Potato cake for cough: recipes and instructions for use

Today, potatoes are known among people not only as a food product, but also as an excellent remedy for combating coughs of any degree. It has been used in this way for a long time, and for good reason - its positive results are impressive. In addition, the types of procedures can be applied to a child, an adult, and even a pregnant woman. There are no strict restrictions or contraindications, because potatoes are an absolutely safe product for use for therapeutic purposes, even if they contain a large amount of starch.

The most popular method of folk treatment using potatoes is a compress. Experts paid attention to this process and spoke about it in detail.

The greatest degree of effectiveness of the compress lies in its direct thermal effect, dilation of blood vessels, and activation of blood circulation. It is no secret that the natural reaction of the body, which promotes self-cleaning, three diseases such as bronchitis, inflammation of the respiratory tract, and acute respiratory infections is coughing. There are different types of it, so the methods of its treatment sometimes differ from each other. For example, with one type of cough, a compress can and should be done, but with another, it is absolutely impossible.

If the patient is bothered by a productive wet cough, then compresses are quite appropriate. Thanks to them, you can cope with this unfortunate disease much faster and easier. This procedure is definitely effective, has a wonderful effect on the bronchi, promotes a better process of sputum discharge, the production of antibodies to the virus, and a noticeable relief of cough.

It must be remembered that when treating with a compress, you should first consult your doctor in order to avoid deterioration of your health due to ignorance.

Basic properties of compresses

The warming properties of compresses are the source of their therapeutic effect, because they are able to perfectly retain heat transfer and evaporation. The vapors that accumulate inside vapor-proof materials maintain uniform dilation of blood vessels for quite a long time, and this, in turn, promotes increased blood and lymph flow to the skin and tissues located deep inside the body. Thanks to the warming procedure, it is possible to obtain a beneficial effect on the local metabolism occurring in the tissues of the infected area.

A certain type of disease (such as laryngitis, tracheitis, bronchitis) is accompanied by an unpleasant cough in the form of an unpleasant and painful symptom. Its appearance may be due to exposure to too cold air on the respiratory organs during walks in the cool season.

Mechanism of therapeutic effect

When using a product made from potatoes, you need to understand how it works. Properties of the cake:

under the influence of a direct heat source, vasodilation occurs;
due to thermal effects, blood circulation improves, thereby accelerating the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to tissues;
intensive microcirculation helps remove toxins from the body, this is also facilitated by increased sweating, as a result, harmful substances are removed faster;
swelling goes away;
the bronchi expand;
sputum removal improves;
The immune system is restored, allowing the body to cope with the infection on its own.

Thanks to these properties, the patient's general condition improves. The unpleasant symptoms of a cold are gradually eliminated: fever, weakness, pain in the chest area, cough, rhinitis. Potato cough compress is used in a number of cases:

pharyngitis;
bronchitis in acute and chronic forms;
pneumonia;
pleurisy.

A compress with potatoes is used only on the recommendation of a doctor, because the product has contraindications:

hypersensitivity, but the likelihood of developing a negative reaction is low, because during treatment with potatoes for coughing, the active substances do not penetrate into the skin structure;
elevated temperature, even a slight increase can lead to more intense development of the disease;
age up to 3 years, if there is an urgent need for children under 3 years of age, compresses are installed after consultation with a doctor, while the duration of the procedure is limited;
Potato compresses are not given to adult patients if they are prone to sudden changes in blood pressure, which is due to the ability of this remedy to dilate blood vessels;
severe pathologies of the cardiovascular system: the heated product is placed in the chest area, it affects blood circulation, so it is better to choose other methods of treating colds;
the skin in the area where the compress will be installed is damaged (for example, there are scratches), as a result, the potato compress will cause discomfort and may cause pain.

When potatoes are used for cough, an antibacterial effect is provided. Steam rises from the hot compress, helping to destroy harmful microorganisms. The intensity of symptoms may decrease slightly, since the activity of bacteria decreases somewhat with heat exposure.

Despite the many positive qualities of potatoes, if used as an independent measure, recovery will not come soon, because a cold requires an integrated approach: gargling, using anti-inflammatory and antipyretic drugs, drinking plenty of fluids. For this reason, potato compress shows the greatest effectiveness as part of complex therapy.

Potato inhalation

Making potato inhalation is not difficult at all. You will need to select several potatoes, peel them, and boil them until tender. When the potatoes are ready, drain the water and lightly mash the vegetable.

Now for inhalation you need to take a comfortable position over the pan, cover your head with a towel to preserve the steam inside and inhale as deeply as possible. Such inhalation should be carried out at least three times a day for 15 minutes. As a result, you can notice the dilution of sputum due to the expansion of the bronchi.

This therapy is approved for use in both adults and children. The main condition for inhalation is that the steam should not be too hot (maximum 80 degrees).

Healthy potatoes

Pharmacies now sell a huge variety of medications and cough mixtures for children, but it is highly not recommended to prescribe medicine to a child yourself.

Compresses and inhalations for children are a gentle and effective treatment that has virtually no contraindications or side effects. That is why most parents prefer traditional methods of eliminating cough. The cough lozenge dilates blood vessels, increases blood circulation, and the body begins to produce antibodies to viruses with redoubled force. Remember that these remedies may not help with a dry cough. Here it is necessary to direct all efforts to liquefy the sputum to facilitate its removal. If the cough is productive and wet, then the compress will have a positive effect and will facilitate the removal of mucus from the lungs and bronchi.

Potatoes take an honorable leading place in the treatment of cough. They make compresses with it, make special cakes, and do inhalations. Warming up with potatoes has a mild effect, does not harm the body and is very easy to do at home. The cough compress should be used regularly and then the positive effect will not be long in coming. Warming goes well with other treatment methods and folk remedies. Treatment will be more effective if you stay in bed and drink plenty of fluids.

