Healing Properties of Silver Jewellery

Silver is one of the most popular metals for creating beautiful jewellery, but did you also know it is traditionally associated with healing properties? Some of these are folk legends or old wives tales, but silver is also used in certain medicines because of its medicinal qualities.

Healing Properties of Silver Jewellery

According to folklore, silver is thought to be the mirror of the soul and therefore is good for keeping the body healthy. Silver is believed to improve blood circulation and some people wear silver necklaces or silver bracelets to keep blood flowing throughout the body.
Silver is also thought to benefit the lungs and throat; perhaps your favourite silver necklace is keeping you healthy without you even knowing it! Silver also has the ability to kill germs and is sometimes used for its antibacterial properties. Silver is thought to have a gentle, cool and soothing effect and may therefore be able to reduce inflammation, fever and stress. Silver is thought to enhance the properties of other gemstones, so silver jewellery is often used with gemstones to magnify their properties.

Traditional Uses of Silver Jewellery

Silver has traditionally been associated with magical powers, supernatural forces and healing powers. In order to promote healing, bring good luck and ward off evil spirits, people would wear silver jewellery because of its perceived benefits. Whilst these beliefs are no longer held by most people, some still continue to wear silver jewellery because of its associations with magic and healing. Silver jewellery is also thought to enhance psychic abilities, and some say that wearing silver jewellery during sleep is a good way to increase the chances of having a psychic dream, especially if the piece is set with moonstone.

New Age Uses of Silver Jewellery

Silver is an important element for new age and holistic healers. Because of silver's conductive ability, some believe that silver can also conduct the body's energy and channel the positive energy of other elements to benefit the patient. Gemstones such as agate, moonstone, turquoise and jet can be used along with silver to promote healing, and therefore jewellery which combines silver and gemstones is particularly powerful. New Age healers believe silver is especially powerful during a full or new moon, and it can draw out negative energy from the body and replace it with positive.

Medical Uses of Silver

Silver has historically been used in wound dressings, medicinal creams and as an antibiotic coating on medical devices. There is debate over just how effective silver is in this context, but a form of silver called colloidal silver is popular as an "alternative medicine". Some claim that colloidal silver can cure all ailments, and it is often used in homeopathic remedies and dietary supplements. Holistic physicians use colloidal silver to cure many types of viral, bacterial and fungal infections. Although wearing silver jewellery won't directly cure ailments like these, taking certain silver-based medicines or supplements may help to keep you healthy.

Do you believe in the healing properties of silver jewellery, or do you prefer to think of it as just something pretty to wear?

Gillian McDonald, author of this informative stuff writes for Madefromscotland.com. Gillian is enthusiastic about design-led fashionable products and supporting Scottish designers and producers.