Hot and Cold Alternate Compress on Abdomen

Requisites: Two pieces of Khaddar or towel–type cloth folded into 6 or 8 layers.
Water temperature: Tolerable warm water, cold tap water.
Procedure: Soak one piece of cloth in warm water and after wringing out the excess water, keep the cloth on the abdomen for three minutes. To maintain the cloth’s warmth, place a hot water bag or another cloth soaked in warm water on it. After three minutes, remove it and keep a cloth soaked in cold water over the abdomen for only one minute. Repeat this alternate process three times, but the last compress (cold) should be for three minutes. On the advice of the Naturopath, the treatment can be varied by keeping warm compress for 5 minutes and cold for 2 minutes alternatively.
Uses: This treatment is given for relieving gastro–intestinal gases, hyperacidity, constipation and to increase secretion of gastric juices, to relieve congestion in liver and gall bladder.
Contra–indications: This treatment can be given on any painful part of the body, except the heart.
Note: During summer when ordinary water is not cold, ice water or water stored in earthen pots overnight, preferably on the terrace of the house, can be used for cold compress.

Hot and Cold Lung Compress

Requisites: Hot water bag, cold compress.
Duration: 15–45 minutes.
Procedure: The hot water bag is applied to the back and cold application is made over the lungs, extending from the lower half of the neck in the front up to the lowest rib. The fomentation diverts the blood from the arteries of the lungs dilating the blood vessels of the intercostals, while the cold compress contracts the arteries of the lungs. This effect can be improved by hot bath or hot pack given to the legs at the same time.
Uses: This application is useful in treating the earlier stages of pneumonia and acute congestion in the lungs. In cases of asthma, the procedure has to be reversed. Ice compress is to be applied on the back of the neck and head while the fomentation is to be applied over the whole front part of the chest, extending from collar bone to umbilicus. Later, the fomentation may be extended to the back.