Mud Therapy

Mud therapy benefits

Mud Therapy

Mud is an important element of nature. It contains important minerals which have positive effects on human health. Mud can absorb toxins from human body therefore is very useful in preventing many diseases. It is also known for its healing properties. It also helps in cooling and relaxing body as it can hold moisture for a long time. 

Benefits of Mud therapy are:

It relaxes muscles and improves blood circulation.

It maintains metabolism rendering positive impact on digestion.

It is useful in conditions of inflammation/ swelling and relieves pain.

It is a good hair conditioner and is good for skin.

It is useful in condition of stiff joints.

Why use mud therapy?

Out of the five constituent elements of this universe mud (earth) has a pivotal role to play in our well being. The dark color of mud helps in absorbing different colors and conveying them to the the body, giving it therapeutic properties. Also, its shape and consistency may be modified with ease, just by changing the water content, which makes it easy to use. A mud pack is advantageous over a cold compress (cold water therapy) as it retains the coolness over a longer period of time. Therefore, it is recommended whenever a prolonged cold application is required. Lastly, it is easily available and a cost effective treatment option.

Types of Mud

Mud found in different parts of the world has different properties. Mud composition varies with the place of origin. Firstly, mineral constituents of mud varies with the kind of rocks found in the region and the process of soil formation. Secondly, mud property is influenced by kind of flora and fauna of the region. Therefore, it is essential to learn about properties of mud before utilizing it benefits. It is important to note that before using any type of mud it should be dried, powdered and sieved to remove any type of impurities such as stones, grass, etc.

Black mud: 

Dark cotton soil having some greasiness is suitable for mud therapy as it is rich in minerals and also retains water for long time. It should always be free from contamination and any kind of pollution.

Mud from Dead Sea: 

Cleopatra and Queen Sheeba used it for enhancing beauty, black mud of Dead sea has beautifying and therapeutic powers. It is contains more than 20 kinds of salts and minerals including Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium Bromide, Silicates, Natural Tar and organic elements. While these beneficial minerals are useful for healing any kind of skin disorders, the presence of silicates make its masks very beneficial for softening and cleansing skin. The mud enhances blood circulation and leaves the skin with a glow. 

Moor Mud:

 It is mud produced over thousands of years from organic residue of flowers, grasses and herbs. This residue transformed over several years to fine paste which contains fulvic acids, vitamins, amino acids, plant hormones, humic acids in a form which could be easily absorbed by human body. The mud has chelatic properties which enables its top layer to filter out impurities/pollutants and preserve purity of the mud. This mud has therapeutic properties and is useful in detoxification, healing, beautification, nourishing human body. The mud has anti-inflammatory and anti-aging effects. It is also useful in conditions such as Arthritis and recovery from injury in sports. 

Mud therapy:

 How to use guide

Mud therapy could be used in two forms:

Mud Packs: This involves frequent application of packs of mud. It helps in improving skin complexion and acts on skin spots and patches to reduce them.

Mud Baths:

 This involves application of special kind of mud rich in natural salts and mineral over the entire body ( except head). Mud baths are useful in many skin diseases such as Psoriasis, Urticaria, leucoderma. Mudpack

Mud packs are typically used for local application. The construct and usage of a mudpack is similar for all applications on the thickness and the size varies as per the usage. To make a mud pack first soak mud in water for 30 minutes. Now take a thin wet muslin cloth and apply mud evenly on the muslin cloth to form a uniform thin layer of half to one inch in thickness. Fold all the sides to make it a compact pack. 

Mudpack for Eyes:

 Mud soaked in water is spread to make a half inch thick layer. The pack is typically 9 in X 6 in, enough to cover eyes completely. it is placed on the eyes for 20 to 30 minutes. An eye mud pack helps in relaxing the eyes; especially good for those who require to sit in front of a computer for long hours.

Therapeutically, it reduces irritation, itching or other allergic conditions such as conjunctivitis and hemorrhage of the eye ball. It also helps in correcting refractive errors like short/long sightedness. It is effective in Glaucoma, where it works to reduce the eye ball tension. 

Mudpack for Head: A head mud pack is normally a thick narrow band. It is applied over the fore head and helps to heal congestive headache relieves pain immediately.

Mudpack for Face: Fine mud is used for face and a smooth paste is first made using cold water. Apply this paste evenly on the face and leave if to dry for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes one must thoroughly wash the face with cold water. It helps in improving the complexion of the skin. In cases of acne it helps by absorbing excess oils and toxins from the skin. It also helps in reducing dark circles around the eyes.

Mudpack for Abdomen: The size of a mud pack for abdomen is generally 10 in X 6 in X 1 in for adults. The mud pack should be applied for 20-30 minutes. The body and the mud pack should be covered with blanket, if applied during the cold weather. An abdomen mud pack helps in all kinds of indigestion. It is very helpful in decreasing intestinal heat and stimulates peristalsis. 

Mudbath: First the mud is prepared by soaking it in water. The mud is then applied to the full body either in sitting or lying down position. Mud is kept for 45 to 60 minutes and ideally be exposed to sun light, at least intermittently. Remember that the head should always be covered when exposing the body to sunlight. Afterwards, the person should be thoroughly washed with cold to luke warm water. Dry the person quickly and transfer to a warm bed. A mud bath helps in increasing the blood circulation and energizing the skin tissues. It thus helps in cleansing and improving the skin condition generally. Regular mud baths may be considered as natural beauty treatment procedure as it also helps in improving skin complexion and reducing spots and patches, possibly the result of some skin disorder like chickenpox or small pox. Mud baths are useful in many skin diseases such as Psoriasis, Urticaria, leucoderma, Leprosy and other skin allergic conditions. 

Despite therapeutic properties of mud which are very useful in maintaining good health and glowing skin, the over-use of mask applications may lead to excessive drying of the skin. Therefore it is essential to keep the pack moistened to avoid excessive dryness and stretching. Also, the mud must be carefully chosen for obtaining desired results, and its quality must be ensured to avoid any complications.