Essential oils for baths: benefits and rules of use

“Why did you go to the bathhouse? Don’t you have a bath at home?” - Ippolit asked the unlucky Lukashin in the film “The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!”

In Soviet times, few knew that the bathhouse was a powerful physiotherapeutic procedure that could both improve human health and harm it. The director of the Institute of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences of NSU says Lesgafta, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Andrey Kalinin .

— The bath procedure activates thermoregulation. When a person enters a steam room, his body temperature rises, blood vessels dilate, skin cleanses, and skin respiration intensifies. Together with sweat, electrolytes, metabolic products and excess fluid leave the body. Staying in a bathhouse enhances inhibitory processes in the central nervous system, causing a sedative (calming) effect. The endocrine system perceives “general inhibition” as stress and activates the function of the endocrine glands, increasing the production of hormones. Therefore, after a bath, a person experiences a feeling of relaxation and vigor at the same time.

Article on the topic

Steam for the “clean” public. How the first bathhouse appeared in Moscow The steam room is an excellent exercise machine for the heart and blood vessels. Studies have shown that bathhouse regulars have a lower risk of developing hypertension than those who bypass it. The sauna also has a beneficial effect on the respiratory system. Under the influence of heat, the bronchi expand, the frequency and depth of breathing increase, which activates heat transfer and compensates for the lack of oxygen in the internal organs.

Dousing yourself with cool water after a steam room deserves a separate discussion.

When immersed in cold water, the vessels first narrow (blood from the periphery rushes to the internal organs), and when the blood flow is directed in the opposite direction, they expand. During short-term douches, water does not have time to take away enough heat, but it has a powerful effect on the nervous system (increasing its tone, which allows you to remain calm in difficult situations) and on the immune system. However, the powerful physiotherapeutic bath effect can only be used if there are no contraindications.

The effect of treating cough in a bath

For diseases of the upper respiratory tract, it is recommended to do inhalation - breathe over steam. This allows you to soften the cough and speed up the discharge of sputum. A similar effect can be achieved by steaming in a bathhouse or sauna. The following happens:

• toxins are eliminated;
• the cough becomes wet, the bronchi are cleared of phlegm;
• metabolism improves;
• relieves nervous tension;
• the body's immunity is strengthened;
• general well-being is normalized.

Methods of application

There are several ways to use essential oils in a steam room:

• using aromatic water: 5–7 drops of oil are added to 300 ml of water poured into a metal container with a wide neck and placed on the heater;
• applying oil to the walls of the steam room, for this a few drops of oil are spread over the surface with strokes, preferably closer to the floor, the temperature there is lower, the oil will evaporate more slowly;
• splashing aromatic water on the heater, the steam is distributed throughout the steam room, carrying with it particles of ether.

Volatile substances contained in ethers easily penetrate the body through breathing and open pores; such methods are equally effective both for treating diseases and for aromatherapy and improving the condition of skin and hair.

To dissolve the oil in water, you need to use some kind of emulsifier. That is, the ether is first added to a teaspoon of sea salt or honey, and then dissolved in water. The same mixture can be added to the water for steaming a broom, then the benefits of its use will increase several times.

Essential oils can also be used depending on the time of year. In winter, it is better to use esters that have a bactericidal effect to prevent seasonal diseases, for example, coniferous ones, and in summer, oils with refreshing and tonic effects, such as citrus fruits, are suitable.

Some oils combine well with each other, enhancing each other’s actions:

• to remove waste and toxins from the body: four drops of lemon and juniper esters, 2 drops of sandalwood;
• for weight loss and cellulite elimination: five drops of juniper and tangerine esters and seven drops of lemon;
• for a calming effect and elimination of nervousness: three drops of ylang-ylang and orange esters, five drops of bergamot;
• to improve immunity: five drops of spruce and eucalyptus esters, three drops of peppermint;
• to improve the condition of the skin and heal the skin: three drops of lemon and rose esters, four drops of lavender.

Essential oils should never be dropped onto hot stones, as they are flammable.

