Hot compresses and things to know

What is hot compress?

Hot compress is a method that uses the principle of heat transfer to heat a location on the body with the purpose of increasing local circulation, thereby accelerating the absorption of pain-causing chemical mediators, reducing muscle tension, thereby reducing pain caused by muscle stiffness.

Illustration photo.

When to apply hot compress?

Hot compresses are effective pain relievers for chronic pain such as:

• Neck and shoulder pain: For the elderly and office workers, neck and shoulder movement is limited due to having to work with computers for long periods of time and under stress.
• Intercostal neuralgia: Often occurs in people who regularly have to carry heavy objects…
• Sciatica: Common in middle-aged and elderly people.
• Joint pain: Chronic pain in the elderly, pain due to injury in the recovery phase.
• Muscle pain: Due to sitting or lying in the wrong position, often combined with massage and acupressure
• Menstrual cramps.

In addition, hot compresses are also used in combination with massage and exercise methods to treat or restore movement of the limbs.

Some cases should not apply hot compresses

• Open, bleeding, or festering wounds
• Areas of skin with varicose veins (many blue veins)
• New injuries with bruising 48 hours (Cold compresses should be applied)
• People with tuberculosis
• At the site of the malignant tumor

How to make hot compress at home

There are many convenient and effective methods of making hot compresses that we can apply at home or at work.

1. Make a hot water bottle

This method is very simple and can be applied anywhere.

- Tools: Metal water bottle with tight lid, moderate size, compact and easy to hold, hot water (70-100 degrees Celsius), cotton towel

- How to do:

+ Check if the water bottle leaks when closed by pouring water at room temperature into the bottle (Check carefully to avoid the risk of burns due to hot water leaking out). Then pour all the test water away.

+ Fill the water tank 2/3 full with hot water

+ Wrap a towel around the hot compress to adjust the temperature and avoid burns. Apply to the painful area and relax for 25-30 minutes. If you want to continue applying, change the water to ensure the temperature when applying.

Illustration photo.

2. Make a hot compress from salt and roasted rice

Salt and hot roasted rice put in a cloth bag with some spices such as chrysanthemum and mugwort, not only helps relieve pain but also helps the body relax.

- How to do:

+ Preparation:

100 g rice

1 small bowl of coarse salt

1 bunch of mugwort (old mugwort is better than fresh mugwort)

You can prepare other flavors such as dried chamomile and dried mint.

1 large square cotton towel 50x50cm (used to wrap ingredients)

+ Preparation:

Pick off wilted leaves from mugwort, then wash and cut into 3-5 cm pieces. Drain.

Roast the rice until it turns light yellow, add salt and roast until the salt grains thicken, then add mugwort and roast until the mugwort is cooked, add spices such as chrysanthemum and mint and stir well to create a fragrant smell.

Pour the mixture into the prepared cotton towel and tie it tightly. Note: tie the towel into a bag shape so that the ingredients do not fall out.

+ Apply compress:

Check the temperature of the hot water bottle, if it is too hot, you can wrap it with a towel.

Place the compress on the painful area and apply continuously for 25-30 minutes. If you want to apply more compresses at the same place, you should wait another 10-20 minutes for the skin to recover. Or you can change the compress position.

You should pour out the ingredients and reheat them to make the next compresses more effective. This handmade compress bag can be used for 7 days. Note that after use, you need to keep the compress bag in a dry place to avoid mold and spoilage of the ingredients inside.

3. Apply with electric hot compress

Currently, electric hot water bags are widely sold on the market. Using electric hot water bags is both convenient and can be used many times. There are many different designs suitable for specialized hot water areas such as (shoulder and neck hot water bags, knee hot water bags, hot water shirts).

Notes when applying hot compresses

Each time, the compress should not exceed 60 minutes. If the compress is applied for a long time, the pores in the skin area will expand over a long period of time, creating conditions for bacteria to enter the body.

Be sure to check the temperature of the compress before applying it to avoid burns. The appropriate temperature to apply to the skin is 43-45 degrees, high temperature is 50-60 degrees. Do not apply too hot to avoid burns.

When applying a compress to the head, be careful not to make the temperature too hot. After applying the compress, lie down and rest in a place protected from the wind. Apply the compress after bathing and avoid going out in the cold after applying the compress because it can easily cause a cold.

After applying hot compress, apply some moisturizer to the skin area to prevent dryness and cracking in winter.

Enjoy a relaxing time with a hot pack at home.

Nguyen Thi Thu Trang - Lecturer of Nursing Department