fever or anything went wrong.

    i picked several of the huge leaves and washed them and let them soak a few minutes and started wrapping her arm with them. finally i put some paper towels and taped it closed.

    we did this daily for maybe a week? and the swelling went down, the meat and fat went back inside and she ended up with a tiny little inch long scar!

    it was amazing. I’d use it again in a heartbeat.

    1. Brendon Rundell Avatar
      Brendon Rundell

      The only thing more amazing about comfrey is the scare they put into people about it. I’ve been drinking it for about 5 years now. I don’t mean every day. It just takes some of that uncommon ‘common sense’ to use herbs. Sure people have had problems with comfrey but I’ll bet you every time (and they will not disclose all the information) it was because of misuse. Misuse, I mean they took crazy concentrated amounts or they had previous liver problems.
      Just yesterday I was doing some wood working and I accidently with one of my tools crunched the area between my thumb and index finger. I have to say that was the worst pain I’d felt in years. I thought it caused tissue damage but there was no broken skin. Immediately I made some comfrey root paste and applied it to the area. I was expecting pain but there was none. I was expecting bruising and soreness the next day, but there was none. I rationalized that maybe I just hit a nerve and that’s why it was so painful. But I’ve had too many great experiences with comfrey. I can understand why people make comfrey look like such a bad thing. A hundred years ago they were calling marijuana ‘the devils weed.’ I don’t use marijuana but it’s old age dark ages kind of stuff to try and demonize a plant. Comfrey is great. There’s tons of other things out there if you are afraid of it. But give it a try and you won’t regret it.

  5. Peggy Avatar

    I have a bad break of my tibia and fibula in one leg. I bought comfrey liquid extract, dry root/menstrual ratio: 1: 4 but do not know how much or how to apply it to my leg. Please guide? Thank you.

  6. Kerstin Avatar

    I use the leaves and roots of Comfrey for my handmade Comfrey Healing Salve. I think the salve is much more potent with both as the roots contain more allantoin, which is associated with cell regeneration and therefore very effective for a wide range of uses, including facial creams, bruise, muscle pain etc. I also think as long as it is not used on broken skin there is nothing to worry. The salve is very safe and helps a big deal for many different problems.

  7. Julie Avatar

    It is so funny to read people saying bogus testing or bogus information on toxicity. It isn’t bogus. But like everything in life you need to use that information to make good choices and improve your life versus simply ignoring information.
    This one single plant is not a miracle cure for everything that ails and pains. It has benefits and to each person the benefit will be different, just like the risk and danger can be different depending on your body and health.
    Like with other herbal remedies, give it a try, but use common sense based on all the information available and your specific circumstances.
    Of course, like any one’s post, this is just the opinion of one person!
    Here is wishing all of you a bounty of good food and beneficial herbs in hopes of a happy, healthy tomorrow.

    1. Frank Avatar

      I like your comment and I would like to ask a question, which of the comfrey is good for medical use ? I am new in learning to use wild plants for food and medicine. I have a big garden full of many herbs which I have read about and I now want to know how to use them. Hope to read from anyone who can guide me.
      Thanks.

  8. John Avatar

    Hi,

    Just stumbled across this page while researching comfrey safety. We’ve grown it for years and have used it topically to useful effect. I have an issue with receding gums and I’m wondering if it might be safe to use a comfrey leaf decoction (tea) as a mouthwash. I’m already on a regimen of oil pulling, but I’d like to try the comfrey if it is a reasonable risk. I know the toxic alkaloids are more concentrated in the roots. I’d certainly avoid those.

    I know it’s unlikely anyone had hard data on this, but I’d surely like to hear any anecdotal experiences.

    Thanks!

  9. Melissa Fernandes Avatar
    Melissa Fernandes

    I know a leaf that is called pallingapala, I do not know whether the spelling is correct but it is found in Mumbai and it is used for putting on a wound which has puss. The next day all the puss from the wound is collected on the leaf, can you tell me the correct name of the leaf and how it looks like & where will I find it. In the 70’s one could see those trees around now they are not to be seen. Thanks.

