In my previous article I mentioned the term “sitz bath”. Here I want to explain “what is a sitz bath” and “how to use a sitz bath”.
Where does the term “sitz bath”come from?
“Sitz” is derived from the German word “sitzen” which means to sit. So a Sitz bath is essentially a treatment where you merely sit in a tub of warm water.
When would a “sitz bath” be recommended or prescribed?
This treatment of localized bathing, sometimes with salt or baking soda, is sometimes recommended and prescribed for people with hemorrhoids, anal fistulas, women who have undergone a recent episiotomy (a surgical incision through the perineum made to enlarge the vagina and assist childbirth), menstrual cramps, or inflammation of the prostrate gland.
How long is a sitz bath session?
Typically a sitz bath lasts 10-20 minutes depending on the doctor’s recommendations. A patient may take this once a day or several times a day depending on the severity of the infection or recommendation. Another factor to take into consideration is the ease of taking a sitz bath which will vary on the type of bath owned.
What types of sitz bath are available?
There are some very simple and relatively inexpensive baths available which are made to simply fit over a toilet. These can be fitted with a drain so any additional water will not leak when the patient sits down. Then we have other versions which fit on top of a chair, or some more expensive version are a chair with a sitz bath combined. Finally some patients can simply use a large dish tub and sit in there, however, for larger people this may not be an ideal solution as they may need a larger sized sitz bath.
One last bit of advice:
Cleanliness is very important. After every use, make sure that you clean the basin or tub thoroughly. Clean and disinfect the tub after each use to make sure that you do not promote infection in any way.
The prices of sitz baths vary based on type of model. Basic models are quite inexpensive and those with drains and/or constant warm water flow can be more expensive. Furthermore, if you plan on using a plain dish tub, purchase a new one and use it only for sitz baths.
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