Takmeed (fomentation) is the process, which keeps the body or part of the body warm. It is a therapeutic application of warmth and moisture, basically to relieve the pain and stiffness. Foment is a substance or material used for medicinal purpose which is a warm, moist medicinal compress usually in the form of a poultice.
Some varieties of pain, including those which are extremely severe and distressing in nature respond well with this treatment. Hot fomentation on the vertebrae of the neck is very useful for cervical pains.
The patients having complaint of gaseous pain (reehi dard) get easily relieved with hot water fomentations. However if the real cause of pain is different (not reehi or gaseous pain) such as pain during inflammatory conditions, especially in its early stages, the fomentations (Takmeed) with hot water may be futile or even dangerous.
Fomentations (Takmeed) can also be dangerous when it fails to disperse the gases (reeh). In such cases it may result in the increase of gas (reeh) volume also. It is therefore necessary to take proper precautions while conducting this procedure.
Powdered peas cooked with vinegar and dried into a cake make a powerful foment. A milder form of foment is barn cooked in vinegar.
The patients with complaint of gaseous distension are best treated by fomentations prepared with dry substance such as millets.
Fomentation (Takmeed) can also be applied to the organs such as the eyes where it is given by a piece of cloth. It may also be given with warm oil.
Salt-water fomentation can also be used effectively with millet seeds to produce marked dispersion.
The bladder of an animal filled with hot water is also used as mild, harmless fomentation, with proper precautions, otherwise it may prove dangerous [by producing burns].
The main objective of performing Takmeed (fomentation) are:
- To relieve localized or generalized pain
- To subside the inflammatory conditions
- To increase the penetration of massage lotion
References:
http://www.indianmedicine.nic.in/index4.asp?ssslid=137&subsubsublinkid=9&lang=1
http://www.ccrum.net/?s=regimental+therapy
http://www.tkdl.res.in/tkdl/LangDefault/Unani/Una_Regimental.asp
https://india.gov.in/gsearch?s=unani&op.x=0&op.y=0&op=Search
http://www.ccimindia.org/unani.html
http://jamiahamdard.edu/faculty-of-medicine/#
http://www.nium.in/facilities.php
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3377041/
