One of the most important home remedies for hemorrhoids patients is to use a salt water bath. Where many patients found relief after spending time in the salt water bath. But what is this salt, and is it the same as table salt, and how does salt water relieve hemorrhoids pain? We will explore about all these details in the following paragraphs. So does salt water bath benefit hemorrhoids?
Does salt water bath benefit hemorrhoids
What Salt Is Used in Salt Water Baths
The salt used in the salt bath is epsom salt, which is completely different from table salt. Whereas, Epsom salt consists of magnesium sulfate, while table salt consists of sodium chloride. Athletes have relied a lot on bathing with water with Epsom salt to relieve muscle cramps and pain.
How Does Epsom Salt Bath Help Hemorrhoids
When Epsom salt dissolves in water, it decomposes into magnesium sulfate, which in turn travels through the water to the anus and hemorrhoids. These sulfates reduce inflammation in the anal area and relieve pain and hemorrhoidal tumors.
What Are the Ways to Use the Salt Water Bath
A hemorrhoid patient can soak the anal area, either by soaking the affected area with a regular bath or with a sitz bath. A sitz bath is a small basin that is installed over the toilet or in the bath. The patient can also benefit from Epsom salt in relieving the pain of hemorrhoids in ways other than bathing, by using it as a paste or placing it directly over the hemorrhoids. Here is how to use salt in all of the previous methods:
Soak Hemorrhoids With a Salt Water Bath or Sitz Bath
In order to obtain good results from soaking, several steps are recommended, which are:
- Clean the bathtub well before filling it with water, because the skin around the anus is sensitive.
- Fill the bathtub or sitz bath with warm water so that the temperature of the water is sufficient to dissolve the salt and does not burn the skin.
- Add two cups of salt to the bathtub, and one cup is sufficient if you want to use a sitz bath.
- Soak the anal area in water for at least twenty minutes
- After the period ends, the anal area is carefully and gently dried, and the soak is re-soaked as desired by the patient, daily or weekly.
- It is recommended to take a shower and soak after excreting waste, to get more comfort and benefit.
Epsom Salt Paste With Glycerin
Another method other than bathing is to make a paste of Epsom salt with glycerin. At first, equal amounts of salt and glycerine are mixed until they become a paste. After that, the paste is placed on a piece of gauze pad and placed over the hemorrhoids for twenty minutes. Then the hemorrhoids are washed with warm water and this process is repeated until the patient feels comfortable.
Applying Salt Directly Over Hemorrhoids
In this method, salt is not put as a paste. But rather it is mixed with a few drops of glycerin and applied directly over the hemorrhoids through a piece of cloth. And the hemorrhoids are applied so that the patient feels the pain gone.
Are There Disadvantage for Bathing in Salt Water
Many people have found in Epsom salt bath or other methods a great relief for hemorrhoids pain. However, there are several things to be careful of:
- The soaking or dipping water should not be hot because hot water can increase hemorrhoids swelling and inflammation.
- Epsom salt should not be taken orally because it carries many risks if taken in large quantities, such as severe diarrhea, stomach ache, heart problems, and paralysis.
- A very small number of patients feel itching or pain after the salty bath, and it is advised to consult a doctor
