Compress · video 1:54
How to make a lye compress
1:54- Temperature38–40 °C
- Duration15 min – several hours
- Course12–14 treatments
The compress is the most popular lye treatment — and the easiest to do at home. Warm lye, held in place under a cloth, works for a long time and deep into the painful joint or along the path of the affected nerve. The video shows a compress applied to the knee and ankle.
What you need
- Stabilised Black Sea lye (body solution)
- Cotton cloth or gauze
- Cling film or kitchen foil
- Towel or woollen scarf
- Two pans for a water bath
Step by step
- Warm the lye in a water bath to 38–40 °C — warm, but not scalding. Do not heat it in a microwave oven.
- Soak the cotton cloth in the warm lye and squeeze it out lightly.
- Wrap the painful joint twice with the cloth, or place it along the path of the affected nerve.
- Cover with plastic or cling film, then wrap a towel or woollen fabric over the top to retain the heat.
- Leave the compress on for anything from 15 minutes to several hours. For lasting results, complete a course of 12–14 treatments.
Cold compress and the quick option
If you have varicose veins, swelling, or if you cannot tolerate heat, apply the compress with cold, unheated lye.
No preparation needed: the lye body applicator is a ready-soaked cloth — simply warm it for 3–5 minutes in a bowl of warm water (38–40 °C) and apply in the same way.
Used for
- Knee and ankle pain
- Lower back and back pain
- Pain along the nerve (sciatica)
- Rheumatic complaints
- Recovery after injuries
Do not apply a warm compress to an inflamed, red and hot joint, or to broken skin.
