How to treat joints with foil, review of methods, effectiveness

From this article you will learn: how effective is treatment of joints with foil, how it “works”, what results can be expected from such treatment. Indications and contraindications, which foil can be used to treat joints, how to use it correctly.

Author of the article: Victoria Stoyanova, category 2 doctor, head of the laboratory at the diagnostic and treatment center (2015–2016).

Article publication date: 07/15/2019

Article updated date: 12/16/2020

Foil therapy is an alternative therapy method proposed by the Austrian psychologist Wilhelm Reich. Wrapping or applying foil to problem areas helps with chronic diseases of the joints (arthritis, arthrosis) and spine (osteochondrosis), allowing:

• reduce discomfort and pain;
• improve joint mobility.

The classic foil wrap proposed by the author does not involve the use of any other medications (ointments, compresses, lotions).

In addition to wraps, other methods of applying foil are used:

• silver bridges (thin strips that are attached with adhesive tape);
• applications (small pieces that can be applied to either side of the joint and attached with a plaster).

All methods are considered equally effective for the treatment of joint pathologies. But silver bridges work better for some people, while wraps work better for others (this may be explained by the individual reaction of the body).

But this is a method of alternative medicine, and a “classical” doctor will not prescribe such treatment.

How effective is such a remedy? Aching, aching pain in the joints of the fingers and toes goes away within a week (if you apply foil for 40–60 minutes a day). The condition of large joints (knees, elbows, shoulders) improves a little more slowly (usually the pain goes away by the 10th–12th procedure).

It is unlikely that traditional medicine specialists (orthopedists, rheumatologists) will recommend foil as an effective remedy for joints, since the effectiveness of the method has not been proven by scientific research. But such treatment is safe, and it can be used independently, without fear of harming the body.

Treatment with foil is contraindicated during the acute period of the disease (immediately after injury, with exacerbation of chronic joint diseases and severe pain, against the background of an infectious process). In these situations, the method is ineffective; drug and (or) surgical treatment is required. You should not apply foil if you have injuries, inflammatory or allergic skin diseases - it may become irritated and worsen.

Wrapping a sore joint in foil

How does foil work?

How to treat joints with foil? The author of the wrapping technique (Wilhelm Reich) believed that all pathological processes in the human body are the result of stagnation of biological energy:

1. Stagnation leads to the formation of energy blocks and muscle tension (armor or shell).
2. Over time, muscle tension becomes so strong that it blocks the movement of free energy flows and creates an obstacle to their path.

As a result, the energy does not receive an outlet, the energy potential of the diseased organ decreases, and the tissues lose their ability to recover.

Biological energy is an esoteric term. There is no such concept in traditional medicine, and a classical doctor will not prescribe such a method for the treatment of joint diseases.

In this case, the foil acts as a powerful reflector:

• returns biocurrents back to the point responsible for the energy potential of the organ;
• strengthens them many times over;
• thereby stimulating cell restoration and tissue healing.

As a result of the method:

• the severity of pain and chronic inflammatory process decreases;
• swelling subsides;
• joint mobility improves.

The effectiveness of foil wrapping can be explained by another of its properties - it retains heat well (it screens or reflects it up to 90%), it acts as a warming application.

The resulting wrap:

1. Increases blood flow to the affected area.
2. Stimulates the removal of lymph and waste products.
3. Strengthens metabolism.
4. Accelerates the resorption of bruises and swelling.
5. It has a good effect on tissue restoration and joint mobility.

Wrap for wrist pain

Helpful information

Adherents of this method of treatment claim that if you apply foil to an unhealthy part of the body, then the biocurrents produced by the human body itself are reflected.
The method of treating various diseases using foil was discovered quite a long time ago and was described in detail in the works of the famous psychotherapist W. Reich. From his work it becomes clear that the human body emits biocurrents, which are reflected, after which they return back to the meridian (the place where they originally came from). This state of affairs has a very beneficial effect on the organ that is connected to this meridian.