Bath massages

Another great way to heal your body is bath massages using essential oils. They are done in two main ways:

• using a bath broom. This device has been popular since time immemorial: most often steamed with birch, but there may be other options: oak, fir, linden and others. The broom is soaked in water with the addition of a few drops of essential oil or a mixture of oils dissolved in an emulsifier. A proper massage begins with stroking from the feet to the head, in the opposite direction on the sides, then with patting movements throughout the body. The use of a broom increases blood circulation, the skin becomes more receptive to essential oils, in addition, with the help of the wind, hot steam, saturated with the beneficial elements of the ether, is drawn to the body. This massage will help get rid of many diseases;
• classic oil massage. A base oil is used as a base; it can be olive, jojoba, grape seed or any other. Essential oil is added to it at the rate of 3-4 drops per 10 ml. oils It is better to prepare the massage mixture immediately before use, but if this is not possible, you can add a few drops of an oil solution of vitamin E; it will inhibit the oxidation of beneficial substances. The mixture is applied to the skin. In this case, the movements can be very diverse: pressing, point-like, stroking. If the purpose of the massage is to combat cellulite, gentle pinching movements and the use of massage jars or gloves will be useful. Which essential oil to add depends on the purpose of the massage. Classic massage is an ideal option for improving skin condition, combating excess weight and treating skin diseases.

Massage with a bath broom is a very useful and pleasant healing bath procedure.

Rules for using essential oils in the bath

For proper use of oil in the steam room, you should pay attention to the following recommendations:

• Any essential oil can cause allergies, so it is very important to check for individual reactions to it before visiting a bath or sauna. In addition, here the body is in unusual and even extreme conditions of high humidity and temperature, which means it is more vulnerable to the effects of substances. To do this, a drop of ether diluted in base oil is applied to the inner bend of the elbow or the aroma of the oil is inhaled. If redness, itching, or sneezing occur, you should not use the oil. You should also pay close attention to your odor tolerance. The bathhouse is a place of rest and relaxation, and everything should bring only pleasure. If you don't like the scent, it's better not to use it;
• essential oils have a number of contraindications for use, you need to read them very carefully;
• the first time you need to add three to four drops of essential oil to a liter of water, and inhale its vapors for no more than two minutes; if the body tolerates the ether well, you can increase the concentration of the substance and the duration of the procedure;
• Before pouring water with essential oil onto hot stones, you need to pour clean water over them to lower their temperature;
• You should not use essential oils in a bath more than once a week.

Before visiting a bath or sauna, you should definitely get acquainted with essential oil, this way you can protect yourself from individual reactions of the body in unusual conditions

Is it possible to take a steam bath if you have a cough?

You can take a bath with a cough without visiting the steam room, but the pleasure from such a procedure will be much less. Steam is also necessary to cure cough and eliminate other symptoms of the disease.

You need to treat a cough by following these recommendations:

1. Staying in the steam room for a long time can be dangerous, so you should not overdo it. It is better to go there several times, but for short periods of time. Before going to the steam room, you need to take a warm shower or sit in the dressing room. You need to gradually increase the time you spend in the sauna.
2. During and after visiting the sauna, the body loses fluid, so you will have to drink a lot. This could be clean water, warm milk with honey or butter, hot tea with medicinal herbs. Doctors recommend using plants that have a mucolytic (expectorant) effect: chamomile, licorice, plantain, coltsfoot. The choice of ingredients depends on the accompanying symptoms and nature of the cough.
3. If your health worsens, you need to end the bath procedures.
4. You are not allowed to drink alcohol in the sauna. The combination of ethanol, high air humidity and heat worsens the condition of the cardiovascular system and can cause death.
5. You need to enter the steam room for the last time half an hour before going outside or earlier. This is necessary to ensure that the body is completely dry and cool. You should get home as soon as possible (preferably by taxi or your own car). It is necessary to have as little contact with cold air as possible, since a sharp change in temperature in a weakened body can cause an exacerbation of the disease.
6. To prevent the cough from getting worse, after leaving the bath you need to dry yourself with a towel, dry your hair, and put on warm clothes. Exposure to low temperatures (pouring cold water, immersion in an ice hole, etc.) is best avoided.

Those who do not know whether to take a steam bath when coughing should consult a doctor.

Treatment of severe cough with Doctor MOM® drugs

Medicines based on herbal components from the Doctor MOM® line can be used to treat both unproductive and unproductive severe cough. Due to the multidirectional action of the active substances that make up the syrup, they produce anti-inflammatory, bronchodilator, mucolytic and expectorant effects. For the treatment of adults, any of the products from the Doctor MOM® line can be used (in the absence of contraindications and individual sensitivity to the components of the drug), and children are prescribed syrup Doctor MOM® and Doctor MOM® Phyto ointment (from 3 years of age).

