DIY: Thai Herbal Compress
Thai herbal compress massage is a traditional treatment that offers numerous benefits including relaxation, stress and pain relief, and improving circulation.
If Thailand is on your list of places to visit but you haven’t had the chance to book a ticket just yet, why not bring Thailand into your home with an at-home treatment?
The Thai herbal compress is a popular tool used in massage that offers numerous benefits. In addition to promoting deep relaxation, it helps relieve stress, improves circulation, stimulates the internal organs, and is great for alleviating pain and providing relief to stiff or sore muscles.
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Based on Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine, herbal compresses are an ancient tradition that have been practiced for thousands of years in monasteries and temples. Herbal compress balls are typically soft cloth balls that are filled with various herbs.
The herbal compress can either be used as part of a massage or pressed against skin after a massage for further relaxation. As the moist heat makes its way down through the body, it helps to melt away any tension and soreness while skin absorbs the herbal blend.
Our friends over at the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Kornpathu Lipikorn, a Traditional Thai Treatment Doctor at RAKxa, Thailand’s newest undiscovered wellness destination in Bangkok, shared an easy DIY recipe for creating your own Thai herbal compress at home so you can experience the benefits of Thai herbal compress massage.
Thai Herbal Compress
200 g. dry rice (white or brown)
Unbleached cloth of Muslin
Yarn or thread
Optional:
1 Tbsp. turmeric powder
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 1/3 cup sliced ginger
Directions:
Place spices and dry rice, or only dry rice, in a bowl and mix well.
Place the mixture into the center of your cloth, folding all the edges up and over the herbs to make a firm, round ball.
Tie the top close to the mixture with yarn or thread to create a handle. Keep the herbal compress ball tight so that it won’t become loose when in use. Make a second compress.
Simply pop the compress into a microwave for 90 seconds. Prepping the old-fashioned way with steam which is more beneficial as it softens the compress, releases the essential oils and intensifies the aroma. To prep the old-fashioned away, use a steamer, boil water, and drop in the poultice until steamed (about 30 to 45 minutes).
Prep two herbal compresses for a session by repeating steps 1-4, keeping one compress heating on the steamer while using the other. Then massage all over your body, paying special attention to problem areas.
Prior to application, check the temperature of the herbal compress ball on the inner forearm. Once the temperature is to your liking, firmly place the herbal compress ball on the affected area for 15 to 30 minutes.
Use your Thai herbal compress up to 4 or 5 times each before making a new one.
For more information, visit tourismthailand.org and rakxawellness.com. Follow on Instagram: @tourismthailand @rakxawellness
[Image courtesy of Tourism Authority of Thailand/RAKxa Wellness]
Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk