Methods and Classification of Medicated Bath

First, systemic bathing

This method utilizes the tepidity of the water and the effects of medicine to dredge the systemic striae and pores, which has the functions of diaphoresis and bring down a fever, expelling wind and removing dampness, warming channels and expelling cold, regulating qi and blood, reducing swelling and easing pain, removing blood stasis to produce new and etc.

2, Matters needing attention:

①The temperature of hot water should be proper in order to prevent from being scalded;

②Keep warm when you are taking the medicated bath. Avoid catching a chill and dry your skin immediately after the bath. Especially in autumn or winter, you should make sure your bathroom is warm and takeing shelter from wind.

③You had better not take a bath 30 minutes before or after the meal. Bathing with an empty stomach can easily cause collapse or faint because of hypoglycemia. While bathing with a full stomach will affect the absorption of food. Because the surface blood vessels of the whole body will expand with the stimulation of hot water, the blood of stomach and intestine and other viscus will be distributed to body surface. Then the blood supply of stomach will decrease, the secretion of gastric acid will reduce and the function of digestive organs will be weakened. All of these can affect the absorption of food.

④Patients with hyperpyrexia, hypertension, aortic aneurysm, coronary disease, cardiac insufficiency and bleeding tendency had better not take the medicated bath.

⑤As for elderly people or patients with heart cerebrovascular or lung disease, they should not take a bath alone. They should be accompanied when they have a bath and the bathing-time should not be too long.

Second, topical bathing

This method utilizes the combined action of heating power and medicine to permeate the medicine into the skin and striae directly, which has the functions of clearing heat and detoxicating, expelling swelling and xeransis relieving itching, invigorating the circulation of blood and promoting the circulation of qi and softening keratin and etc.

1, Face and head bathing: put the medicine into the disinfected basin and pore hot water into it. When the temperature of water gets proper, you can wash your hair, head and dace. This method have remarkable effects on cosmetology and hairdressing, meanwhile it can treat the disease of face and head. The matters needing attention of this method are: avoid catching a chill and avoid the wind after bath. Besides, as for people with acute inflammation on face or with obvious dermatoses, they should be cautious to take medicated bath.


2, Eye-bathing: utilize the filtrated decoctum to wash the eyes with disease. You can use sterile gauze or cotton balls to wash eyes continuously, or use disinfected eyecups. Filling the eyecup with half cup of medicine liquid, bow your head first, closing your eye to the cup, then raise your head and blink your eyes repeatedly. This method need to be done 2-3 times per day and every time lasts for 20 minutes.