Quark wraps (quark envelopes)

and Sabine Schrör, medical journalist

Sabine Schrör is a freelance writer for the medical team. She studied business administration and public relations in Cologne. As a freelance editor, she has been at home in a wide variety of industries for more than 15 years.Health is one of her favorite subjects.

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Quark compresses or quark compresses help with inflammation, either cool or slightly warmed. They have a decongestant and pain-relieving effect, for example in the case of sore throats, bronchitis, sports injuries and osteoarthritis complaints. Quark wraps have been one of the most popular home remedies for centuries. They are easy to manufacture, inexpensive and generally well tolerated. Read more about quark wraps here - from production and use to how they work and contraindications.

What is a curd wrap?

Quark wraps are cool or slightly warmed compresses that are wrapped around parts of the body. They usually consist of three layers of fabric: the first layer contains the quark, the second and third layers cover the quark pad and keep the affected part of the body warm.

Depending on which complaints are to be treated with it, quark wraps are used, for example, as neck or chest wraps. In the case of bruises or inflamed joints, they are wrapped around the affected part of the body.

Popular types of curd curd are:

Quark compress in the chest area
Quark compress for a sore throat
Quark wrap on the knee
Quark wrap on the foot

How does a quark wrap work?

The effectiveness of wraps and pads has not been scientifically researched. Most of the recommendations are based on long-term observations.

Experts assume that the lactic acid bacteria contained in the quark liquefy the mucus (for example in bronchitis) and inhibit inflammation. The damp coldness of a cool quark wrap also has a cooling, pain-relieving, fever-lowering and decongestant effect.

How is a quark wrap made?

A distinction is made between cool and body-warm quark wraps. The latter are used less often, but are also very effective and particularly popular with children. The production of the two types of curd cheese hardly differs:

Cool quark wraps:

Take 250 to 500 grams of fresh quark (the fat level does not matter) from the refrigerator around 30 minutes before use.
Spread the quark as thick as a finger (approx. 0.5 centimeters) on a suitably cut cotton cloth or on a compress and then fold the fabric once. This is important because there should always be a protective layer of fabric between the quark and the skin. The quark dries over time and would then stick to the skin.

Body-warm curd wraps:

If you have a cough, warm the quark to body temperature before use, for example in a water bath.
Then make the quark wrap exactly as described above.

You can use yogurt as an alternative to quark. Then you have to make sure that the much thinner yogurt stays in place. In addition, because of the more liquid consistency, you need more yogurt compared to the firmer quark.

How is a curd wrap used?

Quark wrap: instructions

Wrap the compress filled with quark tightly around the affected part of the body (chest, knees, etc.).
Make sure that the wrap is snug, but not so tight that it obstructs blood circulation.

Wrap a dry cloth (for example a terry towel) around the quark cloth and secure both layers with a warming material, for example a woolen scarf.

Quark wrap on the knee with cling film

Acute injuries, for example to the knee joint, from a fall or a sports accident, can be treated well with a curd compress as a first aid measure. However, urgently seek medical attention if a serious injury is suspected.

For the first aid quark wrap, you need cling film in addition to quark. Place the cling film on the affected knee. Now spread the cool quark as thick as a finger (about 0.5 centimeters) on the cling film and turn it over once. Leave the wrap on for about 20 minutes. The cling film keeps the quark moist longer, so that it can have an even stronger decongestant effect.

Quark pad

Instead of a quark wrap, a quark pad is recommended, for example, for local use for skin diseases such as acne or neurodermatitis or for insect bites. For a quark topping, use a clean cotton cloth coated with fresh quark as thick as a finger. Place this on the affected part of the body (for example on the forehead or cheeks in the case of acne). A cold quark pad can also help with a sore throat. You can read more about this in the article Neck Wrap.

Quark wrap: how long do you leave it on?

Let cool quark compresses work for 20 to 40 minutes. You should remove them when the curd begins to dry.
Warm quark compresses should be left on for at least 30 minutes, preferably also until the quark begins to dry.

Leaving the quark wrap on overnight does not make sense. Because the quark dries very quickly and then no longer works.

After removing the wrap, wash the skin with lukewarm water and dry it well with a clean towel. Then cover the affected person with a warm cover and let them rest for about 15 minutes.

If the person concerned finds the quark compress uncomfortable, please remove it immediately. This is especially true with children.

Quark wrap: how often to use?

You can use cool quark compresses two to three times a day.
Warm quark compresses are applied once a day.

For which complaints does a quark wrap help?

Quark wraps are a popular home remedy, for example for:

Joint inflammation and pain, for example with osteoarthritis (for example cool knee wraps, foot wraps)
Bruises and sprains (for example, cool knee wraps, foot wraps)
Sore throat (cold or warm throat compresses)
Sunburn (cool compresses)
Fever (cold or warm calf compresses)
Acne (cool or warm pads)
Neurodermatitis (cool or warm pads)
Breast infections, for example as a result of breastfeeding (cool or warm breast compresses)
Milk congestion (cool or warm breast compresses)
Cough, frontal and maxillary sinus infections, bronchitis (warm compresses)

When is quark wraps not recommended?

If you suffer from a cow's milk allergy, you should avoid quark wraps (or pads). If you have chills, you should not use curd compresses on your neck and chest. Quark wraps are generally not suitable if you are very cold or shivering. Quark wraps are also generally not recommended for children under two years of age. In addition, you should not use the wrap on open skin injuries.

Home remedies have their limits. If the symptoms persist over a longer period of time and do not get better or even worse despite treatment, you should always consult a doctor.

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