Vodka compress is a kind of pull-back therapy, during which a bandage soaked in alcohol (vodka) is applied to the sore ear. Due to the warming effect of alcohol, vasodilation occurs, which improves local blood circulation. This allows you to normalize the flow of nutrients to the affected tissues, prevent congestion in them and accelerate the healing process.
How to make a compress on the ear from vodka? The effectiveness of physiotherapy treatment depends on the correct application of the dressing, which should consist of several layers. The regularity of the procedure, the frequency of changing applications and the concentration of alcohol in the medicinal solution are of great importance.
Operating principle
Why is a vodka compress applied to the ear? The procedure enhances blood flow to the lesions in the organ of hearing. Due to the improvement of tissue trophism, over time, the infiltrate dissolves and the swelling decreases. This leads to an increase in the inner diameter of the auditory canals, thereby restoring the drainage function of the Eustachian tube.
The principle of operation of the pull-back therapy is based on the reflex effect of heat, which contributes to the relief of pain and the restoration of cellular metabolism. Compressor treatment is one of the effective local agents with pronounced antiphlogistic, local anesthetic and decongestant properties.
Applying a compress of vodka to the ear, you can strengthen local immunity and enhance the effect of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory components.
A local increase in temperature in tissues leads to increased production of neutrophils in the body. This group of protein structures is one of the protective cells that prevent the development of pathogenic flora, represented by bacteria, fungi and protozoa. An increase in their concentration in the blood leads to the early destruction of pathogens in the body and, accordingly, the elimination of foci of inflammation.
Indications for use
Physiotherapy treatment is used to relieve the symptoms of certain types of ear pathologies. Therefore, if signs of a disease are detected, the advisability of using warming applications should be consulted with an otolaryngologist. In what cases can a vodka ear compress be used?
The use of delay therapy means will be justified in the treatment of the following types of ENT diseases:
- exudative otitis media;
- catarrhal otitis media;
- tubo-otitis (eustacheitis);
- otitis externa.
Important! Warming up is contraindicated in the presence of acute purulent inflammation in the mucous epithelium and bone structures of the organ of hearing.
Experts do not recommend using warming compresses for complicated ear pathologies. In some cases, this contributes to the spread of lesions and pathogenic flora, which is fraught with generalization of inflammatory processes.
Contraindications
When should you not use a vodka ear compress? Before using the physiotherapy procedure, you must make sure that there are no purulent processes in the ear cavity. The presence of abscesses always indicates the development of microbial flora in the foci of inflammation. A slight increase in temperature at the site of inflammation only stimulates the multiplication of bacteria, which leads to an aggravation of the state of health.
The indisputable contraindications to the use of thermal procedures are:
- labyrinthitis;
- mastoiditis;
- purulent otitis media;
- hyperthermia;
- meningitis;
- oncopathology;
- atherosclerosis;
thrombophlebitis;- bleeding tendency.
thrombophlebitis;It should be noted that the use of vodka compresses is not recommended in the presence of mechanical damage (scratches, abrasions) in the external auditory canal.
Warming up the outer ear leads to a change in the consistency and properties of earwax, which loses its bacteriostatic properties when the temperature rises. In other words, the use of warming applications in case of damage to the integrity of the skin leads to a decrease in local immunity.
Making a compress
How to make a vodka compress on the ear? First of all, you should consider the constituent parts of therapeutic warming dressings. Only after preparing all the necessary materials can you start the procedure. Since alcoholic solutions have an irritating effect, it is undesirable to apply materials soaked in them directly to the skin when treating children, since this can lead to burns.
Important! If you feel severe itching or burning, the compress should be removed and the skin should be treated with an ointment that has regenerating properties.
For the preparation of vodka applications, the following materials are required:
- cotton fabric (gauze) - used as a base, impregnated with a drug (vodka);
- wax paper (polyethylene, cellophane) - an insulating material that prevents the evaporation of alcohol and other layers of the medical dressing from getting wet;
- cotton wool - a heat-insulating layer that enhances the warming effect of the alcohol composition;
- bandages (kerchief, scarf) - material for secure fixation of the bandage on the head.
Vodka compresses are placed exclusively behind the auricle, not on it.
This promotes more intense heating of the inflamed tissues inside the ear and prevents the alcohol solution from entering the external auditory canal.
Instructions
Experts warn that only dry compresses can be applied directly to the ear. Wet warming dressings are placed just behind the auricle. At the same time, special cuts are made in the layered materials to ensure a tight fit of the compress to the sore ear. Next, we'll talk about how to make a vodka compress on the ear.
- fold the gauze in 8 layers and make a slot in the center of it, the diameter of which will correspond to the size of the auricle;
- punch a hole in craft paper or polyethylene in the same way;
- moisten gauze in an alcohol solution;
- place the gauze soaked in vodka behind your ear;
- put polyethylene (kraft paper) on top;
- Insulate the bandage with cotton wool and fix it with bandages.
As a warming solution, you can use 70% vodka or alcohol diluted with water in a 1: 1 ratio.
Important recommendations
To achieve the maximum therapeutic effect, in the process of carrying out a physiotherapy procedure, several important nuances must be taken into account. Failure to comply with the rules is one of the key reasons for the ineffectiveness of compressor treatment. How to make a vodka compress on the ear?
- for more intensive heating of tissues, it is necessary to make each subsequent layer of the compress 1.5-2 cm wider than the previous one;
- too tight a bandage can cause impaired blood circulation in the organ of hearing, so it is advisable to fix it with elastic bandages;
- it is undesirable to keep alcohol dressings for more than 6-7 hours in a row, which is due to the drying out of the gauze and the practical absence of a warming effect;
- change of medical dressings should be done in the morning and evening;
- to prevent irritation, sprinkle talcum powder on the skin that comes into contact with the alcohol solution.
If the patient has a chill after applying the bandage, this indicates that the insulating materials have not been properly laid.
Most likely, the polyethylene or cotton wool layer does not cover the wet gauze, or the dressing itself does not fit snugly against the skin.
When applying a compress to a small child's ear with vodka, the following rules should be considered:
- before applying a bandage, it is advisable to lubricate the heated area of the skin with a fat cream, cosmetic oil or petroleum jelly;
- when diluting vodka with water, a ratio of 1: 2 must be observed;
- it is desirable to use wax paper as an insulating material;
- the time of the procedure should not exceed 3-4 hours.
Due to the hypersensitivity of children's skin, polyethylene or cellophane should not be used as an insulating material. Synthetic materials can provoke the development of an allergic reaction, which is fraught with tissue edema and a deterioration in well-being.
