Russian Steam Bath
Please read Important Points to be Observed with all Treatments before performing this treatment.
Contraindications and Cautions
  1. Diabetes
  2. Valvular Heart lesions
  3. Emaciation
  4. Advanced Arteriosclerosis
  5. Hypertension
​This video is for demonstration purposes, if the patient has COVID-19, the carer must wear personal protective equipment.
Definition
A body steam bath in which there is 100% humidity, given with the person sitting on a wooden chair, covered with a non-flammable plastic sheet.
Equipment
  1. An old wooden chair
  2. Teakettle and hot plate, or rice cooker
  3. Plastic cover (shower curtain sewed together)
  4. 3 Towels (for draping around neck, over shoulders and over knees to keep plastic from directly touching the skin.
  5. Hot Foot Bath and Cold Compress equipment.
  6. Ice Bag
  7. Watch with a second hand
  8. Drinking glass with tap water (not cold)
Procedure
Important Considerations
  1. Place Ice Bag over the heart if pulse is 80 bpm or above
  2. Stop treatment if pulse goes above 140 bpm
  3. Do not let steam from kettle hit the patient's legs
  4. Patient may become dizzy or faint.
 Preparation for Treatment
  • Assemble materials
  • Have room warm and free from drafts.
Treatment
  • Heat the teakettle on the hot plate which has been set up under the wooden chair (spout facing backwards, away from the patient's legs.) If using a rice cooker, place it behind the chair.
  • Wrap patient in a sheet; have patient sit on chair that is over the heating teakettle
  • Give patient a Hot Foot Bath to pre-warm and apply a Cold Compress to the head; maintain foot bath at the best temperature for the patient throughout the treatment (40-43°C / 104-110°F).
  • Remove sheet, place a towel around shoulders and neck and over the knees.
  • Drape plastic cover around the patient's neck and chair, covering the body from the neck down, like a tent, including the foot bath.
  • Give patient an Ice Bag for the heart to keep heart-rate down
  • Head remains out; apply Cold Compress to head
  • Check pulse frequently at temple or side of the neck
  • Encourage drinking of hot lemon juice (lemonade), if necessary to hasten sweating
  • Should be no longer than 20 minutes
  • May give medicated inhalation by adding 2 teaspoons of eucalyptus to each litre of water in the kettle.
  • Periodically allow the patient to inhale the steam.
Completion of Treatment