The word Svedana is derived from the Sanskrit word root "svid (to sweat)". As a preparation for the Ayurvedic purification treatment, there is the binding formula: Snehana - Svedana.

Snehana is the oiling, which can be done internally or externally. Internal oiling is done by taking oily foods, external oiling is done by massages. Through the oil applications, old burdens (ama - undigested matter) are released from the tissues. Now it is important that the blood vessels are dilated so that the old "dung" can be removed without obstacles. To achieve this, Svedana therapies are performed.

Through gentle overheating, the whole body or a part of the body is made to sweat. The heat leads to an increased blood flow in the dilated vessels and consequently to the removal of ama. This is transported either via the lymph towards the intestines or via the sweat towards the skin.

There are various Svedana treatments:

• Superheating full baths: at soma we have the unique privilege of using certified thermal healing water for the Svedana application. The thermal water available from the Hague Three Kings Spring is a so-called "carbonic acid spring", i.e. a healing water containing sodium hydrogen carbonate. This has a deacidifying effect on the whole body, similar to an alkaline bath. The water, which has been kept absolutely pure at a depth of 2000 metres for thousands of years, is full of valuable healing energies that are transferred to the bather during the bath. The temperature is selected in such a way that a gentle overheating takes place.

• Baspa Svedana: is a medicinal herbal steam bath. The selected medicinal herbs and the heat promote the opening of the shrotas (body channels). The feeling of Baspa Svedana is similar to a steam bath, leaving out the temperature sensitive head.

• Local Svedana: for some medical indications, whole body overheating is not possible. Then either an affected part of the body or the entire abdomen is treated by a steam jet or a warming poultice.

After preparation through one of the three Svedana applications mentioned above, a discharge therapy can be carried out successfully.