But first, a doctor: Jīvaka. In the Buddhist monks' rulebook he asks the Buddha to allow saunas, so the monks will rarely get sick. The Buddha allows. Today, Thai people regard Jīvaka as the father of their medicine and massage, and herbal steam is one of that medicine's core treatments.

In Laos, monasteries in Vientiane run steam saunas, and one plant came up in every interview. In Luang Prabang, the Red Cross runs a herbal sauna in front of a temple: 25,000 kip.

Back to the hospital: 64 patients with nasal allergies, herbal steam or plain steam, four weeks. The result? No difference. Except one: the herbal group was, in the study's words, "significantly more satisfied". Same result. Happier patients.

In Finland, our herb is the birch whisk. We have never asked anyone to test it. Please don't.

Herbal or plain?

Sources: SuttaCentral, Vinaya Kd 15:14.1, tr. Brahmali (Jīvaka asks for walking paths and saunas; the Buddha allows). Wikipedia, Jivaka (regarded in Thailand as the father of Thai traditional medicine and massage). He 2015, Complementary Therapies in Medicine (herbal steam among Thai traditional treatments). Tungsukruthai et al. 2018, Journal of Integrative Medicine (2016 single-blind trial, 64 allergic rhinitis patients, herbal or plain steam for four weeks: no difference in effect; the herbal group significantly more satisfied). de Boer, Lamxay and Björk 2011, BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine (monastery steam saunas in Vientiane). Wikivoyage, Luang Prabang (the Red Cross herbal sauna, 25,000 kip, October 2025). A small study about nasal allergies only: no herb is recommended here.
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