Bathhouse. Arguments against"
Colds such as flu, ARVI, acute respiratory infections are accompanied by high body temperature. A bath for ARVI (respiratory infection) is beneficial only at the beginning. It will help stop the further progress of the disease. When the malaise has reached a deep stage, visiting a steam room can worsen the condition and lead to the progression of the disease.
Contraindications to baths for influenza
When infected with influenza, it is necessary to remember the reasons for which treatment with a bath is contraindicated:
- the disease does not progress for the first day;
- increased body temperature;
- there are symptoms: headache, weakness, malaise, herpes.
A bath for influenza at the peak of the disease is not a reasonable idea. The temperature load in the steam room will only aggravate the situation and can harm a weakened body. Increased headaches can cause dizziness and fainting. An increase in the load on the cardiovascular system threatens a heart attack. A hot and humid environment has a beneficial effect on the growth of the herpes virus.
Arguments against"
Procedures do not always have a good effect on the body. There are times when a bath can cause complications. Eg:
- Too high a temperature puts additional stress on the blood vessels and heart, which are already weak at the time of the flu. Therefore, if the temperature is more than 37 degrees, then the procedures are contraindicated. Otherwise, you can get a heart attack.
- For severe flu, sessions not only aggravate the symptoms of the disease, but also other chronic pathologies. Bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, and allergies can manifest themselves. In this case, they will immediately appear in an aggravated form.
- Flu is often accompanied by severe headaches. A bath can only increase the pain. In addition, dizziness may occur.
That is, if you have a lingering flu, you should avoid procedures, as this can cause complications.
Bathhouse. Arguments for"
If, after weighing the arguments, a person decides to use bath procedures, then in order for the treatment to be beneficial, you need to follow simple rules:
- If you have a cold, you should not take alcohol to the bathhouse;
- it is necessary to regulate the heat load on the body gradually, avoiding sudden changes;
- splash herbal infusions added to the water onto the heater to cover the steam room with medicinal steam;
- to protect the body from sudden cooling when leaving the steam room for the dressing room, you should throw on a robe;
- repeated visits are possible only if you feel well;
- Do not allow your head to overheat;
- hit with a broom lightly, barely whipping;
- After the steam room, you need to give your body a rest, it’s better to sleep.
What effect does a bath have on the body during a cold?
During illness, many viruses and bacteria are present in the human body. The harmful products of their vital activity are toxins and wastes. Disposal of waste occurs through the genitourinary and lymphatic systems, as well as through the skin. Visiting a bathhouse increases sweating, thereby helping the body get rid of unnecessary toxins and waste as quickly and easily as possible.
Steam, saturated with evaporation of aromatic essential oils, acts on the lungs and bronchi like an inhalation device.
A bath for coughs is good for the lungs. Warm air has a beneficial effect on the circulation of fluids in the body, dilates blood vessels and accelerates blood flow. The lungs strengthen their work and help the body defeat the virus.
The transition to an environment that is 15-20° colder than the bath room is perceived as a good factor - the activity of the immune system increases.
How are bath procedures useful for acute respiratory infections?
Visiting a steam room, if there are no medical contraindications, brings proven benefits. In the steam room, high temperature and air humidity are suitable conditions for coming to the bathhouse with a runny nose. The airways are cleared and congested.
Therapeutic vapors of essential oils and medicinal herbs have a beneficial effect on the lungs. By visiting the sauna with a cough, you can relieve your health - sweating is more intense in the steam room. The body removes harmful toxins.
Painful symptoms (weakness, aching bones and muscles, headache) are relieved. Having sweated well, a person gets rid of the fever.
What effect does a bath have on the body during a cold?
When visiting a bathhouse, everyone knows that proper heating in a steam room with a broom helps remove waste and toxins from the body. When you have a cold, you become saturated with waste from microbes that progress in the body. Their removal is necessary, which occurs through the skin and the urinary system. There is a lot of sweating in the steam room. Is it useful for illness?
Steaming with a broom with a temperature is dangerous.
Experts consider steam to be useful for preventive purposes for a healthy body or one slightly affected by disease. By starting bath procedures at an early stage of the disease, it is possible to cope with the disease. Once the temperature appears, diligence in the bath is not needed. The body fights the virus, maximally activates the immune system. It is difficult for him to cope with additional body heating from the outside. I want more coolness, not an increase in degrees.
The cardiovascular system receives a heavy load. The blood becomes thick, and at high temperatures there is a shortage of fluid and oxygen. The heart may not withstand high stress, even in a trained person.
The main rule of treatment in the bath
In cases where there are no symptoms such as fever, severe headache or surges in blood pressure, it is possible to take the procedures, following the rules of treatment in the bathhouse.
