Hot compress, as a traditional health care method, its benefits are often overlooked by us. It can bring a series of positive health effects through the warm touch that penetrates the skin. For example, placing a hot towel on the back of the head for a few minutes can stimulate acupoints, help alleviate dizziness in some people, and improve reaction speed and mental clarity. Mild stiff neck problems can also be relieved by combining hot compress with gentle neck movement. Try slowly tilting the head forward and gently turning it to soothe tense muscles.
When experiencing eye fatigue, hot compress around the eyes can promote blood circulation, reduce eye pressure, and be beneficial for relieving dry eye symptoms and refreshing the mind. In addition, gentle heat compress on the ears can improve blood circulation, reduce the risk of functional deafness due to poor blood circulation. Early discomfort in the cervical spine, such as stiffness and mild pain, can also be effectively relieved by hot compress to prevent the condition from worsening.
For chronic lower back pain, sore hips, menstrual pain in women, or cold abdominal pain, hot compress is a simple and practical home remedy. It is worth noting that hot compress should not be applied in the early stage of contusion injuries. Generally, it should be done 48 to 72 hours after the injury to ensure no bleeding or swelling before proceeding. In the case of hard lumps formed after injection, hot compress combined with gentle massage can promote blood circulation in that area and accelerate drug absorption.
Adding salt or Chinese medicine to the hot compress can enhance the therapeutic effect. Salt compress is especially suitable for various pains caused by cold or weak constitution. The principle is that heated salt not only provides heat but also penetrates the kidney meridians, effectively alleviating neck, shoulder, back, and leg pain caused by cold and dampness. Chinese medicine compress is based on the principle of differentiation and treatment in traditional Chinese medicine, using specific decocted herbs for hot compress, which has significant effects on cold-related diseases and pain. It is often combined with modern techniques in clinical practice, such as Chinese medicine ion introduction therapy, helping many patients relieve symptoms such as lumbar disc herniation.
However, while enjoying the benefits of hot compress, it is also necessary to be cautious of several common misconceptions. Not everyone is suitable for hot compress, especially those with abnormal skin sensitivity or specific diseases, such as diabetic neuropathy patients, who must carefully control the hot compress temperature to avoid burns. In addition, hot compress is mainly suitable for cold-related diseases. People with a hot constitution, prone to heat or specific heat-related symptoms should not use it. The hot compress temperature should be maintained between 40 and 50 degrees Celsius, the duration controlled to about 20 minutes, and it should be avoided to apply prolonged fixed hot compress on the same area to prevent burns. Only by correctly mastering the methods and precautions of hot compress can this ancient therapy serve our health safely and effectively.
