Compress - how to do it right. Help yourself: how to make cold, hot and medicinal compresses

Arthrosis therapy is more effective if systemic treatment goes well with the local. A popular method of local treatment is applying compresses to the sore joint. They are used as pharmaceutical drugs, and prepared according to folk recipes compositions. Compresses on the skin relieve pain and inflammation well. alcohol based. If the joint is deep (hip), the application has a therapeutic effect on soft fabrics, but not on the joint itself. Therefore, for coxarthrosis, local therapy methods are rarely resorted to. But the vodka compress on knee joint It’s convenient to install and the effect is pronounced. For arthrosis, compresses are made from cabbage, with dimexide, bischofite, salt, gelatin and others.

Effect of vodka compress

Knees most often suffer from injuries, hypothermia, and overload. Arthrosis is just one of the possible reasons knee pain. If the knee joints hurt, become very swollen, and swell, this indicates an inflammatory process. It can be associated either with arthritis or with reactive synovitis, which complicates gonarthrosis. Inflammation is treated with the help, but these drugs have a lot side effects. Compresses for knee joints act quickly, since the effect is applied directly to the affected area. Local treatment allows you to reduce the dosage of NSAIDs, reduce the drug load on the body and the risk of side effects.

This is why compresses for arthrosis of the knee joint are so popular. Often, you can use improvised means that can be found in any home. For example, to make an alcohol compress on your knee, you don’t have to go to the pharmacy.

It is effective not only for arthrosis, but also for a number of other diseases and pathological conditions with pain syndrome:

  • for arthritis, periarthritis;
  • after injuries, bruises, but not earlier than one day after the injury;
  • at painful lumps in places where injections or punctures are performed (but not with a purulent abscess);
  • with acute thrombophlebitis.

Contraindications also include:

  • any violation of the integrity of the skin (scratches, abrasions, wounds);
  • dermatological diseases and rashes of an allergic nature at the site of exposure;
  • purulent processes;
  • increase in temperature;
  • individual hypersensitivity to alcohol.

Oncological diseases, tumors in the pelvic organs, including benign ones, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases are among relative contraindications to overlay vodka compress on the joints.

Overlay technique

If the technique is not followed, the procedure will not be beneficial and may even cause harm. Therefore, it is important to know how to properly make an alcohol-based compress. First of all, you need to use medical alcohol or high-quality vodka without impurities, fusel oils, and dilute them with water. If 96% alcohol is used, it is diluted 1:3 for the knee joint, and if the application will be made on an area with more delicate skin, including the inner surface of the knee, a ratio of 1:5 is recommended. Vodka and water are diluted 1:1. It is better to apply a compress to the knee before going to bed, so that after removing it, the heated area does not cool down. Vodka applications need to be changed frequently, so they are usually not left overnight.

Hot and cold vodka compresses

Vodka compresses are divided into hot and cold. Both relieve pain, but for synovitis of the knee joint and other inflammatory processes, cold is preferable. An important secret to making an alcohol-based compress effective is that the gauze soaked in vodka should fit tightly to the skin. Another important point: You need to minimize the evaporation of alcohol. To do this, wax paper or film is placed over the alcohol-containing application; it should cover the first layer with a margin of 1 cm on all sides. Then comes an insulating layer of cotton wool (you can wrap the previous layers with a woolen scarf). If instead of warmth you feel coolness, chills, a compress with vodka on the knee joint is applied incorrectly.

Cold and hot compress for sick joints they do it according to the same scheme, but for cold joints the liquid is not heated, it needs to be changed every 20 minutes and kept for an hour. Hot is done like this:

  • gauze is folded into several layers, moistened in heated diluted vodka (liquid temperature 50–60°), wrung out and applied to the knee;
  • The remaining layers are applied on top and secured with a bandage. The fixing bandage should not compress the leg or interfere with blood circulation;
  • It is recommended to change the gauze every 5-10 minutes to maintain the temperature, total duration procedures 2–6 hours.

The use of alcohol tinctures

For arthrosis, joint and muscle pain, it is preferable to make a compress on the knee not with pure alcohol (vodka), but with alcohol tincture medicinal herbs, hot pepper, a solution of formic acid (the so-called formic alcohol).