Thanks to this simple method, some people believe, you can easily get rid of pain that can be simply unbearable. Moreover, many argue that thanks to foil, it will even be possible to eliminate colloidal scars that a person has after surgery on his body.

As you can see, foil is not only an excellent material that significantly helps in preparing wonderful dishes, but also a means through which you can literally heal. Foil, according to fans of alternative medicine, is considered an effective and, most importantly, safe way to combat a wide variety of diseases.

In what cases can you use foil?

Treatment of joints with foil is contraindicated:

• during exacerbation of chronic joint diseases and immediately after injuries (thermal procedures during the acute period can intensify the inflammatory process);
• for acute joint pain (wraps do not relieve the symptom quickly enough);
• for damage, skin irritation, rashes in the area of ​​application;
• with infectious inflammation of the joint;
• for vascular diseases (varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, endarteritis).

What is a keloid scar and what does it look like?

A keloid scar is a growth of connective tissue in an injured area of ​​the skin. This is a rough, raised red scar that enlarges over time, itches, itches and significantly exceeds the size of the original wound.

External symptoms of the formation of a keloid scar at the site of burns, wounds or surgical sutures appear 2-3 weeks after tissue damage. They may appear as follows:

• the presence of compactions in the healed area;
• discomfort at the scar site, itching, burning or increased sensitivity of the skin;
• the appearance of hard, smooth granules at the site of a healed wound;
• the scar changes color to bright red, blue, purple or, conversely, turns pale;
• the damaged area and discomfort extend beyond the boundaries of the scar.

In the early stages, a bright color of the scar is most often observed, this is due to the fact that collagen fibers actively grow and put pressure on the capillaries and small blood vessels nearby.

What kind of foil can be used for treatment?

You can treat joints with aluminum foil, which is intended for use at home (you can buy it in stores under the name “food foil for preparing and storing food”).

This is the thinnest metal sheet (as thick as a sheet of paper), rolled out on special machines, which has the following properties:

• easily wrinkles and tears;
• sterile because it is rolled out hot (under the influence of high temperature);
• does not collapse under the influence of sweat and fat;
• quite resistant to chemicals (a thin oxide film forms on the surface, which protects the material from chemical reactions, and the body from metal penetration).

Food foil

Common places for scarring

Keloid scars form in the décolleté area, on the back, neck, face and earlobes . These areas contain a large number of testosterone receptors, which plays a significant role in the development of keloid. Most often, the formation of such scars is associated with some kind of cosmetic surgery.

For example, after blepharoplasty , a scar forms across the entire length of the upper eyelid and looks like a thin red stripe. If a keloid occurs, it can not only spoil the appearance, but also prevent the eye from closing.

After rhinoplasty - surgical intervention in the nose area - a scar forms near the nostrils, nasal septum, and also in the area of ​​the upper lip.

Another popular operation is mole removal . In this case, a keloid forms if the wound becomes infected after the procedure, or an unhealed crust at the site of the mole is removed ahead of time.

In the décolleté area, keloid scars can appear after mammoplasty, and on the earlobes and other puncture sites - after piercing.

How to use foil correctly: wrapping, silver bridge, appliqués

There are three ways to treat with aluminum foil:

1. Wrap.
2. "Silver Bridge"
3. Applications.

It is recommended to apply the foil to the joint with the glossy, shiny side; it retains heat, creates a “greenhouse” effect and enhances the penetration of drugs through the skin barrier. Therefore, if desired, you can apply a medicinal substance to the skin or put a compress (some sources recommend covering the compress with cling film and then applying foil).

The duration of action of wraps or compresses is from 40 minutes to 1.5 hours (the author of the technique was treated for 1 hour a day), sometimes up to 3 days (treatment of the spine with a “silver bridge”).

To relieve joint pain, 10–12 procedures are enough (they can be repeated after the same period of time).

The proposed treatment methods are suitable for various joint diseases. Arthritis (inflammation of the joint), arthrosis (destruction of joint cartilage), and the consequences of injuries are treated in the same way.

