How to Take a Sitz Bath

Last Updated: June 25, 2021 References Approved

A sitz bath is one in which you sit in warm water to ease pain or swelling to the anus or vaginal opening. Your doctor might recommend a sitz bath to you if you’re suffering from hemorrhoids or anal fissure, or if you’ve recently given vaginal birth that resulted in tissue damage. Regardless of which area needs treatment, drawing a sitz bath is an effective and soothing way to soothe the injury. Although there are specialized tools that you can use, you can just use your regular old bathtub. This article will tell you how to draw a sitz bath either way.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Drawing a Sitz Bath in the Bathtub

1
Clean the bathtub. You’d be amazed by how dirty your bathtub can get, for a place where you go to get clean! Since you’re taking a sitz bath to promote healing to injured tissue, you want to be extra sure that the environment is sterile.^{[1]
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- Use a bleach-based cleaning product to sterilize the bathtub before drawing your sitz bath.
- Scrub the tub thoroughly to make sure you’ve removed all the soaps and other bath products that have accumulated on the surface.
- Rinse the tub thoroughly to remove both the soaps and the cleaning products.
2
Set your water temperature. It’s very important that the water you use in your sitz bath is warm, but not scalding hot. The temperature should not cause any discomfort that could cause irritation or inflammation. Warm water, though, will increase blood flow to the injured tissue, speeding up the body’s healing process in that area.^{[2]
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- Dip your finger into the water, or place a drop or two on the sensitive skin on your wrist to test the temperature.
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3
Fill the bathtub with 3–4 inches (7.6–10 cm) of water. Make sure that the bathtub is plugged so the water doesn’t drain out, then run the water until there’s enough water in the tub to fully immerse the area that’s giving you trouble.^{[3]
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4
Mix soothing additives to the water if you wish. You don’t need to add anything to the water, as the warm temperature alone will make you feel better. However, there are many things you can add to your bath to treat different problems. Ask your doctor for a recommendation on what to add to your bath.^{[4]
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- Salt is a good general additive for any sitz bath, regardless of the reason. Bring the water up to a temperature warmer than you’re comfortable with, and add ¼ cup of salt to it. Mix thoroughly so the salt dissolves throughout the water, then let the water cool to a milder temperature.
5
Soak in the sitz bath. Make sure that the problem area is completely covered in the warm bath, and soak in the bath for at least 15 to 30 minutes.^{[5]
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- Run warm water as necessary to keep the temperature of the bath up.
6
Pat yourself dry when finished. You must be very gentle with the damaged tissue after your sitz bath, so don’t rub yourself dry as you normally would. Use a clean, soft towel, pat and dab until the area has been dried.^{[6]
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- Scrubbing or rubbing can cause irritation and further injury.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using a Sitz Bath Kit

1
Purchase a sitz bath kit. You can often find a sitz bath kit in the medical supply section of the grocery store, or your local pharmacy. If you can’t find a sitz bath kit locally at a store, you can purchase them easily online.^{[7]
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- The kit will include a bath basin that fits over a toilet seat; a solution bag for the bathwater; a plastic tube to spray the water; and a clamp to control the flow through the tube.
2
Clean the basin. Even if your kit is new out of the package, you want to make sure that you’re not exposing your damaged tissue to possible infection. Clean the basin thoroughly with a bleach-based cleaning product. Scrub well and rinse with water.
3
Set up the sitz bath. Once you get your bath set up, you can just sit and relax while it does its work. But first, you have to set it up.^{[8]
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- Place the tube through the hole in the basin that’s used for circulating the solution throughout the bath. Consult the directions that came with the kit if you’re having trouble locating the tube hole.
- Snake the tube all the way to the center of the basin and clip it into the bottom of the bowl. Consult your kit’s instructions for a diagram if necessary.
- Use the clamp to cut off flow through the tube; you don’t want it to start leaking before you’re ready!
- Fill the solution bag with warm water, or whichever solution you’d like to use to treat the damaged tissue.
4
Put the basin and bag in place. Making sure the toilet seat is up, place the basin over the inner rim of the toilet. It’s best if the bag can hang from some sort of hook, but all that matters is that it’s elevated, so the liquid will drain downward.
5
Sit on the basin. You’ll likely have to adjust a bit to find a comfortable position. Feel free to adjust your position as necessary throughout the duration of the bath to make sure you’re not causing yourself unnecessary discomfort.
6
Unclamp the tube. Release the clamp that’s holding back the warm solution in the elevated bag. The hose at the bottom of the bowl will begin spraying upward, so make the necessary adjustments to ensure that the bathwater is being sprayed onto the damaged tissue that you wish to treat. This might include adjusting your position or adjusting the position of the hose.
- If you must adjust the position of the hose, make sure to cut off the flow of water using the clamp. Otherwise, you’ll make a mess!
7
Relax. The solution in the bag should be released slowly, not all at once, if your kit is working properly, so you’ll have a few minutes to relax into the spray. Even after the bag has emptied and the hose has ceased spraying, you can simply soak in the water that’s been collected in the basin for as long as you’d like.^{[9]
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8
Pat yourself dry when finished. You must be very gentle with the damaged tissue after your sitz bath, so don’t rub yourself dry as you normally would. Use a clean, soft towel, pat and dab until the area has been dried.^{[10]
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- Scrubbing or rubbing can cause irritation and further injury.