Hot Fomentation

A hot fomentation is a powerful and effective hydrotherapy (water therapy) remedy.

In this simple remedy, you apply heat to a certain part of your body.

Here's how it works: The heat raises the temperature of your body. Raising your temperature helps to boost your circulation and bring blood to the surface of your skin.

That helps to relieve congestion. It also helps to get rid of any toxic wastes and materials that are lying around in your system.

This natural remedy is great for:

  • Chest colds
  • Coughs
  • Bronchitis
  • The flu
  • Lung congestions
  • Insomnia
  • Anxiety and nervousness
  • Muscle tension
  • Muscle spasms
  • Menstrual cramps
  • Nerve pain
  • Joint pain

You can apply a hot fomentation to your chest and abdomen. You can also apply it to different parts of your body. Where you place it depends on where you are having a problem.

CAUTION:
There are some situations where you should NOT use this remedy. Do not apply a fomentation if you have diabetes, loss of sensation, malignancy, peripheral vascular disease, hemorrhage, stomach ulcers, any condition that is aggravated by cold, or a recent history of heart attack.

If you have any doubt, be sure to check with a physician or qualified health care practitioner first.

Hot Fomentation to the Chest and Abdomen

When you apply a hot fomentation to your chest and abdomen, it works wonders for coughs, bronchitis, and lung congestions. It's one of the very best natural flu remedies that exists!

This is not a remedy you can do by yourself, so be sure to have a friend available.

What You Will Need:
  • 1 large wool blanket (do not use cotton)
  • plastic shower curtain liner or garbage bag
  • 1 pillow
  • 1 flat sheet
  • 4 medium towels
  • 2 washcloths
  • 1 foot tub
  • 2 basins or buckets (one for hot water, the other for ice cold water)
  • empty jug

Set Up:

For best results, do this treatment in a warm quiet room with a bed or a massage table.

  1. Cover the bed with the shower curtain liner or a garbage bag.
  2. Next put the blanket on the bed and cover it with the flat sheet.
  3. Fill one water basin with hot water (between 104 - 112 ° F). Fill the other with cold water and add ice cubes to it. Place both basins within easy reach of the bed/massage table.
  4. Place four towels in the basin with hot water. Place two washcloths into the ice water.
  5. Place the foot tub on the bed (down by the foot of the bed). Fill it only half full with hot water.
  6. Fill an empty jug with very hot water. You will need this in order to add more hot water to the foot bath as it loses heat. During the treatment, be sure to take your friends' feet out of the water before you add more hot water. You don't want to cause an accidental burn!

Directions:

Step 1: Have your friend remove their clothing from the hips upwards. They should also remove their socks and roll up their pant legs. Have them lie on their back on the bed/massage table.

Step 2: Place your friends' feet in the foot bath. Be sure to place your hands under their feet as you lower them into the water. The water should be as hot as they can take it. Keep it at that temperature throughout the treatment. Once their feet are in the water, use the sheet and blanket to fully wrap up the bucket and their legs.

Step 3: Take two towels out of the hot water and wring them out. Try to get as much water out as you possibly can. They should not be dripping water. Fold each towel into a smaller rectangle. Test the towel on your friends' arm first to make sure that it is not too hot for them. (If it is too hot, you may wrap it in a dry towel.) Place one towel under your friends' back. Place the other towel over his/her chest and abdomen. Then, wrap the sheet and blanket tightly around your friends' entire body. Take a washcloth out of the cold water. Wring it out, and place in on his/her forehead.

Step 4: Leave the hot towels over your friends' chest and under his/her back for 3 minutes. Repeat with a new set of hot towels and leave for another 3 minutes.

Step 5: Remove the towel from the chest. Take a washcloth from the cold water. Wrap it around your hand to form a mitt. Rub down the chest and abdomen for about 30 seconds.

Step 6: Repeat this two more times (e.g. hot fomentation for 3 minutes followed by cold application for 30 seconds).

Step 7: Remove the last set of hot towels. Fill the jug with cold water. Lift your friends' feet out of the hot water and pour the cold water over them.

Step 8: Dip one of the washcloths in the ice cold water and wring it out. Rub down your friends' entire body with a cold washcloth. Start with his/her hands and arms. Next, rub their chest and back, and then finally, the feet and legs. Dip the wash cloth in the cold water from time to time. Do not uncover the whole body at one time. Only uncover the one area that you are working on. Dry each part as you go and cover it up again so that your friend stays warm.

Step 9: Once your friend is wrapped up again, keep him/her warm and allow him/her to rest for 30 minutes.

~ Hot Fomentation Video Demonstration ~

If you're visual, like me, you'll really appreciate this 10 part video series that I found. It shows you step-by-step how to do a hot fomentation to the chest.

This series is hosted by Agatha Thrash, MD from Uchee Pines Institute in Alabama. Besides a practical demonstration, it also contains some valuable information about H1N1 and the H1N1 vaccine. You won't want to miss it!

For your convenience, I've posted all 10 videos on this website!



Part 1



Part 2



Part 3



Part 4



Part 5



Part 6



Part 7



Part 8



Part 9



Part 10



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