Types Of Fomentation In Ayurveda And Its Benefits

Sometimes the muscles will not have adequate work or it may get stressed out and weak. The medicines are not the proper remedy for this pain; fomentation is the best remedy for this kind of muscle pain. This method is invented during the early days and it is well maintained and practiced in Ayurveda, Siddha and naturopathy and they give more importance to this technique.

Types Of Fomentation In Ayurveda And Its Benefits

Fomentation heat is different for different parts, if a person is suffering from knee pain a hot fomentation is applied, if it is for a chest cold then a warm fomentation is required. There are five types of fomentation that can be done by Ayurveda and its names as a hot fomentation, cold fomentation, wet fomentation, dry fomentation, and strong fomentation.

Hot Fomentation

It is simply the application of a compress such as a folded towel that has been squeezed from hot water or made hot by steaming. The simplest possible use of a fomentation is merely folding a towel to make a square, dipping it in hot water, squeezing it nearly dry and laying it on the chest for a cough or on the abdomen for indigestion. Change the compress every two minutes to keep it hot.

The effectiveness of the heat can be greatly increased by simply making every fourth compress a brief (45 seconds) cold compress made by squeezing a bath towel from ice water. Continue the alternation of heat and cold for 10-30 minutes. When the patient begins sweating, put a cold cloth on the forehead and sponge the face every minute or two.

Wet Fomentation

The wet fomentation is done with a towel dipped in water that is boiled with pain-killing herbs. The herbal water for painkilling is prepared and a towel is dipped into it and applied on the required area of the body this is called a wet fomentation.

Dry Fomentation

This is a heat fomentation where the hot water is filled in an animal bladder and applied to the required area. If you want to reduce the temperature of the bag simply a cotton towel is wrapped and applied to the required area.

Cold Fomentation

It is a cold therapy when the body temperature raises or infected with any microbes that shoot the body temperature the cold fomentation is applied so as to reduce the heat of the body. This best suited for the wounds, injuries, and also on fat boils.

Strong Fomentation

When hot fomentation, cold fomentation, wet fomentation, dry fomentations are given strongly in an area then it is called a strong fomentation. Herbal oil and other ointments are applied and a heavy stroke of fomentation is applied with a hot pack.

There are sand fomentations, herb fomentation and castor oil fomentation that can be applied according to the disease condition. This hot fomentation is not applied to soft areas like upper eyelid and chest region instead of cotton cloth dipped in warm water squeezed and then applied to the respective area. This also treats the gas lock in the body.

The fomentation actually opens up the small blood vessels in the affected area and allows the blood circulation easier in that area thus reducing the inflammation and redness in the affected area. Thus it cures many diseases like knee pain, back pain, and many bone-related problems.