When going to the bathhouse is prohibited

A cough bath is contraindicated in the following cases:

1. Acute stage of the disease. If a cold lasts for several days and is accompanied by severe symptoms (severe runny nose, watery eyes, sore throat, debilitating cough), you should not visit the bathhouse. High temperature will provoke the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms, which will lead to an exacerbation of the disease and the development of complications: bronchitis, pneumonia, bronchial asthma.
2. Body temperature exceeding 37°C. As body temperature rises, the load on the heart increases. If you go to the bathhouse in this condition, the organ will have to work hard. This is fraught with the development of heart attacks and other complications requiring immediate hospitalization.
3. Headache. If you have a severe headache, you should avoid going to the sauna. High temperature increases the load on the cardiovascular system. The result may be a deterioration in general health and loss of consciousness.
4. Herpes. This viral disease is accompanied by the appearance of blisters on the skin and mucous membranes. They can be located in the nose, lips and other parts of the body. Exposure to heat for herpes is contraindicated, as it promotes the spread of pathogens.
5. Age up to 7 years. Children are washed in a bathhouse if they are over 7 years old. Visiting the steam room at an earlier age is prohibited, since young children do not always report a deterioration in their well-being.
6. Diseases accompanied by prolonged reflex shocks. If the patient has such diseases (tuberculosis, cancer, bronchial asthma), going to the bathhouse is contraindicated.

Other contraindications to visiting the sauna are: cerebrovascular accidents, changes in intracranial or blood pressure, whooping cough, epilepsy.

Causes of severe cough

The most likely causes of a very severe cough are inflammatory diseases of the upper and lower respiratory tract: pharyngitis, laryngitis, tracheitis, bronchitis, pneumonia and their combinations (laryngotracheitis, tracheobronchitis). Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the respiratory organs can be caused by infectious and non-infectious factors. Infectious inflammation results from infection with viruses, bacteria or fungi. Non-infectious inflammation develops with allergies and in response to irritating substances (tobacco smoke, industrial dust, chemical agents). In addition, other reasons can lead to a severe cough:

• non-inflammatory respiratory diseases;
• heart failure;
• neuroses.

A doctor should determine the exact cause and give recommendations on what and how to cure a severe cough.

STRONG IMMUNITY IS A RELIABLE BARRIER AGAINST COLDS AND ARVI

The child's health depends on his immunity. With good immune protection, children get sick less often, tolerate colds and infectious diseases more easily, and recover faster. The immunomodulatory drug Anaferon for children will help support the children's immune system during its formation and restore it after illness.

This product has been used in pediatrics for more than 10 years. The advantages of Anaferon for children are a mild effect, a high safety profile, and effectiveness in repeated treatment and preventive courses. The drug can be used in children from 1 month of life. If necessary, the tablets can be dissolved in water and given to children along with drinks.

Interesting articles:

• ● Temperature 37 °C: causes and treatment

IS IT POSSIBLE TO BATH A CHILD WITH ARVI?

Doctors diagnose many children with “acute respiratory viral infection” (ARVI) more than 10 times a year. The average duration of the disease is from 3 to 10 days. Naturally, the question arises: is it worth bathing the baby during this period?

According to pediatricians, water procedures should be abandoned only if the child is severely weakened and has a high temperature. There are no other restrictions for swimming or walking outdoors. On the contrary, water procedures for a runny nose and cough are useful (even for a newborn) because:

• they help normalize the process of thermoregulation of the body;
• during washing, germs and toxins released with sweat are washed away;
• sneezing is provoked, through which pathogenic microbes are eliminated.

If the child does not feel well and is capricious, refuse the procedure or perform a light rubdown.

When answering the question whether it is possible to bathe a child with ARVI, pediatricians also pay attention to:

• water temperature (within 37–380С);
• air temperature in the bathroom (not lower than +250C);
• duration of the procedure (5–15 minutes).

IS IT POSSIBLE TO BATH A CHILD WITH A COLD, AND IF YES, HOW?

A cold means hypothermia of the body, which leads to a decrease in the body's immune defense. The result of a cold can be various inflammatory diseases and exacerbations of chronic diseases (for example, chronic rhinitis, sinusitis or bronchitis).

If your baby becomes hypothermic during a walk, starts sneezing and coughing after drinking cold water, or after running barefoot on a cold floor, the answer to the question of whether it is possible to bathe a child with a cold will be positive. Bathing should be avoided if the child has a fever or chills, the body temperature has risen above 380C, he is very weak, is capricious and has lost his appetite.

The most important thing when bathing is to prevent your baby from getting hypothermic. The water should be 1–2 degrees higher than usual, and the duration of water procedures should be reduced to 10–15 minutes. During this time, the child will warm up in warm water. After the bath, you should immediately wipe him dry and dress him in warm clothes or wrap him well. Then it is recommended to give a warm drink and put him to bed.

Do not forget about strengthening the immune system during a cold - if the body is weakened, Anaferon for children will help restore its protective function - a drug that has a mild immunomodulatory and antiviral effect.