Sitz Bath – Uses, Reason, and Procedure

How to do a sitz bath? Find out the reasons why this is done.

SITZ BATH – A sitz bath is a warm, shallow bath, and here are the reasons why this is done and its effects and benefits to a person.

A type of therapy done by sitting in warm and shallow water is called a sitz bath. “Sitz” comes from the German word “sitzen” which means to sit.

Sitz Bath
Photo lifted from Healthline

This therapy is done to relieve discomfort such as pain, itching, and other symptoms in your perineal region. The perineum is the area between the anus and scrotum or vulva.

Currently, this is being prescribed to people with hemorrhoids, anal fissures, and other health conditions to soothe the discomforting symptoms they are suffering from.

Here are the common reasons why this therapy is needed:

  • recent surgery in the anogenital area
  • constipation or diarrhea
  • hemorrhoids
  • after giving birth
  • surgically-removed hemorrhoids

Based on a post from Medical News Today, these are the benefits it can bring to a woman:

  1. It can help prevent certain infections.
  2. It can help ease the symptoms of certain infections
  3. This bath can help relieve the infections in the Bartholin’s glands.
  4. To reduce the perineal pain after giving birth and promote healing.

How do you do this?

You can do this by doing it in your bathtub or by using a plastic kit that sits perfectly in your toilet. It comes in a plastic bag with a long tube attached to it. Using the plastic bag, you can fill the kit with warm water.

Sometimes, your doctor may prescribe some additives like povidone-iodine, which has antibacterial properties, Epsom salt, vinegar, or baking soda. Make sure that the water’s temperature is comfortable enough for you and soak for 15 to 20 minutes.

If you are using your bathtub in your home, thoroughly clean it before using it.

This is a non-invasive treatment which is why it has minimal risk of harm.

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