DECOMPRESS WITH HOT AND COLD COMPRESSES

Compresses are great for a great many conditions and the ingredients to use for them will vary accordingly.

Both hot and cold compresses can be used, but for different purposes.

Rules of thumb


- Using hot or cold compresses depends both on the condition and the person’s dosha.
- Never apply a hot compress on the head.

- Never give cold compresses to babies, seniors, ill people, including individuals with cardio-vascular problems.
- Apply sesame oil before and after the compress.
- If organ is overactive, use cold compress; under active requires hot compress.
- Compresses should be as hot as the person can handle..
- For hot compresses, move quickly as you wring the towel, spread it and cover it to make sure it stays hot.
- Don’t use essential oils for eye compresses.
- Intuition is great, but validate with logical assessment as per Ayurvedic perspective below when you have friends and clients who ask for justification.
- If you use the fresh plant for teas, use 1 cup to 1 quart of boiling water to infuse. Don’t boil the plant as it will kill or evaporate its medicinal properties.





Make sure you keep the two ends of the
towel on the outer side of your hands.

TIPS:

1. Before dipping the towel in hot water, make sure you keep some length on the outer side of your hands so you don’t burn yourself as you wring it with an outward movement in both directions.
2. Use a hot water bottle to keep the compress hot for longer or  cover with a plastic bag.
3. Wringing large or thick hot compresses for animal will work best with 2 pairs of hands.
4. When using essential oils, ask people about allergy issues. You can also do muscle testing.

The Ayurvedic perspective


- Vata being associated with pain, treat pain symptoms with hot compresses.
- Pitta being associated with inflammation and fever, treat with cool or cold compresses.
- Kapha being associated with mucus, water retention and blockages, treat with hot compresses.

About essential oils
- A compress with essential oils will operate 200x faster than plain water.
- Apply 5 to 10 drops of essential oils (e.os) to a Tbsp or sesame oil.
- Dipping the towel in 1 quart of boiled water. Wring well to avoid burning.
- Quickly apply the hot compress on the skin.
Common e.os for Vata and Kapha are ginger, lavender and eucalyptus.
For Pitta, use chamomile and mint.


What to use and when?


Cold compresses

1. Eyes: green tea (compress or the tea bags directly on eye lids), linden hydrosol, mint or chamomile tea
2. Fever: feverfew tea, lavender essential oil; lavender hydrosol if related to fevers of subtle bodies. You probably of other herbs too!
3. Skin inflammation: chamomile essential oil, hydrosol and or tea. 

Hot compresses

1. Cramped, stiff or tired muscles: ginger
2. Menstrual cramps: clary sage, lavender, geranium
3. Erratic moon cycle: cinnamon
4. Headaches: depends on the dosha, but typically people will react positively or negatively to smell, trust that. Chose from ginger, lavender, cinnamon, mint, eucalyptus. (Also drink water, headaches can a be symptom of dehydration.
5. Digestion:
   1. If vomiting: depends on the dosha: try nutmeg, star anis, cumin compress.
   1. If constipation: castor oil compress.
6. Kidneys, flatulence, low back pain: ginger
7. Liver-gall bladder: rosemany, coriander (5 drops each e.o.) and add ginger for Kapha person; for Pitta person, use coriander
8. Shingles: although this condition shows on the skin, it is a condition brought by aggravated Vata; use equal parts of rose, geranium, lavender and chamomile e.os in 1 quart of water;  do 2x/day. This mix is good for most Vata disorders.
9. Sinuses and nasal conditions: eucalyptus, ravensara, evergreens, basil or tulsi, angelica. Also yellow mustard seed paste, but apply on a towel as hot as possible.
10. Depression: bergamot, geranium, lemongrass, turmeric e.os.
11. Joints, muscles, tendons and bones: comfrey. Good for mending, solidity, elasticity and tone.

For a recipe for cough, fever, chest congestion and arthritis, see my next blog entry on the traditional mustard paste compress.