This article was co-authored by Zora Degrandpre, ND. Dr. Zora Degrandpre is a Natural Health Doctor and Licensed Naturopathic Physician in Vancouver, Washington. She is a grant reviewer for the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. She received her ND from the National College of Natural Medicine in 2007.
There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 44,093 times.
Hot compresses are a common treatment for many different problems, ranging from injuries to skin irritations. You may have heard that adding some herbs to a hot compress has lots of health benefits. While an herbal compress isn’t a miracle cure, it can, indeed, help heal skin problems and soreness. If you’d like to try this for yourself, then making your own is easy! Simply gather your ingredients and you’re ready to start. If you treat your issue with an herbal compress and don’t see any improvement, then visit your doctor for further treatment.
Steps
Choosing Herbs
With so many herbs to choose from out there, you’re probably a little lost on which ones to use for your compress. Luckily, picking the right ones is a lot easier once you know what to look for. Different herbs help treat different issues, so choose one that can treat the problem you have.
Soothe injuries and sore muscles with arnica. Arnica is a common topical treatment for injuries and pain. If you have bruises, arthritis, sore muscles, or skin irritations, then this might be the right choice for you. Try mixing 1 tbsp (15 ml) of arnica tincture with 0.5 L (2.1 c) of water when you’re making your compress.[1]- You can also use dried arnica leaves. Mix 2 g of leaves with 100 ml (0.42 c) of water in this case.
- Arnica is toxic if swallowed, so never take it by mouth.
Try cassumunar ginger for joint pain. This is a common ingredient in Thai herbal compresses, and seems to work for sore joints. If you suffer from arthritis or other joint pain issues, then this may be right for you.[2] Try adding some fresh ginger to water when you make your compress to relieve joint pain.Advertisement
Use chamomile for rashes. You might think of tea when you hear chamomile, but it has other uses too. Topical chamomile can help with minor rashes and skin irritations. Mix 2-3 tsp (10-15 mg) of dried chamomile flowers with 1 cup (237 ml) of water to make your compress.[3]- If you’re allergic to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, or daisies, then chamomile could also cause an allergic reaction and you should skip this herb.[4]
Try turmeric for dermatitis and psoriasis. Turmeric isn’t just for spicing your food. Since curcumin, its main compound, is a natural anti-inflammatory, it can help heal skin inflammation like dermatitis and psoriasis.[5] Try adding 1,500 mg of turmeric powder to the water when you’re making your compress to treat these issues.[6]- Turmeric and curcumin can also fight inflammation if taken by mouth, so you can also take supplements or sprinkle turmeric onto your food.
Make an herb mixture for myofascial pain. Myofascial pain is a frustrating chronic condition that causes random muscle pain throughout your body, and finding relief can be tricky. Luckily, herbal compresses can help with this problem. A compress with 930 g (33 oz) of ginger, curcumin, lemongrass, Kaffir lime, tamarind, acacia, camphor, and sea salt shows some success in relieving the pain. Add these ingredients to the compress water to see if this helps you.[7]Advertisement
Making the Compress
Once you choose the herbs that you want to use, making the compress is easy. All you need is a bowl of hot water and a towel! Follow these simple steps to assemble your compress.
Wash your hands before starting. Always make sure your hands are clean before you start making the compress.[8] This way, you can avoid any infections.
Boil a pot of water. Fill a normal pot with water, then put it onto your stove and heat it up. Continue heating until the water boils.[9]- Steep the herbs in the water for 30 minutes. Once the water boils, turn off the heat. Then mix in 3-4 tbsp (45-60 g) of herbs for every cup of water in the pot. Cover the pot and let the herbs steep in the water for about 30 minutes to activate them.[10]
- Soak a towel or washcloth in the water. Once you’ve mixed the herbs, then take a dry washcloth or small towel and press it into the bowl. Use it clean towel to avoid any infections. Let it soak up the water and herbs.[11]
- Make sure the water is cool enough so you don't get burned. For babies, the temperature should be 100 °F (38 °C). Make the temperature 105 °F (41 °C) for children and 120 °F (49 °C) for adults.[12]
- If you want to use a cool or cold compress instead of a hot one, then just let the water cool off before soaking the towel.
- Remember to wring the towel out when you take it out so you don’t get water everywhere.
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Applying the Compress
After you’ve made your compress, then all that’s left to do is apply it. This is simple. Hold the compress against the trouble spot to see if it helps you. The most important thing to remember is don’t leave the compress on for too long or you might get burned.
- Press the compress onto the affected area. Once you’ve soaked the towel in the herbal mixture, then you can apply it to any of your trouble spots.[13] Press the compress down over sore or irritated spots and hold it in place so your skin soaks up the herbs.
- Check under the towel in about 2 minutes for any rashes or irritation. This could mean that you’re having an allergic reaction.
- Re-wet the compress if it dries or cools off at any point.
Leave the compress on for 15-30 minutes at a time. This is enough time for your skin to soak up the herbs, but not long enough for your skin to burn. When you’re done, dry your skin with a clean towel and wash your hands.[14]- Massage the compress gently if you’re trying to treat muscle pains. This can help make you feel better.
- Never fall asleep with a hot compress on your skin or you could get burned.
Reapply a fresh compress as much as directed. In general, you can use a warm compress a few times a day, but check with your doctor to confirm the specific treatment. This way, you can avoid any irritations from using too many herbs at once.[15]- Once a day is common recommendation for Thai herbal compresses.[16]
- Always use a fresh, clean towel whenever you make a new compress. This prevents any infections or irritation.
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Medical Takeaways
Herbal compresses can definitely have some health benefits and show success in treating skin irritations and pain. Even better, making your own is very easy, so you can try this out for yourself. Just make sure that you don’t use any herbs that you’re allergic to and take the compress off in 15-30 minutes so you don’t get burned. If the problem you’re trying to treat doesn’t get any better, then talk to your doctor for more professional treatment.
Expert Q&A
References
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92761/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4377500/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92761/
- ↑ https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/chamomile
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27213821/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4377500/
- ↑ https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2156587217753451
- ↑ https://www.drugs.com/cg/warm-compress-or-soak.html
- ↑ https://theherbalacademy.com/herbal-compresses-and-fomentations/
- ↑ https://theherbalacademy.com/herbal-compresses-and-fomentations/
- ↑ https://www.drugs.com/cg/warm-compress-or-soak.html
- ↑ https://www.drugs.com/cg/warm-compress-or-soak.html
- ↑ https://www.drugs.com/cg/warm-compress-or-soak.html
- ↑ https://www.drugs.com/cg/warm-compress-or-soak.html
- ↑ https://www.drugs.com/cg/warm-compress-or-soak.html
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4377500/
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