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| may cause complications, especially in combination with other medications, it is worth trying. |
| Compresses and Fomentations |
| A compress is an application of cold herbal tea on a saturated towel, diaper or thick cloth. Use medicinal-strength infusions or decoctions for this purpose. The herb arnica, a mild heart stimulant, is not recommended for internal use because of its potential side effects, but strong arnica tea makes an effective compress for the heart when applied externally. |
| To use arnica tea this way, soak a cloth in cold tea and wring it just until it stops dripping. The compress should be wet enough to stay cold for several minutes. When it warms to body temperature, soak it again, adding ice as needed to keep the tea cold. Repeat until the treatment has lasted 15 to 20 minutes. Dry the skin gently. |
| A fomentation is a hot compress. Fomentations increase circulation and help clear respiratory congestion. Wearing rubber gloves, saturate a thick cloth with strong, hot, strained tea; wring it gently, then unfold it to let it cool slightly. You don't want it to burn or scald, but for best results it must be as hot as possible. Test the temperature against your inner arm. When it's hot but not too hot, apply it to the desired area and cover it with a thick folded towel to retain heat. Repeat after 5 or 10 minutes. For best results, continue for 15 to 30 minutes. Obviously, this and any other treatment should be stopped if the person becomes uncomfortable or if the skin becomes irritated. |
| Ginger fomentations placed over the kidneys are a |
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