Basic recommendations:
- You can only sit in the steam room on the top shelf, because the temperature of the steam here is higher, and it will gradually become easier to breathe;
- be sure to wear a hat to protect your head from overheating;
- do not abuse your time in the steam room;
- After the first steaming procedure, you should rest for at least 30 minutes, drink tea with raspberries, linden, thyme or currants.
How to behave correctly in a bathhouse at the first signs of a cold?
At the first signs of illness (runny nose, sneezing, sore throat), one visit to the steam room is enough.
A bath during a cold will boost the immune system and trigger natural physiological processes that have a beneficial effect on the body weakened by the disease.
Bath and cough: the hot air of the steam room improves lung function, removes phlegm, and relieves cough.
Disease Prevention
When visiting a bathhouse, you must always monitor your well-being. The patient’s task is to warm up the body well, but not to overload the body, which is already struggling with the disease. No need to rush to the steam room. Go in, undress, sit for 10-15 minutes in the locker room, drink tea with medicinal herbs. Then go to the washing room and wash with warm water. Sit for a while. When the temperature feels comfortable—warm or cool—you can enter the steam room. And don’t be there near the firebox. It is necessary to warm up gradually and evenly. After leaving the steam room, wash yourself in a warm shower, cover yourself with a terry sheet or robe and drink tea again. Sometimes your blood pressure may drop sharply. In this case, you should drink coffee.
Steam, a broom, medicinal herbs - this is how colds and acute respiratory viral infections are treated. The main thing is to go to the bathhouse at the first symptoms of the disease in order to prevent the development of an acute form of the disease. This method is much safer and more useful than taking many medications for a quick recovery.
Therapeutic procedures in the bath
If a cold is accompanied by weakness, then treating a cold in a bathhouse should begin with a quiet stay on the top shelf.
You can steam if your body temperature does not exceed 37°. Allow your body to relax and rest. At this time, it is useful to carry out aromatherapy with bath brooms:
- eucalyptus broom – for sore throat and nasal congestion;
- birch broom - for coughing;
- pine broom – used for air disinfection;
- linden broom - will help relax the nervous system;
- The duration of the procedure is 20 minutes.
Intense sweating in the bath helps in treating colds. To achieve a good result, use various mixtures that are evenly distributed over the surface of the body.
The mixture forms a film that closes the pores and forces the body to secrete sweat more actively. Composition of some mixtures:
- honey and sea salt;
- dry clay diluted with water;
- therapeutic mud.
Essential oils are often used to treat the flu. When buying oils, you should pay attention to the quality of the products - there are many fakes among them. The main indicator is price. The more expensive the oil, the better its composition. Suspiciously low cost - most likely the product is not natural.
Essential oils that are used in the treatment of acute respiratory infections:
- fir;
- lavender;
- pine;
- eucalyptus;
- juniper;
- geranium.
For inhalation, a container of water is placed next to the stove. 10-15 drops of the composition are dripped. Ether vapors evaporate and fill the air. You need to lie closer to the vessel. The inhalation procedure takes 30-40 minutes.
Massage with a broom
The best assistant in expelling the disease from the body is a massage with a broom. When treating colds, it is most useful to use a eucalyptus broom. Eucalyptus leaves have a healing effect.
Massage helps relieve sore throat, relieves cough and nasal congestion. It involves striking at different rates and intensities and rubbing with a broom.
A little about the benefits of bath brooms
Brooms are made from branches of different tree species. The medicinal properties that the broom has depend on the type of plant.
The use of bath tools during the procedure, massage and raising the air temperature increases sweating, improves blood circulation, accelerates metabolism, and promotes muscle relaxation:
- A linden broom affects the intensity of moisture release from the body and will help you relax.
- Fir broom has disinfectant properties.
- A birch broom will help with muscle and joint diseases.
- A eucalyptus broom will destroy harmful pathogens and inhale the upper respiratory tract.
Therapeutic rubbing
To maximize the healing effect of visiting the steam room, it is advisable to warm up the body well.
You can increase sweating with the help of medicinal rubs. They can be bought at the pharmacy. The method of use and dosage are well described in the instructions for the product.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy can help the body overcome symptoms at the onset of the disease. It will be possible to repeatedly enhance the therapeutic effect of the steam room with the help of eucalyptus, lavender, juniper, pine, and geranium oils.
Bath medicinal drinks
With a high degree of sweating intensity, the body becomes dehydrated. When going to a bathhouse or sauna, be sure to take medicinal drinks with you.
The loss of fluid should be replenished. It is better to drink medicinal tea made from herbs: thyme, mint, lemon balm, chamomile.
Along with the diaphoretic effect, tea helps restore strength. Bath medicinal drinks are best consumed in between visits to the steam room. High temperatures do not tolerate any alcohol.
