This mode of treatment involves only the hips and the abdominal region below the navel for which a special type of tub is used. The tub is filled with water in such a way that it covers the hips and reaches upto the navel when the patient sits in it. Four to six gallons of water is required generally for the bath and a support may be placed under one edge to elevate it by two or three inches. (However, even a common tub may be used incase the special tub is not available.) A Hipbath is given in cold, hot, neutral or alternate temperatures, whereby the water temperature should be from 10C-18C. The duration of the bath is usually 10 minutes, but in specific conditions it may vary from one minute to 30 minutes.
i. Cold Hip Bath: If the patient feels cold or is very weak, a hot foot immersion should be given with the cold hipbath. The patient should then rub the abdomen briskly from the navel downwards and across the body with a moderately coarse wet cloth. The legs, feet and upper part of the body should remain completely dry during and after the bath.
ii. Hot Hip Bath: This bath is generally taken for eight to 10 minutes at a water temperature from 40C-45C. However, no friction should be applied to the abdomen. Before entering the tub, the patient should drink one glass of cold water and even a cold compress should be placed on the head. A cold shower bath should be taken immediately after the hot hipbath. Care should be taken to prevent the patient from catching a chill after the bath. The bath should be terminated if the patient feels giddy or complains of excessive pain.
iii. Neutral Hip Bath: The temperature of the water should be 32C-36C and the duration should be from 20 minutes to an hour. Friction to the abdomen should be avoided.
iv. Alternate Hip Bath: This is also known as revulsive hipbath. The temperature in the hot tub should be 40C to 45C and in the cold tub 10C to 18C. The patient should alternately sit in the hot tub for five minutes and then in the cold tub for three minutes. The duration of the bath is generally 10 to 20 minutes. The head and neck should be kept cold with a cold compress. The treatment should end with a dash of cold water to the hips.