All of us in childhood, mothers and grandmothers with colds put a compress. This tool has always been considered very effective and effective and has been used for a long time. This method of treatment is considered folk, but it is often prescribed by pediatricians and doctors for various diseases.
What is a compress?
Compresses are different, and the effect also has a different effect. Compress is nothing more than a dressing. That is how this word is interpreted. Compresses are wet and dry. Dry are used by doctors to protect the bruise or damage from pollution, cooling. They are prepared very simply: several layers of gauze and cotton wool are fixed with a bandage on the affected area of the body.
Wet compresses are a kind of physiotherapeutic procedure. At the same time, gauze with cotton wool is impregnated with an appropriate solution and applied to the site of injury. Wet compresses are divided into cold, hot and warming. The alcohol compress known to us since childhood is warming. What is it used for? How to do it correctly, for what diseases? You will learn about all this from our article.
How to make an alcohol compress?
With colds, probably the most commonly used and affordable home remedy is it - a compress. Despite the simplicity of preparation and cheapness, this tool is one of the most effective in a number of diseases.
So how to make an alcohol compress? This is completely uncomplicated. From its very name it becomes clear that you will need alcohol. It can be replaced with the most ordinary vodka. Also purchase gauze (you can replace it with a wide bandage) and cotton wool in a roll. You will also need a plastic bag and a scarf, preferably woolen and old. Indeed, from alcohol, if it gets on the thing, it may well shed fabric.
So the process itself:
- Dilute alcohol with water in a ratio of 1: 3. If you use vodka, then for adults it is not necessary to dilute it, but for children the situation is different: it is also necessary to dilute it (in a 1: 1 ratio).
- Heat the mixture to such a state that it is hot, but the hand "tolerated" the temperature.
- Soak gauze in a hot solution. A piece of it should be thick, folded in several layers.
- Squeeze the gauze so that it remains quite wet, but also drops so that it does not flow from it.
- Spread the right spot (such as neck skin) with oil or a very oily cream. This will save you from possible burns.
- Put gauze on a sore spot.
- Lay the bag on top so that it covers the entire gauze with a margin of 2-3 cm on each side.
- Put a thick piece of cotton on the bag. It is convenient to cut it off a roll, such are sold in any pharmacy.
- On top of the wool, you need to fix a warm bandage in the form of a scarf. This is convenient to do if the compress is placed on the throat or knee. The scarf will enhance the warming effect.
If sore throat
Colds are often accompanied by sore throats. This can be caused by tonsillitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis. Each sip is accompanied by pain, which you want to get rid of as quickly as possible.
And one of the most effective methods of treatment is a compress! It is done in a course, within 4-7 days, but, as a rule, significant relief comes after 1–2 procedures.
How to make an alcohol compress on the throat? The instructions in this case are the same as described above. One procedure should last from 6 to 8 hours, so doing such a compress is better at night.
If a sore throat is also accompanied by a runny nose, then it is very useful to add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to the compress.
If ear hurts
How to make an alcohol compress if the disease affects the ear? In this case, the procedure is slightly different, and the mixture for the preparation of the compress will also be different. To treat otitis media (not purulent!), Camphor oil is mixed with alcohol in a ratio of 10: 1. A bandage is applied directly to the site of inflammation, that is, to the ear itself.
How to do it?
- Take a square piece of gauze folded in several layers (5-6) measuring approximately 10 x 10 cm.
- Make a cut in the middle of the gauze.
- Soak the cloth in a pre-prepared alcohol solution with camphor oil.
- Gauze is attached to the ear. In this case, the auricle is outside, is threaded into a slot made.
- On top of gauze and ear lay a plastic bag.
- Put cotton on the bag.
- A piece of flannel or woolen cloth can also be placed on top of the wool to enhance the warming effect.
- The entire bandage is fixed with a bandage, wrapping it around the head.
Such a compress is left for 6-8 hours and is done 1 time per day.
As a solution, you can use other mixtures: ordinary vodka, all the same diluted alcohol. Of which particular remedy will be most effective in each particular case, of course, it is better to consult with your doctor.
If you cough
What to do if an evil cold has spread to the lungs and the cough keeps you awake?
And in this case, the compress can help. True, it is not recommended to prescribe such a treatment on your own, because coughing cough is different. For example, with bronchitis, the compress is contraindicated. But if the doctor gave the go-ahead, let's find out how to make an alcohol compress for coughing?
- Dissolve the same amount of honey in one tablespoon of hot sunflower oil. Add one tablespoon of vodka or alcohol diluted with water (in a 1: 3 ratio), mix.
- Take a thick piece of cloth, preferably canvas (not thin cotton or gauze to avoid burns).
- Cut the fabric to fit your back.
- Moisten the canvas in the mixture prepared in advance, squeeze a little and apply on the upper back (on the lung area).
- On top of the tissue in the lung area, put 4 mustard plasters along the spine. Mustard plasters should lie with their back to their backs (that is, not “hot”).
- Cover it all with a bag.
- Tie crosswise with a scarf, preferably woolen.
- Lie on your back and hold the compress for 2-3 hours.
This procedure must be done 1 time per day in a course of 3 days.
Indications and contraindications for alcohol compress
When can and should I make an alcohol compress? It is indicated for diseases and troubles such as:
- tracheitis;
- laryngitis;
- otitis media (but not purulent!);
- gout;
- cervical and lumbar osteochondrosis;
- bruises;
- inflamed injuries;
- rheumatism;
- radiculitis.
You can not do an alcohol compress:
- at a temperature;
- in places affected by lichen, fungus;
- to places that are damaged mechanically (scratches, wounds);
- with purulent otitis media;
- with bronchitis;
- babies under the age of 1 year.
Small children from one to three years old are not recommended to put an alcohol compress. If your child is more than three years old, but you still doubt whether it is possible to make a compress (alcohol) for a child, be sure to consult your pediatrician!
Main mistakes
What mistakes do people make when they first give themselves or a loved one an alcohol compress? Let us once again focus on this in order to avoid them and not harm the body instead of benefit.
- Do not smear the skin at the compress with cream or oil. Do not neglect this, and then burns do not threaten you!
- Forget or change the sequence of compress layers, in this case, losing the entire effectiveness of the procedure. Do not forget: wet gauze must be covered with a waterproof film! So you will avoid the evaporation of alcohol.
- Wrong dilute alcohol. Remember - alcohol is better to dilute with water more than less. Then the skin will thank you. Children need to dilute with water not only alcohol, but even vodka (1: 1)!
And always remember the basic rule: an alcohol compress is only an additional treatment for colds and other diseases. Such treatment, despite the many years of experience of our mothers and grandmothers, it is advisable to use under the supervision of your doctor.