What is a chest wrap?
A chest wrap is a poultice around the chest that extends from the armpit to the costal arch. The home remedy has been used for centuries to relieve typical symptoms of respiratory diseases. Thus, chest compresses help with bronchitis and cough.
In case of mild symptoms, they can replace classical orthodox medical measures. In more severe diseases, they can complement – for example, to a treatment with antibiotics – relieve the discomfort and thus increase the general well-being.
A distinction is made between:
- hot chest compresses
- cold chest compresses
Very often chest wraps are made with hot or cold water (moist chest wrap). Various additives such as herbal tea (e.g. thyme tea) or lemon juice can increase the effect of the wrap. For a dry chest compress, potatoes, for example, can be used. Curd cheese and certain essential oils are also popular additives for chest compresses.
How does a chest wrap work?
Hot and cold chest wraps work differently. The choice of the right wrap depends on the discomfort and on the individual sensation of heat or cold.
Cold chest wrap
Hot chest compress
A hot chest compress is recommended for persistent, spasmodic coughs, provided the affected person is free of fever. The warm compress has an antispasmodic effect on the bronchial muscles. It also loosens mucus in the airways and promotes expectoration.
Do not apply hot chest compresses when you have a fever, as they can further increase the already elevated body temperature.
How is a chest compress made?
Whether hot or cold, a chest wrap consists of three layers of fabric: the first goes directly on the skin of the chest. The fabric – if it is to be a wet chest wrap – is soaked in hot or cool water beforehand (possibly with the addition of lemon juice or essential oils such as eucalyptus, peppermint or thyme). The wet inner towel is then wrung out and wrapped tightly around the breast. Make sure that there are no wrinkles in the process. A clean, dry intermediate towel is placed over this as a second layer. The final layer is a warming outer towel, which is spread over the intermediate and inner towel and pulled tight.
For each layer should be used fabrics made of natural fibers, because synthetic fibers do not allow enough air and moisture. For example, linen is recommended for the inner towel. For the intermediate towel, you can use, for example, hand or kitchen towels made of cotton. Wool is recommended for the warming outer towel.
Make sure that the temperature of the chest wrap is appropriate. A hot chest wrap should not be so hot that it burns the skin (check the temperature of the inner cloth on the inside of the forearm first). A cold chest wrap should never be ice cold, as this would put too much strain on the cardiovascular system.
Chest compress with lemon, curd or potatoes
The soothing effect of a chest compress can be further enhanced with certain additives. Lemon juice, curd cheese and potatoes have proven particularly effective for this purpose:
- Chest wrap with lemon: Here the anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic effect of the lemon is used. For the lemon wrap, add the juice of one fruit to 250 ml of warm water and soak the inner cloth in the lemon water.
- Chest wrap with potatoes: For this, use cooked, still warm, mashed potatoes, which are placed in the inner cloth. The potatoes retain heat and thus enhance the effect of the wrap. But be careful – after cooking, let the potatoes cool down a bit before using them for the chest wrap. Otherwise, you run the risk of painfully burning your chest.
Chest wrap with essential oils
A cool chest compress with lavender can gently reduce fever. In addition, the medicinal plant has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, disinfectant and sedative effects. For the poultice, add three to five drops of lavender oil to a liter of water. Its temperature should be two degrees less than the current body temperature of the patient. You use this oil-water mixture to make the moist chest compress (as described above). Ideally, the lavender chest wrap is applied in the evening before bedtime and left overnight.
How is a chest wrap applied?
During a chest wrap treatment, the patient should lie relaxed on the back.
Hot chest wraps should remain on the chest as long as the affected person finds them warm and comfortable.
Cold chest wraps work by stimulating the organism to warm the affected part of the body. If this effect does not occur after ten minutes, you should remove the wrap. Otherwise, leave it on until an intense feeling of warmth develops. This generally happens after 45 to 75 minutes.
After removing the wrap, the affected person should rest a little – at least 15 minutes of rest in bed or on the sofa is recommended. A chest wrap should generally be applied no more than two or three times per day, sometimes less. Thus, chest compresses with essential oils are usually recommended only once a day.
For what ailments does a chest compress help?
Chest compresses help with bronchitis and cough. In case of pneumonia as well as asthma, they can have analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, in addition to medicinal treatment.
When is it not recommended to use chest compresses?
Do not use chest compresses in the following cases:
- Heart or circulatory problems associated with intolerance to strong heat treatments (hot chest compresses).
- Circulatory disorders
- hypersensitivity to cold or heat
- when a cold chest compress does not develop a feeling of warmth
- open skin injuries or skin irritations in the chest area
- disturbed perception of cold or heat stimuli (e.g. in diabetes mellitus)
Anyone who is hypersensitive to certain essential oils should not make chest compresses with them. With children, you should generally first discuss the use of essential oils with a specialist, for example an experienced doctor or an aromatherapist.
This is because some oils can cause respiratory distress, especially in babies and young children. In the case of certain underlying diseases such as epilepsy and asthma, you should also first talk to your doctor before using essential oils for chest compresses or other healing applications.
