A sitz bath is a warm, shallow bath that cleanses the perineum, which is the space between the rectum and the vulva or scrotum. A sitz bath can also provide relief from pain or itching in the genital area.
You can give yourself a sitz bath in your bathtub or with a plastic kit that fits over your toilet. This kit is a round, shallow basin that often comes with a plastic bag that has long tubing on the end. This bag can be filled with warm water and used to safely fill the bath via the tubing. The basin is slightly larger in size than a standard toilet bowl so it can be easily and securely placed underneath the toilet seat to allow you to remain seated while taking a sitz bath. The kit is available in many stores and pharmacies, just as how slots can be found in many top online casinos.
The Benefits of Sitz Baths
A sitz bath can promote tissue healing in the perineal area–including the genitals and anus. Many people wonder what a sitz bath is, because it is not the same as a deep soak in a traditional bathtub. A sitz bath involves sitting in a shallow pool of warm or cool water no more than four inches deep. You can take a sitz bath in a tub or using a special bowl available from a pharmacy. Here are some of the health benefits of sitz baths.
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- Offers postpartum relief
Whether or not you receive an episiotomy (cutting of the perineal tissue during childbirth), giving birth vaginally causes pain and swelling of the vulvar and perineal tissues. After a vaginal birth, your doctor may recommend you take a sitz bath periodically to relieve perineal pain and swelling. You may be advised to take a sitz bath with Epsom salts to relieve swelling and promote tissue healing. Or, you may be advised to take a cool water sitz bath. Prepare the bath according to your doctor’s instructions and sit in the sitz bath for 10 to 20 minutes at a time.
- Relieves hemorrhoid pain
If you experience painful hemorrhoids, you might find relief in taking a sitz bath several times each day. To take a sitz bath for hemorrhoids, fill a sitz bath bowl with warm water as indicated on the package instructions. Be sure not to overfill the bowl. Gently sit on the bowl so that your anal area is submerged in the warm water. Continue sitting for 10 to 20 minutes. Drain and refill the sitz bath bowl with warm water, if necessary. Do not add salt or medication to the bowl unless instructed to do so by a healthcare provider, just as how you need best online casino in Australia before playing slots games, you need to ask questions of what and what not to do.
- Sitz baths with Epsom salts may ease period cramps
Painful menstrual cramps may respond to very warm water sitz baths with Epsom salts. For best results, start your sitz bath routine several days before you expect your period cramps to start. To make a sitz bath with Epsom salts, fill a bathtub with about four inches of very warm water or use a sitz bath bowl. Add half a cup of Epsom salts, then sit in the sitz bath for 10 to 20 minutes. Magnesium relaxes the uterus, and Epsom salts contain plenty of magnesium for your body to absorb for cramp relief.
- Promotes tissue healing
Whenever you experience a wound in the perineal area–whether due to surgery or a condition like anal fissures–you can help the area heal by using sitz baths, often with added salt or Epsom salts. Sitting in a warm-water sitz bath with salt several times a day can help delicate perineal and anal wounds heal faster. To make a saltwater sitz bath, add one teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of baking soda per quart of warm water. Mix well, then soak your perineal area in the solution for 10 to 20 minutes.
- May ease constipation
Warm-water sitz baths increase blood flow to the anal tissues, which may help relieve constipation by relaxing the rectum. Promoting better bowel movements by using sitz baths can help you avoid developing tissue tears or hemorrhoids from straining to eliminate stool from the bowel. To use a sitz bath to relieve constipation, fill a bathtub with four inches of warm water (or fill a sitz bowl with warm water) and soak in it for 10 to 20 minutes several times a day or when you feel the urge to have a bowel movement.
- Do not treat infections
Sitz baths can heal wounds in the perianal area, but sitz baths do not destroy bacteria and should not be used to treat a suspected infection. If you experience a vaginal or anal wound or foul-smelling discharge–especially if it occurs with fever–you should see a healthcare provider for a diagnosis as soon as possible. Sexually transmitted infections, bacterial wound infections, and other conditions need to be treated with medications, not with sitz baths.