Wraps

To wrap the joint, take a roll of aluminum foil and cut a longitudinal strip from it (the width of the roll). The strip should be 2–3 cm wider than the area to be wrapped:

• apply it with the glossy side to the skin;
• wrap around the joint (it’s okay if the ends overlap each other);
• secure with a bandage or wide plaster (the main task is not to tear the strip during application).

For knee pain, the wrap can be made multi-layered (this will not add anything to the therapeutic effect, but will allow you to move or lie down without fear of damaging the structure):

• unwind the roll 15–20 cm;
• apply the material with a glossy surface to the skin and press it with your hand, holding the roll parallel to your leg;
• roll out the roll slowly;
• wrap the fabric around the joint several times;
• Secure the top and bottom with a plaster or bandage.

The main task is to wrap the foil around your knee without pulling it too tightly, otherwise it may tear with any movement.

Wrapping with foil over a compress

Small joint wrap

If fingers and toes are affected, foil wraps for joint pain are done as follows:

1. Cut the metal sheet into squares measuring 10x10 cm.
2. Wrap around each toe or hand, completely repeating its shape.

On small joints, the wrap holds well without fastening, but if desired, it can be secured with a bandage or plaster.

Using foil for pain in the joints of the fingers

Silver bridge

Silver bridge is an improved application proposed by the head, Doctor of Sciences Vasilyeva I.A.

This method of using foil is effective for osteochondrosis and other joint pathologies. The author also recommends using silver bridges to treat varicose veins and colds, and use them to stimulate lymphatic drainage and blood supply to internal organs.

What therapeutic effect do such applications have? Using thin strips (bridges), a connection is created between the diseased and healthy areas. This:

• allows you to redistribute biological energy, directing it from a healthy area to the affected area;
• restores the flow of energy along the energy meridians of the body;
• promotes tissue restoration and joint health.

How to make a silver bridge:

• cut a metal strip 0.5 cm wide from the roll;
• the length of the strip should correspond to the affected area (for example, if an area the size of your palm hurts, cut a strip the length of your palm);
• take a medical plaster, cut a strip from it slightly longer than the aluminum strip;
• Glue a strip of foil to the sticky side of the patch (matte surface to the sticky layer), stepping back 0.5 cm from the long edge;
• apply the sticky side to the sore spot (for osteochondrosis and back pain - along the spine);
• after 3 days, change the patch (repeat treatment until recovery).

You can stick several strips onto a wide patch (the distance between them is 0.5 cm).

Small patches up to 10 cm long stay on the skin best, and silver bridges with 3 foil strips glued in parallel are the most effective for treating joints and the spine.

Prepared strips of plaster and foil

Applications

Applications are used for pain in the neck (with cervical osteochondrosis), in the back, for bruises and myositis (in all cases when it is impossible to make a foil wrap and it is more convenient to make an application):

1. Cut a piece from the roll the size of the sore spot.
2. Round the corners with scissors (this will prevent sharp edges from digging into the skin and irritating it).
3. Attach the foil to the skin in the affected area.
4. Secure with adhesive tape.

Foil application for neck pain

Applications are applied to the sore spot for 40 minutes a day, in courses (10–12 days, like wraps).

Methods of dealing with joint and spine problems using foil

If you have joint disease, you should take foil and cut out a circle from it that will correspond to the size of the damaged part of the body. It is attached to the area using tape or adhesive tape and left in this position. The first couple of sessions last for only a few minutes, but gradually the time period increases to an hour.

In the case when the spine needs to be treated, it is necessary to fold a large piece of foil several times and apply it to the affected area. A similar procedure must be carried out 10-15 times, depending on the degree of the disease. After several weeks, the course of treatment can be repeated if necessary.

Prevention

It is impossible to predict the behavior of a scar after an injury , but you can reduce the risk of keloid scars. Silicone gels and patches can help with this; they help prevent the growth of scar tissue. These methods are effective provided that the scar is fresh (no more than six months). Silicone products help maintain the correct water balance in scarred skin and create additional pressure, due to which the blood vessels in the scar are reduced.

