Fomentation

Types of Fomentation:

Five types of fomentation used for patients based on their health conditions. In all five fomentation types different healing materials are used

• Sankara application –Application of herbal boluses to patients. Bolus is fomenting or massaging of the body using herbal suppositories. After massaging boluses unwrapped and applied to body followed by a warm bath.
• Prasthara – Patients are made to lie on bed of leaves of castor, corn, pulse, ginger or ghee etc and a silk or wool blanket covered that causes sweating.
• Nadi – Medicated steam applied through hose to the body or to specified areas of body.
• Parisheka –Hot herbal decoction showered in parisheka using a pitcher, pot or pipe.
• Jentaaka – Patient made to sit near a pond or water source and an oven burning with special herbs in it.

In fomentation ginger root, castor root, black gram, drumstick plant leaves are also used to encourage body to sweat.

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