If you watched TV in the 1970’s you became familiar with the cry, “Calgon -Take me Away!” Calgon, for those who may not know, was a sudsy bath liquid that invited women to leave their stress behind and transport them magically to the calm serenity of a luxurious bath tub. Well,that sounds pretty good right about now.
If you haven’t taken a long bath since before you could stand, maybe it’s time to rediscover this ancient pleasure. Baths are great for relieving anxiety and offer many other health benefits. As a general rule: hot baths are relaxing and stimulating; cool baths can reduce inflammation and help ease aches and pains.
Things to know:
The temperature of the water should be comfortable. The bath should not last longer than 20-30 minutes because of the tendency of these soaks to soften and wear away the skin.
A bath mat should be used, since medications and bath soaps may cause the floor of the tub to be slippery.
The tub should be filled half—full with water at a comfortable temperature. The water should not be allowed to cool too much. If an emollient action is needed, the patient should apply a lubricating agent to the skin after the bath, since this increases hydrationDifferent types of therapeutic baths are used for different conditions:
Preparation
Keep the room warm to minimize temperature fluctuations. This precaution is particularly important when bathing elderly patients.
Aftercare
After the bath, the skin should be blotted (not rubbed) carefully with a towel. The patient should wear loose, light clothing after the bath.
Living a healthier life is a goal that we all strive for but often need encouragement accomplishing. Keeping track of nutrition, exercise, inner happiness and the latest healthy living information may be a time-consuming task. Having some friendly advice at your disposal, whenever and wherever you need it, makes it easier and more fun. With just a click, good2knowelpaso.org is filled with tips, tricks, recipes and personal stories that will inspire you on your journey to wellness. We strive to offer you information and advice that you can immediately incorporate into your life. Think of us as your source for intel on living well!
Good2knowelpaso.org is an initiative of the Rio Grande Cancer Foundation
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