It is recommended to start preventing scar formation after 3-4 weeks, when the crusts have completely come off from the wound. The healing area must be kept clean, washed with soap and under no circumstances remove the stratum corneum from the wound - this will cause infection, and this is a sure way to the formation of a keloid scar!

Mechanism of treatment with aluminum foil

- restoration of disrupted interaction between cells and the matrix field;

- a chemical reaction that causes the formation of salts, occurring as a result of the interaction of acids secreted by the skin in the problem area with a metal sheet.

-reflection by a thin sheet applied to the pathological area of ​​electromagnetic vibrations and thermal energy emanating from the person’s body. When treatment is carried out using foil, the biocurrents return to the active point from which they came. Bioresonance affects cells and membranes.

Treatment of pain with foil is used today in modern clinics. Refers to a type of additional therapy to the main treatment plan. But it can also be used independently. The method is quite simple and economical. Has a wide range of applications. Treatment with foil can relieve pain in internal organs, the musculoskeletal system and soft tissues.

Stages of development of a keloid scar

An annoying defect is formed in 4 stages:

1. Epithelialization . An epithelial layer forms on the injured area; after 7–9 days it thickens and turns pale. After 2–3 weeks, the damaged area turns red and swells.
2. Swelling . In 3–4 weeks, the damaged epidermis thickens. Injured skin takes on a red tint.
3. Seal . The injury becomes much denser. A bulge is noticeable on the skin.
4. Softening . The scar fades and softens. Pain may occur.

The sooner treatment begins, the sooner and easier it is to get rid of a keloid scar. However, any external medicinal and cosmetic products should be used only after the wound has completely healed.

Contraindications

The use of foil in the treatment of joints is widely used and currently has no contraindications. However, where an increase in body temperature is required, there are limitations. For example, wraps that create a sauna effect. Contraindicated for:

1. high blood pressure;
2. pregnancy and during breastfeeding;
3. disorders and diseases of the skin;
4. diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

Add methods for treating joints using foil to your repertoire. This is an inexpensive and effective remedy that is popular in famous Russian and foreign clinics. Let your joints be healthy!

For diseases of the cardiovascular system, before using foil to treat joints, it is better to consult a doctor

Questions about whether everyone is allowed to treat sore joints with regular foil are of interest to many patients who want to try this therapeutic method on themselves. It is believed that such therapy has no serious contraindications for use. The difficulty of using foil lies elsewhere. To achieve the desired result, in some cases, patients have to increase the temperature in certain areas.

This treatment method should be avoided in the following cases:

1. For diseases of the cardiovascular system;
2. During pregnancy or breastfeeding;
3. With high blood pressure;
4. For dermatological diseases and ulcers on the skin.

To ensure the safety of joint foil treatment, you need to consult a specialist about this. He will conduct all the necessary research with the patient and give him the correct answer to the question of interest.

Despite the fact that this treatment method seems quite simple and harmless, it has contraindications for use. Therapy is not recommended in the following cases:

• for problems with the cardiovascular system,
• during exacerbation of inflammatory processes on the skin,
• during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

It is also prohibited to carry out treatment if the patient has low or high blood pressure before or during the procedure itself. In order not to harm your health, but to benefit it, it is recommended to consult a doctor.

Aluminum is not chamomile, although this wonderful plant has its contraindications. Aluminum is a metal that is endowed with certain properties. And this is not always useful.

• The obvious contraindication in this case is oncology. No specialist can predict how the tumor will behave in this case.
• Making an application in the thyroid gland area is also dangerous and fraught with unpredictable consequences.

• Treatment with an unconventional method is also contraindicated during pregnancy.
• A contraindication is the presence of implants in the body.
• Diabetes.
• Fresh injury.
• Severe skin lesions, psoriasis.
• Signs of an allergy to aluminum.
• You should not use foil to treat diseases of internal organs in the acute stage.

- with high blood pressure in patients;

- for diseases of the cardiovascular system;

-especially during pregnancy;

- in the presence of skin diseases of various etiologies.