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Homemade, herbal salves can be used for massage, chest congestion, (You can use an herbal salve in tandem to the regiment used in How to Soothe the Savage Cough) bruises, itching, skin diseases and anywhere else where a store-bought salve would be applied. During massage, herbal salves can be used to relieve conditions like insomnia, depression, and nervousness. I use a salve during treatments of Reflexology, tailoring the herbs to the complaints of those in my family. How to make your own herbal salve. 1. Measure one tablespoon each of the herbs you chose for the condition you want to treat, and steep in a cup of boiled water for a half an hour. 2. Strain. 3. Pour this tea in a pan (do not use aluminum) with one pound of Crisco. (This is not as much as it sounds.) 4. Boil this mixture down to the consistency of a salve. Cool. There's no need to wait to use your salve once it's cool, but the infected area should be cleaned first. What herbs you can use. A wild pansy ointment can be used for cradlecap in babies. Eucalyptus and sage salve brings relief from chest complaints during colds. Wild indigo is good for infected, skin ulcers. A lavender salve massage will help relax muscles, and ease rheumatic pain. To receive help from piles make an ointment out of oak bark. Itching can be relieved by burdock root, yellow dock root, and yarrow. Of course, the list goes on, and that's only one of the joys of making your own herbal salve. Keep your finished product in the refrigerator for longevity purposes. When the time comes to apply, take a little and rub in your hands to warm. And when it works, you can enjoy the sense of accomplishment for the relief you bring to your loved ones.