Here are some recipes:

  • pour 100 g of mullein flowers with a bottle of vodka, leave for 20 days, strain. Use cold, preferably left overnight;
  • Infuse fragrant violet leaves in alcohol or vodka for a week (50/100 ml per 40 g of leaves), keep the lotion for 40 minutes, repeat 5-6 times a day;
  • compresses with cinquefoil tincture last for an hour, 3–4 procedures per day are recommended;
  • for hemarthrosis (hemorrhage into the joint cavity), bruises with hematomas, alcohol tincture of bodyaga helps well;
  • relieves inflammation well, promotes the resorption of edema, a mixture of vodka with onion or garlic juice, such applications last no longer than an hour;
  • lotion with tincture capsicum keep for a maximum of 10 minutes, for the first time the tincture should be diluted with water, if the sensations are normal, you can use undiluted;
  • formic alcohol is used to rub the knees 2-3 times a day, after which sore spot wrapped in a woolen scarf.

Compresses with dimexide

Dimexide for joints is used in the form of compresses, as part of ointments, and electrophoresis with dimexide 25% concentration is also carried out. This drug has pronounced anti-inflammatory activity, relieves pain, eliminates swelling, promotes resorption blood clots, hematomas. The use of dimexide for joints is due to the fact that this drug penetrates deep into the tissue and reaches the joint cavity. In addition, it promotes deeper penetration of others medicines, this property is used when carrying out electrophoresis and phonophoresis.

Dimexide should not be confused with dioxidine. Dioxidin – antibacterial drug, it is instilled into the ears and nose, used to wash cavities for abscesses in the lungs, in the form of applications for purulent wounds, infected burns, trophic ulcers due to thrombophlebitis, diabetes. Arthrosis is not an indication for the use of this drug.

Can only be done as prescribed by a doctor, in the absence of hypersensitivity and other contraindications. It is important not to exceed the concentration and exposure time; if you do not dilute dimexide or keep the application for too long, you can cause a burn. The drug is diluted with boiled or distilled water, usually in equal proportions; less often, 1 part dimexide is taken to 2 parts water. Less concentrated solution prepared by applying a compress with dimexide to the inside of the knee, where the skin is more delicate. A compress of dimexide is applied similarly to vodka, lasts for half an hour, the recommended course of treatment is 2 weeks. Do not use dyed fabric, as dimexide dissolves the paint.

Dimexide for synovitis can be used in combination hormonal drugs, with pronounced pain syndrome- With local anesthetic novocaine. Dimexide enhances the effect of other drugs and transports them to the lesion.

Any compresses based on it last for half an hour, here are a few recipes:

  • mix equal parts of 30% dimexide and 2% novocaine, insulate;
  • mix 50 ml of 50% dimexide, 30 ml of 2% novocaine and lukewarm boiled water, hydrocortisone ampoule. Cover the wet layer with film, but do not insulate it, the course of treatment is 3 weeks;
  • For 50 ml of water, take a tablespoon of 50% dimexide and 1 ampoule of dexamethasone, treat for 10–14 days.

Salt and cabbage compresses

Salt compresses are actively used in the treatment of arthrosis. Salt perfectly draws excess fluid from inflamed, swollen tissues, and also nourishes the joints. Especially many valuable minerals are contained in sea ​​salt. The recipes are varied:

  • a wet salt compress is indicated for acute inflammatory processes; to prepare it, take a tablespoon of salt per glass very hot water, moisten a gauze cloth generously, cover with film and insulate, keep for 6 hours;
  • in the absence of inflammation, make a hot compress of salt and sand, heat it, pour it into a flat cloth bag, and wrap it around the joint;
  • at severe pain salt is mixed with snow or poured onto moistened ice water napkin;
  • A mixture of salt and mustard powder will help restore blood circulation. It is poured onto a bandage moistened hot water, cover the top with film and insulate it. Keep for up to 6 hours or until a strong burning sensation appears.

The most popular folk remedy for arthrosis is. The simplest option: crush or beat the leaf so that the juice appears, and bandage it to the knee, covering it with film. To enhance the effect, you can lubricate the leaf with honey. They also soak gauze with the squeezed juice and bandage finely shredded cabbage to the knee, which should release the juice. You can mix equal parts of juice, water and dimexide.

The leaf is used as a plaster, onto which various compositions are applied:

  • 1 spoon of honey and mustard powder, 3 tablespoons of camphor oil;
  • a mixture of honey with crushed aspirin (2 tablets per teaspoon), you can add flour for thickness.

