Precautions and contra–indications:

• The temperature of water should be as high as bearable.
• Fomentation should not be overdone as it causes damage to the skin tissues. While giving fomentation in neuralgia care should be taken not to burn the skin.
• Fomentation should be avoided on the heart, head and on the seat of active inflammation (open wound).
• It should not be given over the abdomen in advanced pregnancy and during menstruation period unless otherwise advised by the doctor.

Heating Compress

The heating compress is a cold compress covered up in such a manner that warming occurs soon. The effect is that of a mild application of moist heat. A heating compress consists of three or four folds of linen cloth dipped in cold water and wrung out and covered completely with dry cloth and flannel or blanket to prevent circulation of air and help accumulation of body heat. The duration of the application is minimum one hour, but sometimes can be extended to several hours. If applied at night and the patient falls asleep he/she should not be disturbed. After removing the compress, the area should be rubbed with a wet cloth and dried with a towel.

The heating compress is applied to the throat (throat compress), chest (chest compress/chest pack), abdomen (abdomen compress), joints (joints compress) and so on. In all the compresses mentioned below the water used is cold.

Chest Pack

Chest compress is also known as chest pack.
Requisites: Two cotton chest compresses and a blanket or a flannel compress. The size of the compress should be 2–2 1/2 meter long and 1/2 meter wide depending upon the size of the chest of the patient.
Duration: 1 hour.
Procedure: One cotton compress is dipped in cold water and wrung out. The cloth is placed on the back and the two ends are brought forward under the armpits on each side. The right half is crossed over the left shoulder and the left part over the end, across the right shoulder. Both are again crossed at the back and the ends are brought forward under the armpits and tucked in at the front. Cover this with a dry cloth and then with a flannel. The pack should be as comfortably tight as possible.
Uses: Since this application will have very soothing effect, most of the patients fall asleep within minutes. They should not be disturbed. It is helpful in relieving cold, bronchitis, asthma, pleurisy, pneumonia, fever, cough, and whooping cough etc.