You can give children herbal decoctions, warm milk with honey, and do breathing exercises. It is best to apply a compress after first consulting a doctor; such treatment is contraindicated at high body temperature - it can only aggravate the situation.

Potato compress

This manipulation in the treatment of cough is also quite easy to carry out. The first step is to boil one large potato in its jacket. Afterwards, wrap the warm vegetable in a piece of fabric (can be replaced with gauze), knead slightly to obtain a flat cake.

The compress is placed on the sick person’s chest, avoiding the area of the heart (this is important!), for the whole night. Be sure to carefully wrap the cake in a warm woolen scarf to retain heat for a long time. If you add one teaspoon of mustard while cooking potatoes, the temperature will remain much longer and, accordingly, will warm the lungs well.

It is worth noting that this treatment is not dangerous for the child’s body, but, on the contrary, gives positive results after the first three therapies.

Potato compress has also proven itself well in the fight against bronchitis and whooping cough in children. This means that for the mentioned diseases, thermal manipulation can be carried out as an additional treatment.

Cooking recipes

There are several options for warming compresses that can be easily prepared at home.

The principles for using potato applications are the same; the following must be observed:

the constituent components are wrapped in cloth rather than applied to bare skin;
the area where the cake is applied is pre-lubricated with a thin layer of vegetable oil;
It is recommended to secure the compress with an adhesive plaster to avoid displacement in case the person falls asleep;
It is contraindicated to cover the heart area;
After the procedure, you should wipe your skin, put on a warm vest or jacket and do not go out onto the balcony or street to prevent a sudden change in temperature.

To prevent thermal burns, potatoes should be cooled in a closed pan after cooking.

Classic potato compress

This is a common folk remedy for treating coughs without the risk of allergic reactions and side effects. Doesn't require much expense and won't take much time.

Step-by-step cooking recipe:

Take five medium potatoes, wash them from the soil and boil them without peeling them.
The finished vegetable in its “uniform” is ground and laid out on three-layer gauze and then on the edge of a warm cloth or towel.
The mass is covered with the second end of the material.

The compress is placed on the front surface of the chest on one side and on the back in the lung area on the other. For thermal insulation, it is recommended to wrap the towel on top with cellophane, cling film or a woolen scarf.

The physiotherapy procedure can be used for 3–4 days, preferably before bedtime. The duration of application should be no more than three hours. It is advisable to combine with other treatment methods: steam inhalation and nebulizer, drug therapy.

With vegetable oil

A compress of potatoes and butter can be used for small children. The flatbread provides thorough warming of the bronchi, softens the cough and helps remove phlegm.

Add one tablespoon of sunflower and olive oil to boiled and mashed potatoes (700 g). The resulting slurry is mixed evenly, made into a lump and wrapped in gauze or cloth. The finished compress is applied to the chest for 2-3 hours and covered warmly.

With mustard

A potato compress to which you need to add a little mustard will help get rid of a cough faster. The product is known for its warming properties and is effective for acute and chronic bronchitis. Helps with dry and wet cough.

The recipe for making the applique is simple:

To 700 g of mashed boiled potatoes, add one tablespoon of dry mustard and vegetable oil.
Wrap the resulting mass in gauze or cloth folded in three.

The compress is applied to the collar area or chest area for 40–60 minutes, and the patient is wrapped. The person should feel warmth and a slight tingling sensation. If the burning sensation is severe, the procedure must be stopped or the amount of mustard reduced.

With honey

Suitable for those who do not have individual intolerance to the component. During a cough, honey has an antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory effect, stimulates the phagocytic activity of leukocytes, and has analgesic and regenerative properties.

A tablespoon of bee honey is poured into the potato mixture. To enhance the healing effect, you can add mustard or vegetable oil.

The application is applied to the chest and back for 3-4 hours before bedtime.

With vodka

The recipe is ideal for dry coughs in adults, as well as for any upper respiratory tract infections. Apply a vodka-potato compress to the collar area and chest.

Boiled potatoes in their jackets are peeled and brought to a puree consistency. Add a tablespoon of vodka and any vegetable oil. Form a cake and wrap it in linen cloth or gauze.

The duration of a home physiotherapy session is 2–3 hours.

Potato and vodka applications are not recommended for babies and pregnant women.

What are the contraindications for potato compress?

It should immediately be noted that potato therapy is not accompanied by any contraindications for pregnant women and children. This is explained by the fact that potatoes themselves have a beneficial effect on the respiratory tract of a sick person and, accordingly, are not capable of causing absolutely any harm. With its help, you can effectively liquefy sputum, after which the cough will become productive. Experts note that even the simplest potato-based compress can cope with a dry cold cough if done correctly and regularly.

We cannot ignore the fact that any compress for the purpose of warming up the internal organs should be done only if the patient does not have an elevated temperature. In a weakened body, an additional dose of heat can cause a number of complications, so you need to be extremely careful.

Doctors most often prescribe warming procedures for cough either at the initial manifestations of the disease, or already on the third day of the disease, when the temperature subsides.

You also need to remember that you can’t put the cake in too hot. Otherwise, it may cause a skin burn, which is very undesirable. It is better to let the boiled potatoes cool slightly in the closed pan in which they were boiled.

We select the appropriate option

Cough compresses for children are different, so when selecting active ingredients, you need to take into account the nature of the cough.

For a dry (productive) cough, without sputum production, a compress of honey , oil, mustard or alcohol will help.

With a wet (productive) cough, sputum begins to separate. To speed up recovery, you can make warming medicinal dressings from cabbage or using paraffin .

Cough compresses made from potatoes, butter or cottage cheese are considered the most versatile and effective.

Whatever type of compress you choose, the procedure cannot be performed in the heart area.