This is far from full list compresses that can be made for gonarthrosis and arthrosis of other joints. It must be borne in mind that such treatment alleviates symptoms, improves blood supply to the joint, but cannot slow down the process of destruction of articular cartilage. Only compresses with gelatin can compensate for collagen deficiency, but taking gelatin orally is more effective.

There are contraindications to the use of compresses, including those prepared according to traditional recipes. Therefore, such therapy must be coordinated with a doctor and a sensitivity test must be done. Treatment with compresses cannot replace systemic drug therapy, but complements it well.

For some characteristic pains, the situation can be improved with the help of a compress. Applying a compress is essentially applying a bandage soaked in one or another medicine to a sore spot. There are several types of them: hot and cold, warming and medicinal compresses. However, when applying any of them, you should remember that in order to avoid irritation and other allergic reactions of the skin, before starting work directly, the affected area of ​​the body must be lubricated with cream or Vaseline, and now we will learn how to properly make a compress at home and what compresses there are.

photo of applying a cold compress to the head

Learning how to make a compress correctly

Now we will tell you which compress is best suited to each option.

Warming

  • Warming. This type is used to remove painful sensations for joint diseases inflammatory in nature, sore throat, infiltrates. Its action is based on the warming effect of the internal tissues of the human body. Thanks to this, you can achieve a significant reduction in swelling, relaxation of muscles contracted by cramps, and relief from inflammation. Knowing in practice how to make a warming compress, you can apply it at home, significantly alleviating the patient’s condition until qualified assistance is provided.
  • A cotton cloth, moistened, is first applied directly to the diseased area of ​​the body. plain water 20 0 temperature. Instead of fabric, you can use gauze folded in four or a table napkin. The material must be squeezed out well.
  • Special compress paper is placed on top of it. You can also prepare regular oilcloth. The main thing is that it does not allow the wet fabric to dry out and lose heat.
  • The third layer is a warming material - a woolen scarf or cotton wool. It is important that the material is thick enough. All this must be tightly bandaged on top, so that no air gets inside. This method is left for 8 hours (can be done overnight), and then removed and wiped the sore spot with a warm towel.

Four-layer, and each subsequent layer should be slightly larger than the previous one. We must remember that any skin diseases will be the main contraindication to the use of this type. More strong effect can be obtained by using an alcohol warming compress. It must be applied in the same way as described above, only instead of water, the first layer is moistened with an alcohol or vodka solution in a ratio of 1:3 or 1:2, respectively.

In your ear

Some peculiarities exist when applying a compress to the ear.

  1. First layer, wet alcohol solution 1:2 (can be used camphor alcohol), you need to squeeze it out well and apply it around the auricle so that ear canal and the auricle remained free.
  2. The compress paper is cut into a circle shape and a cut is made in the center.
  3. Through the cut you can put the paper on sore ear, again, so as not to close the concha and ear canal.
  4. Then cover the top of the paper with cotton wool and bandage it.
  5. It is not recommended to leave it overnight. A few hours is enough.
  6. You can repeat the procedure every day until the pain symptoms disappear.

Drug

The first layer for making a medicinal compress is moistened in 1% soda solution, drilling fluid, or even Vishnevsky ointment, preheated a little in warm water. Has a more pronounced analgesic effect.

Hot

Spasms of blood vessels and muscles internal organs I will be an indication for applying a hot compress. Can be used for migraines, angina, pain in bladder, at bronchial asthma. Apply directly to the affected area. The system of using four layers is the same as when applying a warm compress. The first layer is wetted with hot water with a temperature of up to 70 0, which must be quickly wrung out and applied. In addition, hot compresses are not bandaged, but only pressed firmly with your hand, until total loss temperature, after which the first layer is replaced with a new one and continues to be held. It should not be applied if there is a risk of bleeding, if there is increased blood pressure, as well as for abdominal pain and inflammation in the abdominal cavity.

Cold

This is applied for nosebleeds, for various injuries of the upper tissues, ligaments, for strong heartbeat. Can also be used to cool the body when elevated temperatures air, for example, in the summer. Its effect is reduced to vasoconstriction due to the cooling effect. The fabric for the cold compress procedure is pre-moistened cold water and squeeze it out. Applying it directly to the area of ​​concern, wrap it with a dry bandage.

The question often arises: how long to keep the compress on? It is enough to hold it for about an hour. For the night similar procedures are not carried out. In case of severe overload of the body, a similar compress can be applied to the forehead and back of the head. This can replace the use of large quantities of cold water.

