Temazcal
By Omiara Sakandar
assist them with the resources and support they
need.
The sweatbath is used to treat several
illnesses and diseases. The common cold, flu,
muscle aches, stress, insomnia, stomach pains,
diarrhea, rheumatoid, cramps, and body pains
associated with post-partum can all be treated
using the sweatbath. Not all sweatbath treatments
are for those who are ill. Most session
accommodate people who want to enjoy the
sweatbath for the purpose of relaxation and
alleviating stress tensions. The sweatbath varies in
size. Usually the temporary ones built are about
1.5m to 2m long. long x70cm.1m.wide and a
height of 1 ½ m. The burner is 50 cm.long x30 cm
wide and one meter high (Valdez, 2008). The
temporary sweatbaths are usually built from bush
huts, card boards, and wires to hold the sweatbath
together. A hole is dug into the
Mexico is a country that is composed of
multiethnic, multicultural, and traditional medical
practices. The temazcal is used throughout
Mesoamerica. It is especially popular among the
indigenous population of Oaxaca, Mexico (Valdes,
2008). The temazcal is a form of a sweatbath. It is
very warm, steamy, and releases several agents
from medicinal plants and herbs to treat the ill or
“diseased” person. The degree of heat inside the
sweatbath ranges from 60-80 degrees (Valdes,
2008). The temazcal is a traditional medical
practice that provides treatments to those who
desire a natural alternative towards meeting their
healthcare needs and goals.
There are different medicinal plants and
herbs used to aid those in need depending on their
diagnosis. A woman who has just experienced
childbirth will have special medicinal plants and
herbs prepared for her. She will be given the
following medicinal plants: anise, avocado leaf,
and tea bay to help treat her tired and aching
body. For someone who experiences stomach
pain, the medicinal plant, arnica is used. After and
in-between sweatbath treatments the patient
receives hot beverages to consume. Post-partum
women usually receive a hot beverage called Itya
yoya (Trujillo, 2012). It helps alleviate cramps and
serves as a cleanser which is a form of oxytocin.
Over consumption of these hot beverages can be
dangerous. It is always important to listen to the
traditional medicine specialist to gain health
benefits from the treatments and avoid harmful
situations.
Every treatment varies in the amount of
time permitted for the patient to remain inside the
sweatbath. The sessions are timed and breaks are
provided to allow the patient to rest and receive
the full effect of the treatment. For instance, after
childbirth, a woman is recommended to receive
the sweatbath treatment seven times every third
day (Valdes, 2008). For other illnesses, the patient
is usually recommended three sweatbaths every
other day. The patient will receive this information
from their specialist along with their co-madres
and co-padres. Depending on where a person
resides and obtains treatments, their “non-blood”
relatives known as co-madres and co-padres, will
ground and a burner is placed inside the hole to
make the sweatbath warm. The materials vary on
each temporarily built sweatbath depending on the
resources available. There are permanent
sweatbaths built from bricks or concrete.
However, they are limited and used among the
population who resides near it.
There is a cost associated with obtaining
access and services for a sweatbath treatment. It
typically ranges from $50-$200, which includes all
the materials needed (Valdes, 2008). Not only is
the sweatbath a traditional healing practice it is
also a community and spiritual practice. A
sweatbath in Oaxaca, Mexico is usually built
among the community to aid the patient. All the
neighbors and members of the community come
forward and take responsibilities in different tasks
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