Page 1 of 1: Is bathing contraindicated in any medical illness?

doctor82 · Credits: 580 My Scrapbook My Reading List 1 Books

How many times have we been warned from taking a bath while suffering from a fever or a cold by our grandparents? It is a popular concept (or a misconception?) that one shouldn’t take a bath when having a fever. I have seen many patients not taking a bath in the wards and the duty doctors don’t seem to mind it. I don’t see any reason to support this argument as we advice tepid sponging to a patient suffering from a fever to bring down the temperature.

The only reason I could gather till now is that cold decreases the ciliary motility and predisposes to respiratory infections. But this reason alone doesn’t seem to be rational enough to advice a patient to be “hydrophobic”. Also why should someone refrain from bathing in lukewarm water? Is there any medical basis for such a concept?

Personally I do take a bath when I’m having an illness and have never come across any contraindication.

( Honestly, I don’t know whether this is a question trivial enough to be posted in the offbeat section. So I decided to put it here. )

drlouis · Credits: 5374 My Scrapbook

there is no scientific reason for not to take bath in medical illness.

its by logic that pts who are critically ill -on supports and ventillation-cannot bath by THEMSELVES-BUT in our ICU -we clean the whole body including the back ,scalp,genital area to be clean and dry- so that there is no source for infection or reduce it`s incidence.

when even the icu pts are kept clean,there is no reason why a hemodynamically stable pt in the ward can`t take bath-provided u take care for the septic wound,eye,ear and the sutured site(if at al).

so if pts are not able to take bath,it`s our(doctors) duty to ensure that they are kept clean and non-infectious and maintain the hygeine.

MAINTAINING THE CLEANLINESS AND HYGEINE IS THE PRINCIPAL,RATHER THAN THE QUESTION OF BATHING!

doctor82 · Credits: 580 My Scrapbook My Reading List 1 Books

Thanks drlouis for the input. I just wanted to make sure that I am right in asking my patients to clean themselves even when they are having a temperature. People think that they shouldn't take a bath or else it might worsen their illness especially a fever. Whenever a patient is asked why they didn't clean themselves or had a bath, pat comes the answer - I have fever/cold.

sufi · Credits: 687 My Scrapbook

its the not right thing to not tke bath in illness. although there is suspicion of RTI. but due to bath all other organism will shed out & there will no risk for development of other infection. so u r right. I really appreciate it . it will b the illteracy which stops the people for bathing in illness.

BRAVO · Credits: 46015 My Scrapbook

hot water bath causes pruritis in patients of polcythaemia vera...

legolassildarin · Credits: 2418 My Scrapbook My Reading List 19 Books

i think one should take bath.it cleans a patient both physically and emotionally.patients as it is are bored with a hindrance in their day to day lives.if they're prevented from taking bath they feel more dirtier.
well in some circumstances like a patient with pemphigus vulgaris bathing removes crusts and healing occurs at a quicker pace.
yes of course patients and the hospital staff as well should scrutinize the bathing conditions in the hospital to avoid contact infections.
ciao

nickname · Credits: 143 My Scrapbook

taking a bath is emotionally healing, and therefore physically healing. it strengthens the immune system. It has a phycho-physical effect.

Vagus · Credits: 671 My Scrapbook

No condition is contraindicated as far to my knowledge
Bathing aggravates pruritis in

1. Polycythemia rubra vera
2. Severe Renal Failure

josephdhar · Credits: 1655 My Scrapbook

Kindly clarify why bathing is contraindicated in severe Renal failure.i saw this in one of the threads

gunshot9 · Credits: 121 My Scrapbook

Hot water bathing may worsen the symptoms in
A. Multiple sclerosis
B. Optic neuritis
(Uthoff's phenomenon)

		Sign In New User? Sign Up Sign in to access your control panel and messenger!
				TechZone \| SpiderNevi \| HowTo? \| Scrapbook!