  10. Jessica Avatar
    Jessica

    I had cooked the comfrey leaves with other herbs in a chicken soup and eat to energize my body as well as use it for sprains.
    We call this herb “the mighty powerful herbs” that can heal almost all ailments.
    I been eating the cooked comfrey and has given me great energies, but if you have fear of taking anything orally than don’t do it.

    1. glynn Avatar

      I would really like to try the herb.
      cooking with it sounds good especially for me I make soup a lot.
      Does it have a bitter taste?
      And does this herb really help you.

  11. Kimberly Avatar
    Kimberly

    I totally agree with you Mark!! I have a huge bag of Comfrey leaf tea I ordered on line. It is soooo healing. To bad America would rather you be sick than well just for the sake of money!!! Sad…sad…sad….

  12. Mark Avatar

    I don’t think this article is accurate at all!!! Studies prove opposite of liver issues (proven) that it’s an amazing tea with tremendous health benefits!!! Please study it further and don’t believe web md info on this. You can also get it as food.

  13. Lena Gruber Avatar
    Lena Gruber

    I just read an article from a medical journal which noted that Allentoin (present in comfrey) is in trials at this very moment, as an anti-aging agent. So far it seems to be very promising and has significantly increased the life span of mice. Another reason the pharmaceutical companies do not want it in common use as an herb?

  14. Erva Howard Avatar
    Erva Howard

    Hi, I fell and sustained a shafts Fracture of my fibula. The diagnosis was made a week later. I now have a cast on my leg, for the last 3 weeks which is due to be removed in a week. My aunt sent me some comfrey root and leaves powder, which I intend to use on the fibula after the cast is removed. In the meantime, because of the lack of activity and the anti-inflammatory medication i am taking, I experience severe muscle aches and joint pain. Do you know or heard of anyone who has experienced relief from using the comfrey leaves and root powder. Or how do you recommend that I use it to relieve the discomfort?

  15. Balsam Avatar

    high….very interedting…i read that it works also on decayed teeth …i know that teeth grow from inside out and this is why the decayed teeth need always to be filled as there is no cure from out ….can you give a possible explanation for how it works on regenerating teeth?
    best wishes

      1. Nerissa Avatar

        I actually found your website randomly (Googling the benefits of peppermint tea baths), and was wondering about the comfrey leaf as I remembered my father making a comfrey leaf sort of broth for our allotment vegetables when I was younger and it stunk to high heaven!!

        But I digress; I was very interested to read about re-mineralising teeth and am going to try it! Sadly, I have already had fillings from an NHS dentist in the UK and fear that they were unnecessary, which has left me fearing the dentist so if I can avoid more fillings, that would be wonderful!

        Thanks a bunch! 🙂

  16. Davette Avatar

    We used to drink comfrey tea all of the time; you could easily find it in tea bags.
    After some of the research came out, a lot of places stopped selling it. Even to
    get it for external use, there was a lot of issues, mostly I suspect because sellers
    were afraid of getting sued. I wouldn’t be afraid of drinking a cup or two a day. I
    forgot to get some on my last trip to my favorite herb store, else I would be infus-
    ing oil and sipping tea right now. 🙂

    Davette

  17. Jess Avatar

    I remember using dried comfrey leaves, chamomile and a load of rolled oats tied in an old stocking for the bath to help my daughter with itchy chickenpox. It definitely soothed the itching – she was very curious of the ‘odd ball’ with white stuff leaking from it and wasn’t keen to touch it! But it seemed to do the trick.
    I only used a small amount of comfrey, a larger amount of chamomile, a few drops of lavender oil and the bulk was rolled oats. Smelt lovely 🙂

  18. Rudlea Avatar

    Hello, I just want to say that my mom used comfrey when I was young in soups, fresh in salads, sprains, and even cuts. When my children were born they too ate at the table of my mom and we all ate comfrey at least fresh once a week from her comfrey bush. My children were never sick out of school one day of their lives nor was I. The benefits of comfrey are astounding to heal and make strong for the human race. It isn’t bad and if taken in moderation (as everything should be used including prescription medications that are used for such a greedy purpose on human kind) will benefit many. We are created from the earth and that is where we need to start and stand strong!

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