The benefits of visiting a bathhouse for influenza or ARVI
It is known that the therapeutic effect of time spent in a bathhouse or sauna is based on the gradual warming of the whole body, sweating is activated, and toxins and other decay products are eliminated along with it. When body temperature rises, a protective mechanism is triggered and the production of leukocytes increases. Leukocytes destroy viruses, a large number of them helps rapid recovery.
Also, when visiting the sauna, you can use a variety of medicinal oils, herbs, inhalations, and rubbing.
Increased air humidity creates the same steam, that is, it ensures safe inhalation and effectively cleanses the bronchi and lungs of accumulated mucus, bacteria, and viruses.
Still hot steam helps to open even the smallest pores, removing dirt from them, and along with it germs. High temperatures in a small room will significantly improve blood circulation and help get rid of toxins. Joints are strengthened, a person’s fatigue and tension go away. That is why it is worth visiting the bathhouse only at the initial stage of a cold, when a person feels body aches, nasal congestion, and general weakness.
If the procedures are carried out using the correct technology, then the sauna will be a good prevention of diseases of the throat and nose. However, it is forbidden to douse, especially with cold water; after leaving the steam room, you can douse yourself with warm water, rest longer between visits, wrapped in a sheet or wrapped in a terry robe, and most importantly, drink fluids as often and as much as possible. It is better to drink tea with herbs or products that preferably increase sweating, for example, raspberry leaves, currants, honey, raspberry jam.
It is also important to focus on your own well-being in order to avoid stress on the body. You need to come in to steam only after 10 - 15 minutes, first taking a warm shower. You should not sit near the stove; it is better to choose a place further away, because the body needs to be warmed up evenly, gradually.
If you feel unwell, you should immediately leave the steam room and allow your body to cool down. You can also wear a special felt hat, it will protect your head from overheating, and to replenish fluid, after a steam room, in addition to water, you should drink herbal teas, infusions, adding honey, dried berries, leaves, and lemon.
Prevention and rehabilitation
Visiting the bathhouse is not only a hygienic procedure, but also a good way of prevention. The steam room increases the body's resistance to respiratory diseases. The percentage of these diseases is especially high in regions with cold climates.
With regular visits to the steam room, relapses of respiratory infections occur less often. Hot air has a beneficial effect on the functioning of not only the respiratory system, but also the cardiovascular system. The body's protective functions improve. A bathhouse has a beneficial effect during the rehabilitation period.
Bath traditions using brooms and eucalyptus oils will enable the body to restore vitality.
Whether it is possible to go to the bathhouse with manifestations of a cold - everyone must decide for themselves. It must be remembered that this procedure can be harmful. If you follow all the recommendations, the steam room will protect you from the epidemic if you visit it several times a month for preventive purposes.
When not to visit the bathhouse
Having familiarized yourself with the healing properties of the bathhouse, you might think that visiting it is simply necessary for any cold, but this is not true. It is impossible to say unequivocally whether you can go to the bathhouse when you are sick, because each body is individual and tolerates the effects of high temperatures in its own way, however, we will give some recommendations and rules, based on which you can make a decision yourself.
First of all, remember that a bath is recommended only if the disease is at an early stage.
By visiting the bathhouse in the first days of a cold, when the disease manifests itself only as a slight malaise, you get a high chance of recovery without complications for the body. It is worth noting that after a slight cold, visiting the steam room will also not hurt you, because thanks to it you will be able to cheer up and restore strength.
Next, it’s worth talking about cases where visiting a bathhouse can lead to complications of the disease.
You should not visit the bathhouse if:
- Your body temperature is more than 37 degrees . An elevated body temperature indicates that the body is actively fighting the virus, so you should not create additional stress on yourself from the outside (for more details: “Is it possible to go to the bathhouse with a fever during a cold - expert opinions”). By visiting a bathhouse at a high temperature, you can not only weaken your body, but also get serious consequences, for example, a heart attack, because, as mentioned above, heating the body increases blood flow and, accordingly, the heartbeat.
- The disease has started . The absence of fever does not indicate a mild form of the cold, so you should not go to the bathhouse if a couple of days have passed since the onset of the disease. A late visit to the bathhouse can contribute to the growth of bacteria, which will lead to complications, such as bronchitis or asthma.
- Colds are accompanied by headaches . The high temperature of the steam room can increase the pain, and you also risk getting dizzy and fainting.
- You have become infected with herpes . The herpes virus is activated in damp and warm rooms.
Having decided whether you can go to the sauna with snot, it’s time to talk about how to achieve the maximum effect from visiting the steam room. Next, we will examine in detail several folk remedies used in the bathhouse.
Indications for visiting the bathhouse and is it possible to wash if you have a cold without fever?
To accurately understand whether a bathhouse helps with colds, you need to know certain rules of behavior in this establishment. It is not recommended to visit the steam room alone, as if the body reacts too strongly, clouding of consciousness may occur.