Cough is a frequent companion to respiratory diseases and colds. Many patients avoid using medications when this symptom, giving preference natural remedies. Traditional medicine has a large number of recipes to help get rid of this involuntary physiological reaction of the body. Among them, compresses from severe cough, which are treated in the evening. But we must remember that folk remedies are not a panacea for all diseases, but only serve as a auxiliary treatment to traditional therapy.

Treatment with compresses

A compress is a physiotherapeutic procedure that involves applying a multi-layer bandage soaked in medicine to a sore spot. Used for coughs and colds different types dressings - dry/wet, hot/cold, oil or alcohol based - because they have a number of advantages:

  • An effective and affordable folk remedy.
  • Ease of use.
  • Immediate effect.
  • No side effects in most cases.
  • efficiency and safety.

Among important conditions, on which directly depends therapeutic effect, – strict adherence to the rules for applying compresses. Experts recommend observing the following conditions:

  1. Prepare all necessary materials in advance (fabric, cotton wool, polyethylene, medicines, herbal teas, products, etc.).
  2. Lubricate the place where the bandage is applied on the body with herbal or Vaseline oil. This way you will mark the area where the compress will be applied, since it is forbidden to place the compress on the heart area, both from the back and face, as well as on the spine area.

Since warming compresses are considered the most effective in treating coughs and colds, we will take a closer look at how to correctly perform this procedure. After all, the effect directly depends on the correct application. If you do not follow the recommendations, you will not be able to cure your cough quickly.

Therapeutic dressings that have a warming effect include several layers - inner, middle, outer. Required condition is their imposition in a certain sequence:

  1. Inner layer: gauze/bandage moistened with medication, intended for direct application to the skin.
  2. The middle layer - polyethylene, film, oilcloth, dense fabric - prevents getting wet (liquid leakage) and has a slight warming effect.
  3. The outer layer, the main purpose of which is to retain heat. Cotton wool, a woolen scarf/shawl, a terry towel, and a scarf work well for this task.

After applying a therapeutic warming bandage, the patient should be provided with complete rest (preferably bed rest). After the expiration date, the compress can be removed, and the patient needs to wipe the skin dry and put on dry clothes.

Compresses are most often applied to the chest or back.

Effective recipes

Traditional medicine has many different recipes for warming compresses, with the help of which you can get rid of severe coughing attacks in short terms. Thanks to the temperature effect they all eliminate spasms respiratory organs, and also remove muscle spasm in the chest area, activate blood circulation in the bronchi and lungs, promote rapid penetration of the medicine into the source of inflammation.

The recipes for many compresses can be used not only by adults, but also by children. The most popular methods among patients that help in the fight against respiratory diseases, which are based on natural ingredients:

  1. A compress recipe made from potatoes boiled in their jackets will help you quickly and effectively get rid of a dry cough. Mash the hot root vegetables (along with the skin). Place the mashed potato mass in the middle of a straightened gauze cloth/bandage, wrap with the remaining free ends of the gauze. Apply to the chest and back area, cover with cellophane and a warm thing. Fix it so that it does not fall apart, and insulate it with an additional blanket/blanket. Keep the compress until the potatoes cool (on average 2–2.5 hours).
  2. A curd bandage that relieves sharp reflex exhalations that accompany a cough. Warm the cottage cheese slightly. Squeeze it out excess liquid, wrap in gauze, place on chest. Cover with polyethylene, insulate, and leave the bandage on overnight.
  3. Cabbage compress with honey is one of the most safe procedures in the treatment of a diseased diaphragm. Wash the freshly cut fleshy cabbage leaf thoroughly, dry it, then lightly knead it with your hands or using a rolling pin. Inner side Coat a cabbage leaf with honey and place the greased side on the skin. Cover the top with polyethylene, insulate it, and fix the bandage if necessary. It is allowed to be left for the entire period of sleep. After cabbage compress improvement occurs immediately.
  4. Honey compress. It is enough to smear the neck, back, chest thin layer bee product, insulate. This will help eliminate the cause of cough due to the bactericidal properties of honey.
  5. Salt compress is a gentle procedure. For it you need to dissolve 100 g of table/sea salt in a liter of water. Moisten gauze/bandage in the resulting solution, apply it to the neck or chest, cover with plastic wrap and insulate. It is recommended to remove the bandage in the morning.
  6. An alcohol compress is the most common recipe that treats even the most severe cough. Take vodka or diluted alcohol and heat to 40° C. Moisten inner layer compress, squeeze lightly and apply to skin. Cover with the middle and outer layers, fix if necessary and add additional insulation. It is not recommended to keep this compress for more than 4 hours.
  7. An oil compress is prepared similarly to an alcohol compress. Lightly warmed vegetable/olive oil is used as a warming base. A few drops may be added essential oils– menthol and eucalyptus. Since oil can damage clothes, it is better to wear old clothes.
  8. A recipe based on Dimexide solution has proven itself well. The medicine must be diluted with water in a ratio of 1:1 and heated to 40° C. Then proceed as when applying an alcohol compress. Leave the bandage with Dimexide for 1 hour, then remove and wipe the skin in the area of ​​application with clean water.

