The sitz bath has been recommended by healthcare providers for many years as a natural healing process as well as for relief of discomfort, pain, swelling, itching and other conditions of the lower regions in both male and females.
Often doctors will prescribe medications and creams along with suggesting patients sit at least 3 and up to 7 times per day in a warm water sitz bath – sometimes cold or alternating baths of warm and cold is recommended but it is important to follow your physicians instructions.
Since a sitz bath need only be filled just high enough to cover the affected area, it’s often more practical to purchase a portable sitz bath that can be placed on the toilet to both save water and time as well as for ease of filling and subsequent clean-up. Sitz baths come in a variety styles and some include venting to allow the water to flow into the toilet as it is passed through by a tube attached to a bag. This bag can be filled with a solution recommended by your doctor which normally has a salt additive or baking soda. There are also herbal mixtures that can be prepared at home our purchased pre-packaged from drug stores and health food stores.
Sitz baths usually last anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes and help to accelerate the healing process as well as reduce the pain from hemorrhoids, vaginal yeast infections, episiotomies and other common conditions. Warm water sitz baths also aid in keeping the area clean. One important note regarding warm water sitz baths is if they’re taken in a bathtub, please be sure that the patient rises slowly and can cause dizziness and a lightheaded feeling. This feeling will pass but should not be ignored especially in elderly patients who may find in necessary to have help when exiting the bath. A portable sitz bath may help reduce this condition as rising from the toilet is easier than from the low tub.
There are many recipes for herbal and other types of sitz baths that can be found on the internet. Please remember to check with your doctor before adding any ingredients to your sitz bath as some can cause further irritation.