Ayurvedic texts classify Svedana (fomentation) in several types with different points of view. Upnaha Sveda is one of them. It is the process of poulticing or plastering or applying pastes upon the skin. It is very helpful in local pain and inflammation.

It is known with the names like Sudation, Poultice, Salvana Upnaha Sveda, Mahasalvana, and Plastering etc. The termUpnaha is derived from the verbal root which means bandaging (Naha bandhana in Sanskrit) Upnaha Sveda has been found in “Susruta samhita” under the classification of thermal Sudation, where as in “Charaka samhita” it is found in the category of non-thermal Sudation. Application of different types of drugs on the affected part of the body and bandaging with animal skin etc. is known as “Upnaha”. Yeast (kinva), butter milk or fermented acids are generally used for the preparation of these Poultices. Sushruta praises Upnaha Sveda as one of the prime modality of treatment for the pain relief in sixty important procedures described by him in his treatise. Upnaha helps in the management of the pain which is caused due to the post traumatic osteoarthritis of the bone. It helps in reducing the inflammation by increasing the local blood circulation.