SWEDANA-SWEATING THERAPY:
• It is usually given after oleation/fat administration.
• It is a preparative procedure for panchakarma.
• Sweating therapy can be administered as a standalone treatment for vataja and kaphaja diseases.
• The swedana if properly given(neither too hot nor too mild,with proper herbs and methods,considering strength of patient and disease, climate)can cure many diseases.

In disorders of:
• Vata- unctuous sweating treatment.
• Kapha- dry fomentation.

CONTRAINDICATED PARTS FOR SWEATING:
• Testicles.
• Chest region.
• Eyes.
• Groin region.

CONTRAINDICATIONS:
• Those who consume alcohol.
• Pregnant women.
• Bleeding disorders.
• Burns. Etc..

There are 13 methods of swedana according to charakacharya,the commonly used methods in current clinical practices are:

PATRAPINDASWEDA/ELAKIZHI:
In this method, leaves of different medicinal plants are cooked in specific way with various other herbs and tied to potliu form in a muslin cloth, heated and applied to body.
It is an unctuous type of sweating.

CHURNAPINDASWEDA/ PODIKIZHI:
Various herbal powders are tied into potli,heated and apllied on the body.
It is a drying type of sweating treatment.

NAVARAKIZHI:
Navara rice cooked in milk and othe drugs made to potli and heated again with the former said ingredients are applied to the body.It is a very nourishing therapy and decreases aggravated vata.

JAMBIRAPINDASWEDA:
Lemon along with certain other ingredients like methika,garlic etc.. are coked ,made to potli form,heated and applied to desired areas of the body.Its neither drying nor unctuous in nature and helps in pain reduction.

NADISWEDA:
Steam generated by boiling specific liquids,the steam through a pipe is directed towards desired body parts that requires sweating treatment.
• NOTE:Sudation introduced through steam;however the method is called Bashpa swedam and regardless of the method creates the same effect.

AVAGAHA SWEDAM:
A tub filled with kashaya or medicated liquids which is tolerably hot for the patient should immerse his/her body in the tub for certain time period. this helps in pain reduction.

KASHAYA/DHANYAMLA DHARA/TAILA DHARA:
Heated kashaya or medicated fermented liquid or oil is poured on the desired body part from certain height.
It is indicated in excessive pitta/vata/kaphavata aggravated conditions.

There are certain other sudation therapies like upanaha(bandaging),manal kizhi,mamsa kizhi,mutta kizhi,dhanya kizhi etc… used in current clinical practices.
These sweating treatments can be done partially or locally or for the whole body on the basis of disease;strictly under medical supervision.