Care of Warm Water Sitz Bath

【Major points】

For avoiding burn injury, when preparing warm water, put cold water first then hot water while adjusting water temperature.
Each sitz bath session should last around 10 to 15 minutes and should be performed more than 4 times a day.
Please stop sitz bath if any discomforts occur, such as dizziness and nausea.

Purposes of sitz bath:

To promote perineal wound healing and increase local blood circulation.
To decrease perineum swelling, edema, pain and increase local blood circulation.
To relax internal anal sphincter and relieve pain.

Indications of sitz bath:

24 hours after vaginal delivery. (Do not wait until the lochia is completely drained to start warm sitz bath.)
Women with increased vaginal discharge.
Episiotomy wound or perineal laceration.
Stimulated by internal or external hemorrhoids.

Steps of sitz bath

Prepare an appropriate bath pot and a stable shelf that the pot can be put on. (or replace by a solid and stable bench)
Prepare warm water, the temperature around 41-43°C (105-110°F), and fill the water to eighty percent of the container.
Clean your perineum area with warm water first, sit into the pot, then cover the episiotomy wound and anus as doctor ordered.
Each sitz bath session should last around 10 to 15 minutes and should be performed more than 4 times a day or execute after pooping.

Precautions for sitz bath

Put cold water first then hot water while adjusting water temperature. For avoiding burn injury, sitz bath water temperature cannot be too high. The skin surface of wrist inner area can be used to test water temperature to check whether it is appropriate.
Without physician’s order, no medication is required to add into water, such as iodine or soap.
Please stop sitz bath if any discomforts occur, such as dizziness and nausea.

Reference

Luo, Y., Wang, Y., Yang, M., Luo, T., Chen, F., Leng, Y., Zhou, L., Fang, J., Li, Y., & Chen, C. (2022). Comparison of different concentrations of a povidone iodine-diluted sitz bath in the prevention of perianal infection in patients undergoing chemotherapy for hematological malignancy: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials, 23(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-022-06721-y
Rosbough, J. (2022). NURSING INTERVENTIONS FOR FEMALE PATIENTS UNDERGOING VULVAR CANCER RADIATION...47th Annual Oncology Nursing Society Congress, April 27–May 1, 2022, Anaheim, CA. Oncology Nursing Forum, 49(2), E44. https://doi.org/10.1188/22.ONF.E2
Zeng, A., Gu, G., & Deng, L. (2021). Effect of Kangfuxin Solution Fumigation Bath on Postoperative Patients with Hemorrhoid PPH and Influence on the Postoperative Complications. Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine (ECAM), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6473754

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