Stress Management

Ayurvedic Treatments

Sweat Treatments (swedana)

Sweating leads the doshas to fluidity, making it easier for it to flow out of the system. It opens up the pores and rid the body of impurities through the sweat glands. There are two principal ways of inducing the sweat.

1. External application of heat or retention of body heat such as by exercise, use of heavy clothes or blankets, fasting, use of alcohol etc.
2. Active heating done within a well heated chamber, medicated steam, sauna, hot water bottle, sunbathing, exposure to fire (or use of an infra red lamp), plasters of hot substances such as mustard, hot baths, or showers (especially with medicated oil or water), and hot packs.

Plants such as castor root, barley, sesame, black gram, jujube and the drumstick plant all encourage the body to sweat more easily. Do not administer therapeutic sweating to persons who are pregnant, persons with bleeding disorders, who have used alcohol recently, persons who are very fat or very thin, persons with diarrhea, jaundice, anemia. It is also not recommended for people who are very angry, hateful or jealous. Patients suffering from fainting, dizziness, nausea, fever, and similar ailments should not undergo the sweat therapy.