The recipe for a compress for a severe cough, which cures in the evening, is based on a mixture of honey, vinegar, mustard powder and vegetable oil. Take the indicated components in equal proportions, for example, 1 tsp. Mix and add enough flour to them to form a flat cake. Place the finished cake on your chest, cover with a thick cloth (polyethylene/cellophane in in this case will not work), wrap it in a warm woolen scarf and leave it overnight. In the morning, cough symptoms will disappear without a trace. Patients who tested the effect this method on themselves, they claim: “We cure coughs even in small children with this cake. The recipe is painless, simple and very effective. The process of making a miraculous cake can be turned into an exciting game for a child.”

Before using any folk remedies Consultation with a doctor is required.

Contraindications

Despite the good therapeutic effect and quick results, warm compresses have a number of contraindications. These include the following:

  • Increased body temperature.
  • Acute phase of the disease.
  • Pathologies cardiovascular system, increased blood pressure.
  • The presence of neoplasms and tumors of various etiologies.
  • Skin diseases, including warts, moles, papillomas in the area of ​​the compress.
  • Patients under 1 year of age.
  • Individual intolerance or allergic reaction on the components included in the warming bandage.

Among the variety of proposed compress recipes that allow you to get rid of the symptoms of colds and coughs in a short time, choose the one that will be the most effective for you. Even though this procedure It is safe; you cannot treat it yourself. Before using compresses for coughs, you should consult your doctor.

For some reason, when a conversation starts about an alcohol compress, the first thing that comes to mind is the treatment of sore throat. Meanwhile, a warm compress is used much more widely: it can be done in case of viral and colds, for neurological inflammation, to reduce hematomas, for joint diseases.

No matter what place human body No matter how much a medicinal bandage is applied, certain rules must be followed.

General rules for installing a therapeutic bandage

Before giving a patient an alcohol compress, you need to make sure that he does not have a fever. Warming procedures should not be performed during exacerbations dermatological diseases if there are injuries and foci of purulent inflammation on the skin.

Alcohol must be diluted with water before use. For adults, the proportions of alcohol dilution: if an alcohol compress is placed on the leg or lower back - 1/3, when an alcohol compress is applied to the ear, neck, or other places with delicate skin, the dilution must be brought to 1/5.

Alcohol therapy should not be used during pregnancy or for young children.

For children school age the alcohol is first diluted to the state of vodka - that is, diluted more than 2 times, and only then it is diluted again with water - 1/4, no less. Children's skin on their legs is sometimes softer than that of adult men on their faces.

To apply a warming bandage, you must have the following materials:


  • diluted alcohol;
  • fabric that absorbs liquid well, which is to be rolled up in several layers - usually gauze;
  • oilcloth or sheet of waxed paper;
  • a woolen scarf or a large piece of cotton wool;
  • fixing bandage - a bandage or a piece of dense, non-stretchable material.

The procedure for applying the bandage is as follows:

  • Directly on the place that needs to be warmed, apply several layers of folded hygroscopic fabric, moistened with an alcohol solution and thoroughly wrung out;
  • A waterproof layer is placed on it so that the alcohol does not evaporate for as long as possible;
  • Then they are covered with a layer of insulation;
  • Fix the structure with a bandage or scarf. If an alcohol compress is placed at the injection site to remove the seal, then it is better to secure it around the edges with an adhesive plaster.


Typically the compress consists of 4 functional layers.

