
Common reasons why you might want use a sitz bath:
Recent surgery (e.g.,hemorrhoids)
Recent childbirth
Recent urinary infection, gastrointestinal illness, diarrhea
As part of your personal preventative hygiene regimen
While taking a sitz bath doesn't require a doctor's prescription, be sure to check with your health practitioner about how soon after a medical procedure you can safely take one. Your doctor might prescribe medication to add to the sitz bath, or recommend a herbal preparation to create a more soothing solution for tender areas.
How to Take a Sitz Bath
The bath can be done in your regular bathtub. Be sure to thoroughly clean the tub with an environmentally friendly (non-bleach) cleanser or a solution of vinegar and water (ask your health practitioner how to prepare).
- Fill the tub with comfortably warm, not hot water.
- Add medicine or doctor-recommended remedies to the water. Step into the tub. Sit for 15 to 20 minutes, with bent knees, allowing water to flow around your perineum.
- When you get out of the bathtub, gently pat dry with a clean cotton towel. Don't rub or scrub the perineum, as this may cause pain and irritation.
- Finish by rinsing the bathtub thoroughly.
You can also choose to use a sitz kit, a mini tub placed over your toilet seat. Make sure it's secure before you sit in it and the water is deep enough so the entire perineum is submerged. After 15-20 minutes, pat dry and follow the cleaning instructions that came with your kit.
HealthLine.com "What is a Sitz Bath?" Accessed 13 July 2017: http://www.healthline.com/health/sitz-bath#risks-and-aftercare5
MacGill, M., "What are the benefits of a sitz bath?" posted Feb 2017: MedicalNewsToday.com Accessed 13 July 2017: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/312033.php
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