Know Aromatherapy Compresses - Hot Compresses, Cold Compresses, Eye Compress

Aromatherapy compresses concentrate the aromatherapy oil on a specific part of your body. In order to make a compress, simply add four to five drops of the essential oil or different oil blends to a cup of water. Soak a cloth in the mixture and apply it on the body part. For cold compresses, cold water is used, and for hot compresses, we use hot water. A hot compress improves the circulation, cleanses your body and opens the body pores. It will also provide relief to muscles and neck. Cold compress helps in relieving itching, inflammation, and swelling of the body. An instant cold compress is a good way of reducing inflammation and bringing relief on a sultry summer’s day.

Oils to use:

Though there are more than 100 essential oils available today, the following oils are used most frequently for making aromatherapy compresses:
• Eucalyptus: helps in sunburn, muscular cramps and headaches
• Ginger: good for muscle pain and cold
• Chamomile: effective for sunburn, cramps, headaches and rashes
• Lavender: treats anxiety, bruises, migraine, burns and rashes

Eye Compress:

The eye compress helps you when you have a cold. People normally apply the eye compress when lying down for a nap. It can be heated in a microwave to provide moist heat that will help in healing. The compress gives off a wonderful fragrance that soothes the nerves and mind.
Using a compress after a long, weary day is going to relax your body and ease the mind. Simply take a piece of cloth that fits comfortably over the eyes. Soak it in the mixture of water and oils, and apply it onto the eyes. Lavender is known to release anxiety and you may use it to calm your mind.

Treatment for Hands and Feet:

Applying a hot aromatherapy compress on your hands and feet is a good way to treat stiffness, pain, and irritation in the skin. The essential oils that penetrate the skin provide relief to all other parts of the body as well. Use cold compresses to reduce swelling or warm compresses to relax stiff muscles. Using hot and cold compresses alternatively is good for varicose veins.
The healing power of hot and cold compresses is magnified when these compresses utilize the therapeutic properties of aromatherapy essential oils. Keep some of these oils handy in your kitchen, and the next time you require a compress, just pour a few drops of the oil onto the compress and let aromatherapy work its magic.