2021 Volume 14 Issue 1 Pages 16-23
Objective : The application of a hot fomentation pad on the skin is a traditional therapy that is effective for improving blood flow, improving digestive tract movement, and relieving muscle pain and stiffness through percutaneous thermal stimulation. Some commercially available hot fomentation pads contain thermoreceptor agonists as active ingredients. However, thermoreceptor stimulation frequently causes an unpleasant sensation of skin irritation. In this study, we investigated the effects of hot fomentation pads containing the thermoreceptor agonists capsaicin, l-menthol and ginger extract, on blood flow and sensation of skin irritation.
Materials and methods : Six healthy persons were subjected to hot fomentation application on their forearm or lumbar region, and the time-dependent change of blood flow of the skin and muscle at the applied area was monitored. Simultaneously, the intensity index of the sensation of warmth, coldness or tingling was acquired from the subjects’ reports.
Results : Although the capsaicin-containing hot fomentation pad indicated a synergistic effect of increasing skin blood flow, it also increased the undesirable tingling sensation of skin irritation. The fomentation pad containing l-menthol and ginger extract indicated a synergistic effect, especially in increasing muscle blood flow, while suppressing unpleasant skin irritation.
Conclusions : These results suggest the possibility of improving the blood flow by adjusting the blending active ingredients of the hot fomentation pad, and also optimizing the suppression effects of unpleasant skin irritation.
