Treatment of Hemorrhoids with the help of Abzan (Sitz Bath)

Sitz comes from a german word ‘Sitzen’ which means to ‘sit’, that’s exactly what you do with this kind of bath. Sitz Bath is quite a traditional practice’ which originated in Europe as part of a rising trend in 1800. A sitz bath is a warm, shallow bath that cleanses the perineum, which is the space between the rectum and the vulva or scrotum. Usually in Sitz Bath warm water is used but cold water can be used as well. Cool sitz baths are said to be helpful in easing constipation, inflammation and vaginal discharge, and, in cases of fecal or urinary incontinence, in toning the muscles. Sitz bath work by altering the blood flow to the area immersed in water. Sitz bath is simple safe, cheap and probably effective treatment for the pain, inflammation, swelling and irritation. Sitz bath is commonly prescribed for ano-rectal disorders in conjunction with dietary and pharmacological therapies. A warm sitz bath could be helpful to relieve congestion and edema by aiding venous return from the perianal area. Its major effect is thought to be due to the reductions of spasms by relaxing the anal sphincter pressure, reducing anal pain. It has benefits for patients with elevated anal pressure due to anorectal diseases such as anal fissure or inflamed haemorrhoids, and after surgical operations involving the anus.  It improves hygiene and promotes blood flow to ano-genital area.    

Aroma Therapy

 Aroma therapy

The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) defines aromatherapy as “The therapeutic application or the medicinal use of aromatic substances (essential oils) for holistic healing.”

 American aromatherapist Jeanne Rose classifies aromatherapy as “The healing of essential oils through the sense of smell by inhalation, and through other application of these therapeutic volatile substances” (Rose 1992). French physician Valnet (1990) writes that aromatherapy involves essences obtained from plants that are generally given “in the form of drops, or capsules.”

The basic reason which accounts for the diversity of conception and application of aromatherapy lies in the very nature of the aromatic substance. Essential oils have many properties which make them highly suitable therapeutic substances:

– The capacity to effect cutaneous penetration quickly and easily.

– Being endowed with the capacity to influence the mind through their powerful impact on the human olfactory system. They were traditionally used in analeptics (an old term denoting a restorative remedy for states of weakness frequently accompanied by faintness and dizziness (Aschner 1986)) to stimulate the olfactory

nerve and the sensory trigeminal nerve endings causing a reflex stimulation of respiration and circulation (Schulz, Hänsel & Tyler 1998 ).

– Having multiple pharmacological properties due to their highly active molecular compounds

Aromatherapy applications include massage, topical applications, and inhalation.

There are many reasons why essential oils need to be included in the armoury of weapons in the fight against the disease. They have many positive properties and effects which are desirable – and few drawbacks. They are capable of being anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, appetite-stimulating, carminative, choleretic, circulation stimulating, deodorizing, expectorant, granulation stimulating, hyperaemic, insecticidal, insect repelling, and sedative (Schilcher 1985 ). They are natural antimicrobial agents able to act on bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Essential oils have been found to aid relaxation effectively, both pre-and postoperatively, to regenerate tissue in cases of severe burns and inflammation, and to relieve pain in cases of rheumatoid arthritis. They have helped to improve the quality of life for the terminally ill and have also found important uses in maternity care. They are used more and more to help people with learning disabilities and in elderly care, particularly with regard to dementia as well as being used extensively to improve or uplift a patient’s state of mind.

 According to the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, some of the important essential oils are:

clary sage

cypress

eucalyptus

fennel

geranium

ginger

helichrysum

lavender