Things You'll Need:
- Clean cloth sized to the area to be treated
- Essentials oils
- Plastic wrap
- Bowl of water, preferably distilled
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Step 1
Select an essential oil that will treat the injury or ailment. Eucalyptus gives relief for sunburn, headaches, muscle aches and sprains. Ginger gives warm relief to muscle aches and stiffness, and helps prevent winter colds. Use chamomile for rashes, headaches and menstrual cramps. Lavender helps relieve migraines and cystitis pain.
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Step 2
Apply hot or cold compresses appropriately. Hot compresses increase circulation and relieve muscle aches. You can also use hot compresses for arthritis, boils, cystitis, rheumatism and menstrual cramps. Cold compresses reduce swelling and are applied for fever, headaches, sprains ans swollen areas. Some conditions such as sprains and arthritis call for alternating cold and hot compresses.
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Step 3
Prepare a cold compress with two drops each of lavender oil and tea tree oil, two tablespoons of witch hazel and one pint of cold water. Tea tree and lavender speed up healing and witch hazel is an old remedy for swelling.
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Step 4
Prepare a compress after a sports injury. Alternate hot and cold compression over the injured area. Three to four drops each of ginger and lavender in one half cup of water stimulates circulation, repels toxins and helps to reduce swelling. You can add three drops each of either cypress or eucalyptus to cool and stimulate.
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Step 5
Ease a headache with a cold compress. Add two drops chamomile and one drop lemon, which are soothing painkillers. This blend works well on summer headaches from over-exposure to sunlight. Apply to forehead in a quiet, darkened room for thirty minutes.
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Step 6
Make your compress. Use a clean, cotton cloth that fits the area you need to treat.. A wash cloth or cotton dish towel may work. Cut to size, if you need to do so. Soak the cloth in one pint of water and the oils you need to use. The process is the same for hot or cold compresses. Heat with care in a microwave. Cool in freezer.
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Step 7
Wring out excess liquid and place over affected area. Use plastic wrap and a bandage to keep the compress in place. Leave on until the compress warms or cools to body temperature. Redo as needed.
