Aromatherapy Compresses

You’ll find that making your own aromatherapy compress is an easy and effective way to apply healing essential oils to the skin. Compresses are a simple and useful way of treating a wide range of conditions with essential oils. A piece of clean cloth, a fowl of water (hot or cold, depending on the condition your are treating), your essential oils and some plastic wrap are all you need to make an aromatherapy compress.

Applying a hot or cold compress alone is known to be beneficial in treating sprains, bruises and muscular aches and pains. By adding essential oils, with properties specific to the condition you need to treat will have even greater therapeutic effects. When you make a compress, try to remember to keep the size of the cloth in proportion to the area being treated.

There are many essential oils that can be applied in compresses, although a few are particularly versatile and may be used to help with a wide range of conditions.

Eucalyptus, relieves sunburn, sprains, arthritis, muscular pain and headaches.

Ginger warms stiff or aching muscles and wards off winter colds.

Chamomile is useful in treating sunburn, rashes, sprains, menstrual cramps, headaches and burns.

Lavender helps to alleviate bruises, sunburn, rashes, sprains, burns, migraine headaches and the pain of cystitis.

From cuts and grazes to bruises, sprains, and strains, essential oils with compresses have healing properties that can significantly help in the recovery process.

To treat for minor bruises after a heavy blow use a cold compress comprised of 2 drops of lavender oil, 2 drops of tea tree oil, 2 tablespoons of witch hazel and add to 1 pint of cold water. The tea tree and lavender oils speed up the body’s healing processes. Astringent witch hazel, available from the pharmacist, is an ancient remedy for reducing bruising.  Apply this cold compress to alleviate minor bruises.

Sprains and strains are a fact of life if you’re involved in sports, but they needn’t put you out of the game. Fast, effective treatment can ensure that you’re soon fit and back on the field. For a first aid remedy for sports and other injuries, it is best to apply alternate hot and cold compresses over the affected area.

To stimulate circulation, dispel toxins and reduce sweelling, use 1/2 cup of water with 3-4 drops of ginger and 3-4 drops of lavender.  An alternative blend for your compress would be 3 drops of cypress and 3 drops of eucalyptus. Eucalyptus will cool the affected area, while cypress oil will also stimulate the circulation.

To ease headaches, make a cold compress in 1/2 cup of water using 2 drops of chamomile, 3 drops of lavender and 1 drop of lemon. Both chamomile and lavender have powerful painkilling and soothing properties. The lemon will cool and refresh. This is a useful blend for summer headaches caused by too much sun. Apply a compress to the forehead, then relax in a quiet, darkened room for half an hour.

Should your compress be HOT or COLD?

Hot and cold compresses are used to treat different conditions and it is important to know when to use which type of compress. HOT compresses increase circulation to the affected area and work to relieve muscular aches and pains. They can also be use for Abscesses, Arthritis, Boils, Cystitis, Menstrual cramps, Muscle cramps and Rheumatism.

COLD compresses especially those incorporating ice, will reduce swelling. They can be applied to help with Bruises, Fever, Headaches, Inflammation, Sprains and Swellings. For sprains, arthritis or rheumatism, alternate between hot and cold compresses, changing the compress every three minutes, and finishing with a cold compress.

Compresses are simply cloths soaked in water to which you add your essential oils. The process of making them is the same whether hot or cold apart from the temperature of the water.  Add 6 drops of your required oils to 1 pint of water in a bowl. Place a piece of cotton cloth on the surface of the water to soak. Wring out all the excess water and place the wet, infused cloth over the skin of the area that needs treating. Cover the compress with plastic wrap and bandage or cover with a towel to keep the compress in place if necessary. Leave the compress in place until it has cooled or warmed to your body temperature. Re-soak and apply again as required.

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