A warming compress can be kept on the skin for 2-6 hours, some leave it overnight. If you feel pain or itching under the bandage, it should be removed immediately. Wipe or wash the skin thoroughly warm water, apply emollient cream or oil.

Nuances of an “easy” treatment procedure

How to make an alcohol compress correctly so as not to harm the patient.

If a warming bandage is applied to the ear, then you must make a slit in it and pull it out through it. auricle. The skin in this area is very delicate, and there are few nerve receptors. You can get a serious burn without feeling the effects of alcohol.

An alcohol compress on the throat area should not cover the area thyroid gland. Therefore, it is necessary to place separate gauze pads soaked in alcohol on each side of the neck. You should also cut the moisture-proof and insulating layer. But you can secure the compress with a bandage or scarf that completely covers the throat.


If an alcohol compress is placed on the neck for lymphadenitis or cervical radiculitis, the rules remain the same.

When it is necessary to relieve pain due to arthritis, arthrosis, diseases of the spine or myositis, it is advisable to replace regular medical alcohol with formic or alcoholic tincture of capsicum - this procedure works most effectively.

It is possible to relieve an attack of angina with an alcohol compress with menthol. In this case, a therapeutic warming bandage is applied to back side left hand.

Before placing an alcohol lotion on the injection site, you should make sure that there is no abscess. The warming procedure is not used in the event of the onset of a purulent-inflammatory process. Pus in the bloodstream under the influence of moist heating can spread through the lymph and bloodstream, causing infectious process in any part of the body.

It is inconvenient to apply a classic compress to the knee or elbow joint. You have to constantly bend your leg or arm, and the bandage may move. In this case, it is recommended to use rubbing instead of compresses.

How can you replace alcohol in a compress?

Alcohol or vodka compresses are the most common therapeutic warming and anti-inflammatory procedures. But they have serious disadvantages:

  • alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream through the skin;
  • causes skin irritation.

This creates significant limitations in the use of this treatment method.

In some cases, it is advisable to replace alcohol with other substances that have warming and absorbing properties.


In case of bronchitis, to remove residual effects, you can apply a honey cake to the chest, which is kneaded from flour, honey, vegetable oil and mustard. The same remedy effectively combats seals after an injection.

Have absorbent properties cabbage leaves, and even ordinary cottage cheese. For inflammatory diseases of the lower respiratory tract curd compress will not only improve blood supply in the bronchi area, but will also tell you whether pneumonia has begun. When the process worsens, the cottage cheese changes its color to greenish after removing the compress.

Increase the activity of the drug

You can activate an alcohol compress by infusing alcohol into medicinal herbs, having properties necessary for the treatment of the disease.

Adding garlic or onion juice not only helps to enhance the resorption effect, but also has an anti-inflammatory effect due to the content of phytoncides in the solution. Only similar remedy You can’t keep it on the skin for more than 1 hour - onions and garlic enhance not only the healing effect, but also the irritating effect.

From time immemorial, heating bandages have been used as one of the mandatory therapeutic techniques in the treatment of a number of ailments. However, despite the wide popularity of this cheap physiotherapeutic procedure, there are often cases of incorrect application of warm compresses and ignorance of the algorithm for their use. General technology Any warming application is simple: take a warming agent (you can use heated water), soak a bandage or cotton-gauze bandage with this agent; Cover the area on the body with material soaked in a warming agent; We put compress paper on top, a dry cotton layer and bandage the compress so that it holds well and does not interfere with blood circulation.

Types of applying warm compresses at home

Warming compresses are used to increase blood circulation in tissues and organs, the restoration of health of which requires increased metabolism (metabolism) in areas affected by the disease.

The algorithm for performing a warm compress at home is simple. For this technique you will need:

  • heating component ( warm water, alcohol, turpentine, ointment, etc.);
  • bandage and cotton wool;
  • cling film or compress paper.

Cling film or compress paper can be replaced with any other material that does not allow heat to pass through and can create a damp “greenhouse effect.” This could be a plastic bag, tracing paper, etc. Another mandatory requirement for the covering material is that it should not injure or irritate the skin in places of contact with it.

Sequence (algorithm) of actions when applying a warming water compress:

  • heat the water until required temperature(40-45ºС);
  • moisten cotton wool in heated water (there should be enough cotton wool so that when applied to the surface of the skin it covers the entire area of ​​influence of the heating application and the thickness of the cotton layer is no less than 1 cm);
  • On top of the layer of cotton wool it is necessary to apply 2-3 layers of compress paper or any other material that retains moisture and heat;
  • a layer of dry cotton wool is placed on top of the compress paper;

last of all it is necessary to apply bandage, which would completely cover all previous layers (the bandage should not be tight or very loose, it should ensure normal adherence of the compress to the affected area and free blood circulation).