Is it possible to go to the bathhouse if you have a cold without fever? It is possible, but subject to certain rules:
- If there is a large amount of steam in the steam room, you should avoid places where only the temperature is increased.
- No wounds on the body.
- No other inflammatory infections.
- No contraindications for health reasons.
- The presence of knowledge about the correct steaming technology, which is present in the patient or his accompanying person.
If all these points are met, then you can take a steam bath if you have a cold. This procedure will only bring correct and useful results. At the same time, it will have a negative effect on colds, but will also help strengthen the body and immune system.
The benefits of bath procedures for colds
A bathhouse for colds is especially useful at the very beginning of the disease, after hypothermia, when the initial symptoms make themselves felt in the form of a runny nose, sore throat, the first bouts of coughing, body aches and general weakness.
As a rule, when the first symptoms appear, body temperature remains normal or rises slightly (by less than one degree). To the question whether a bath is useful at the first signs of illness, the answer will be positive.
The main factors that affect the body in a bath are increased temperature and humidity. A sauna for a cold is no less useful than a Russian bath. Dry air allows you to maintain a higher temperature.
Many people tolerate heat more easily in the absence of moisture, which allows them to stay in the sauna room longer and warm up the body better. High temperature and steam give a healing effect:
- under the influence of hot steam, the pores of the skin open, intense sweating begins, during which the body is freed from the waste products of microorganisms that caused the disease;
- Studies show that at elevated temperatures, the production of leukocytes is activated. These cells play a critical role in protecting the body from foreign bodies. Leukocytes formed in large numbers begin to actively destroy viruses and bacteria;
- high temperature promotes the dilation of blood vessels, blood flow accelerates, the blood is more intensively purified from waste products of bacteria and viruses and removed from the body through the kidneys;
- inhalation of moist air, especially if essential oils of eucalyptus or coniferous plants are used in the bath, has a beneficial effect on the organs of the respiratory system, helps get rid of mucus accumulated in the nose and bronchi, accelerates the treatment of runny nose and cough;
- body aches, which often accompany a cold, go away if you sweat in a sauna or steam your body with a broom in a Russian bath.
The physiological processes that are triggered in the body of a sick person in a bathhouse can speed up the process of getting rid of a cold if done at the very beginning of the disease.
A bathhouse can also help cope with the consequences of an acute cold, such as a prolonged cough or nasal congestion. Many, including doctors, believe that if you regularly steam, you can completely forget about colds.
A visit to the bathhouse activates the body's defenses, its ability to resist infections, therefore it is a means of preventing ARVI, while it is also a pleasant procedure, improves mood and improves sleep.
Benefits of visiting a bathhouse
A bathhouse for colds has a healing effect on the entire body. It is only important to visit the steam room at the right time and use the right products to increase efficiency. If everything is done correctly, then the person receives powerful support to fight the disease.
Although many do not understand, the main cause of a cold is not that viral or bacteriological agents have entered the body. To the surprise of ordinary people, it turns out that they are constantly in contact with them. The main reason is a temporary weakening of the immune system, which occurs due to hypothermia, prolonged stress or lack of nutrients.
Bath treatment recipes
In the bathhouse you can not only take a steam bath when you have a cold, but also carry out additional procedures that will help cure the disease or ease its symptoms. Here are a few recipes that have been used for many generations to treat colds in the bathhouse and have survived to this day:
- Rubbing will help enhance the healing effect of steam and high temperature. They allow you to intensify the process of sweating, as a result of which the cleansing of viral waste products through the pores of the skin will be more intensive, as well as their destruction in the body. The most effective mixture for this procedure is honey and salt.
- Inhalation is an excellent way to cleanse the respiratory tract. For respiratory diseases, the use of essential oils helps well, especially eucalyptus, juniper, fir, pine, lavender, and geranium oils. The oil can be mixed with water and sprayed onto the heater, walls or shelves in the steam room. Essential oils can be replaced with dry or fresh herbs - mint, lemon balm, birch and eucalyptus leaves, juniper branches. The herbs are poured with hot water, allowed to brew, then this infusion is sprinkled on hot stones. A bath for coughs and runny noses allows you to clear the airways and facilitate the removal of phlegm if you add essential oils of medicinal plants to the action of temperature and moist steam.
- In between visits to the steam room, you can use medicinal drinks made from medicinal plants - mint, chamomile, linden, teas with honey, lemon, raspberries, fruit drinks from cranberries and other fresh berries. They should be drunk hot.
- A good remedy is a massage with a broom, which will increase blood circulation and more completely remove toxins. When coughing in a bathhouse, a birch broom helps. Eucalyptus and pine brooms disinfect the air in the steam room and enhance the inhalation effect of the steam room. Linden broom calms the nervous system and relieves tension.