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Mustard therapy in pregnancy in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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Mustard plasters should be used very carefully during pregnancy, as well as other methods of folk treatment. After all, when a woman is pregnant, she is responsible not only for her life and health, but also for the health of her baby. It is very important to consult a doctor before using any folk and medicinal means of treating a viral infection, because this is not allowed in all cases.
What are mustard plasters and in what cases can they be used?
Mustard has been used since ancient times and was valued for its oil content, which has healing properties. There are many varieties of mustard and they all have a very hot taste. But despite this, mustard plasters are used for their beneficial properties.
Mustard is used for more than just colds. Mustard seeds have been recommended for treating toothaches, joint pain, skin problems, and stomach pain. Mustard poultices are used to eliminate and relieve arthritic and rheumatoid pain. Mustard seeds are also used to strengthen the digestive system, as it can stimulate the flow of gastric juices to aid in digestion and fat metabolism in the body, as well as stimulate a healthy appetite. Although mustard soothes the stomach, it can also act as a laxative. It has also been used to treat hiccups. Mustard seeds have been used as an emetic for centuries. With all these uses in mind, it is safe to say that mustard has many different effects on the body during pregnancy, so it should be used with caution and with all possible effects in mind.
How do mustard plasters work when applied directly? Since mustard seed is a stimulant, it warms up the circulatory system. This can cause blood vessels to dilate and can also help burn and metabolize fat in the body. Mustard stimulates circulation by dilating capillaries and when applied to the chest, it dilates the capillaries in the lungs. This stimulates the expectoration of mucus that may be present when coughing. One of the reasons you want to stimulate coughing and the movement of mucus is that it can help prevent infection in the lungs and conditions such as bacterial pneumonia and bronchitis. As a warming herb, mustard seed will stimulate sweating which can reduce fever and flush toxins from the body. This will help the body fight off colds and flu, which is why mustard plasters are often used specifically for colds.
Mustard plasters can be applied to the back to relieve back pain and spasms. They warm the body, thereby providing relief and pain relief.
Although modern medicine has largely replaced the use of mustard plasters, those who use them know that it is an excellent way to naturally flush respiratory toxins from the body. A mustard plaster is a poultice of mustard seed powder, spread inside a protective bandage and applied to the body to stimulate circulation.
An enzymatic reaction in wet mustard powder produces a chemical called allyl isothiocyanate, which is absorbed through the skin as a transdermal medication. This increases blood circulation, which in turn stimulates nerve endings in the skin, thereby distracting the body from deeper pain.
Mustard plasters are sold in any drugstore and are ready to use. But if you want to make mustard plasters at home, for example with less mustard, which is more recommended during pregnancy, then you can easily do this.
How to make mustard plasters? First, you need to make a mixture. For the mixture, you need: 1 part dry mustard, 8 to 10 parts flour (the strength of the mustard plasters depends on the ratio of mustard and flour), warm enough water (not hot) to make a paste. All this needs to be mixed, continuing to add water and stir until you get a paste slightly thinner than a pancake. Then take 3 parts of gauze or fleece and spread the mixture on the fabric. Fold it in several layers and then immediately use the mustard plasters while still warm.
Indications for the procedure
Having considered all the advantages and beneficial properties of mustard plasters on the body, it is necessary to determine whether mustard plasters can be used by pregnant women and in what cases.
Indications for the application of mustard plasters are the first hours of a cold, runny nose, cough. Neuritis and myositis may also be indications.
Can you put mustard plasters during pregnancy? It is very important that any action during pregnancy not only brings benefits, but also harms the baby. The main principle of action of mustard plasters is to increase blood circulation in the area of application. Considering this, when putting mustard plasters on the chest area, blood circulation and lymph flow in this place are increased. And the main concern with this action of mustard plasters is that blood circulation does not decrease in the placenta area and the fetus receives a sufficient amount of oxygen. Why should you not use mustard plasters during pregnancy? In addition to the development of circulatory failure in the fetus and the risk of oxygen starvation, using mustard plasters is dangerous, since the mother's sensitive skin can quickly become inflamed when mustard acts on the skin. This threatens the development of serious burns, even though the woman will feel a burning sensation, but it may be too late.
There is also another way to use mustard compresses - use on the feet. Many people use mustard plasters in socks during pregnancy for colds. The principle of action is similar - blood circulation in the lower extremities is increased, which warms the legs and reduces runny nose and other symptoms of a cold. But it should be taken into account that increased blood circulation in the lower extremities sharply slows down blood circulation in the placenta. Therefore, it is not recommended for pregnant women to use the method of putting mustard plasters in socks, especially to do such compresses at night. Naturally, one or two procedures will not cause a catastrophe, but it is very difficult to predict the reaction during pregnancy.
Mustard plasters for cough during pregnancy can be used only taking into account some rules - use only a small dose of mustard plasters with a short exposure. It is also necessary to take into account the gestational age. Mustard plasters during early pregnancy can become one of the unfavorable factors that contribute to the development of termination of pregnancy in the early stages. This is explained by the fact that in the early stages there is no perfect blood circulation in the uterus, since only the placenta develops after implantation of the embryo. During this period, the woman's body is very vulnerable, and if there is a viral infection, then this is stress for the woman's body, which is one of the risk factors for miscarriage. If against this background, blood circulation in the uterus is disrupted, then this can be an impetus for rejection of the embryo. Therefore, mustard plasters during pregnancy in the 1st trimester are not recommended due to the risk of fetal implantation disorders and the development of termination of pregnancy. Naturally, there are no proven cases of direct dependence of termination of pregnancy on the background of the use of mustard plasters, but it is not worth the risk.
Mustard plasters during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester and in the 3rd trimester can be used, but also with caution. Here you need to take into account the duration of the procedure, so as not to cause skin burns, and you also need to use more gentle concentrations of mustard, which can be controlled by preparing mustard compresses at home.
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Technique of mustard therapy in pregnancy
The technique is not particularly difficult. It is important to understand that the warming nature of the mustard plaster can irritate the skin of some people, so the first time you try it, you need to be careful when applying it, and if the skin starts to "burn", you can remove the mustard plaster.
Contraindications to the procedure
There are absolute contraindications to these procedures. First of all, this is an elevated body temperature. After all, thermal procedures can significantly worsen the condition and increase the body temperature to even greater values.
Mustard plasters should also not be used for pneumonia, pleurisy, or purulent bronchitis. Such intervention can aggravate the inflammatory process, since the heat from mustard increases the reproduction of bacteria and the formation of purulent sputum.
A direct contraindication for pregnant women is a pathological pregnancy or a threat of termination of pregnancy. Since healthy pregnant women should be very careful when performing this procedure, if there are any problems, there is no need to put mustard plasters at all.
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Complications after the procedure
Consequences and complications after the procedure may occur if the rules of use are violated. It is necessary to avoid prolonged action to avoid burns, and at the first sensation of "burning" it is necessary to immediately remove the compress. Also, when putting mustard plasters during pregnancy, one should not forget about such complications as the threat of termination of pregnancy.
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Reviews
Reviews of the use of mustard plasters are positive - many experience an improvement in the condition of a cold, a reduction in nasal congestion. As for reviews of the use of mustard plasters during pregnancy, there are no negative descriptions of the effect of such a procedure on the pregnancy process itself.
Mustard plasters during pregnancy can be an alternative method of treating a cold, while medications cannot be used during this period. But it is important to remember that mustard plasters cannot always be used by a pregnant woman and they can also be dangerous. Therefore, you need to be careful with any treatment during this period.