Medicated baths can have unique effects on the human body. Generally, medicated baths can be divided into whole-body baths and local baths. Medicated bath mainly uses traditional Chinese medicines, but western medicines can also be included. These medicines dissolve in the water to act on the body. Medicated baths can promote blood circulation, activate blood, resolve stasis, eliminate inflammation, relieve pain, relax sinew, activate collaterals, promote metabolism, and relieve fatigue. The medicines in the medicated bath can be absorbed by the skin and thus produce good effects. Certain skin diseases, psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis can be treated either by medicated bath or topical application of medicines. Medicated baths that primarily use traditional Chinese medicines are generally suitable for skin lesions on the whole body. For skin diseases that affect a large area of the body, some physical therapy methods such as phototherapy can also be included in addition to medicated baths, if conditions permit.

Benefits of Medicated Bath

Medicated bath is a kind of physical therapy that treats skin diseases or regulates and harmonizes the body by soaking the body with medicated liquids, which are made by boiling traditional Chinese medicine herbs. It is beneficial for the treatment of skin diseases, rheumatism, and some systemic diseases. Common benefits are as follows:

Tonifying yang: for people with a predominantly cold constitution, medicated baths can promote the circulation of qi and blood in the body. Targeted local baths can tonify yang.

Reliving or curing diseases: it can relieve skin diseases such as psoriasis and eczema. Certain gynecological diseases can also be relieved and treated this way.

Activating blood and dredging collaterals: for people with poor local or systemic blood circulation, taking medicated baths can improve the situation by activating blood and dredging collaterals.

Dispelling dampness-cold: people who often eat cold food might have too much dampness in their bodies; taking medicated baths can dispel the dampness and cold in their bodies.

Relieving fatigue: a medicated bath with suitable water temperature can relieve fatigue and make people relax both physically and mentally.

However, do not take the bath for a long time or too frequently, for when the time is too long, it will easily lead to hypoxia, and in severe cases, symptoms like heart and cerebral ischemia may occur. Therefore, people with physical conditions or in sub-health, cannot rely solely on medicated baths. They should also make adjustments to their daily life routines, eating habits, etc., and go to the hospital for thorough examination and treatment when necessary.