The technique of applying a bandage is similar to bandaging wounds.

Warming compresses also include a vodka or alcohol compress.

Algorithm for applying a vodka compress, which is done at home:

  • dilute 96% alcohol with water in the following ratio: 1 part alcohol to 3 parts water or dilute vodka in a ratio of 1 part vodka to 1 part water;
  • soak a layer of cotton wool in diluted alcohol or vodka, squeeze out the cotton wool and place this layer on the surface of the skin in the place where a warming effect is required;
  • cover a layer of cotton wool with compress paper or any other material that does not allow penetration external environment heat and moisture;
  • make a layer of dry cotton wool;
  • Apply a loose bandage on top of the compress paper or a material replacing it (the bandage must be applied in several layers so that it completely covers the surface of the compress).

For patients whose skin reacts painfully to the aggressive effects of alcohol, it is recommended either not to do alcohol warming applications at all, or to apply a semi-alcohol compress.

The peculiarity of the algorithm for applying a semi-alcohol compress is that when preparing it, you should increase the amount of water: instead of 3 parts of water, dilute the alcohol with 5-6 parts of water.

Application of warm compresses based on medicinal ointments should be done in strict accordance with the instructions for the data medicines. The method and time of action of the warming components in such specialized medications can be very different from the mechanism of action of a conventional warming compress and, accordingly, the algorithm for using such agents is also different.

In accordance with the algorithm, the time for applying a warming bandage is 5-8 hours. After the specified time interval, it is necessary to remove the bandage, wrap the area on the body where the warming effect was used with a soft natural fabric. This gentle heat can be used before applying the next compress, which can be done after 5-6 hours.

When is heating applied?

Warming compresses are one of the physiotherapeutic means in the treatment of inflammatory processes in the joints, muscle tissue, for some vascular diseases.

Also, the effect of warming neck bandages is used in restorative and rehabilitation therapy in the treatment of sore throats and other inflammatory diseases in the area of ​​the larynx.

Indications for the use of a compress should be made by the attending physician, who observes the entire course of the disease and can prevent the occurrence of complications due to inappropriate warming. It is almost impossible to make such a forecast on your own. Ideally, the doctor should determine the algorithm for using such warming applications.

The use of warm compresses for joint diseases

The algorithm for applying warming bandages for joints and the preparation technique for this procedure are quite simple; it is easy to do it yourself at home. However, due to the fact that such a compress is considered a potent remedy and its use affects the entire body, experts advise that before using warming, consult a therapist to determine the presence of contraindications.

According to doctors, such a compress can be used for arthrosis, arthritis, bruises, and sprains.

Warming application can be done according to the mechanism indicated in the first part of this review.

Warming components allowed for use:

  • alcohol;
  • vodka;
  • alcoholic infusions of herbs;
  • turpentine;
  • medicinal warming ointments, etc.

Such warming bandages have an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. The compress is applied for 6-8 hours, twice a day: in the morning and at night.

To avoid the compress slipping when applying it to the moving joints of the upper and lower limbs(elbow, knee bend), it is necessary to increase the area of ​​application of the compress itself with a warming component and increase the area of ​​bandaging. It is not recommended to use adhesive tape to strengthen such a compress on the joint.

Warming applications for throat diseases

In case of inflammation of the throat, cough, as well as other diseases of the respiratory tract, compresses can be performed only if there is evidence from the attending physician.

This precaution is due to the fact that sore throat and cough - infectious diseases. As you know, the infection begins to actively spread in a warm environment. That is why premature manipulations associated with the treatment of throat and cough compresses can only aggravate clinical picture diseases.

In these cases, a compress can be applied only after the body has overcome the infection, i.e. at the stage of recovery and getting rid of the negative effects of infectious agents.

If there is evidence from the attending physician, a warm compress on the throat area when coughing or other inflammations of the upper respiratory tract can be performed according to the algorithm and using the technique indicated in the first part of this article.

For a warming application on the neck when coughing, gentle warming components are used, such as warm water, semi-alcohol solution, boiled potatoes, honey, etc.