If you’ve just had haemorrhoid surgery or are living with a boba-sized stye on your eyelid, you might have been advised by the doctor to prep a home therapy such as a sitz bath or warm compress.Nothing to it, right? Until you realise you don’t have a bathtub at home – or that the only towel you have (other than your bath towel) is a quick-drying sports one. Even those cold gel packs for sprains and hot water bottles for menstrual cramps sound simple enough to execute – until you do. How hot should the water be? How long do you leave it on for? Find out from SingHealth Polyclinics’ senior physiotherapist, Tan Sin Thien, and Allium Healthcare’s principal physiotherapist, Marcus Tow, on what to do when you need a home therapy for quick relief. 1. SITZ BATH What it’s for: Conditions affecting the pelvic or perineal area, such as haemorrhoids, post-surgical recovery or discomfort from prolonged sitting. “It can help promote circulation, ease discomfort and support hygiene,” said Tow.
How to prep: Use a bathtub if you have one, or get a plastic basin wide and stable enough to sit comfortably in without feeling cramped, said Tow. “Ideally, the basin should allow the hips and buttocks to be submerged without requiring excessive bending or strain.” For seniors or those with mobility issues, he recommended using a toilet-mounted sitz bath instead. A sitz bath uses just warm water (unless advised by the doctor), around 37°C to 40°C, to soothe the area. “Test with your wrist or elbow; the water should feel warm but never hot or uncomfortable,” said Tow. “The water only needs to be deep enough to cover the affected area. Generally, 8cm to 10 cm is sufficient.” Duration and frequency: 10 to 15 minutes per session, two or three times a day, or after bowel movements if advised by the doctor.2. WARM COMPRESSWhat it’s for: Muscle tightness, joint stiffness, chronic aches or non-acute musculoskeletal pain. “We often use heat to help relax muscles and improve blood circulation, which prepares the joints for movement or stretching,” said Tow, but not for fresh injuries, where there are active swelling and inflammation. On styes, a warm compress helps to soften the hardened oil blocking the affected eyelid gland, and encourage the stye to open and drain naturally. The warmth can also reduce the pain and irritation.
