Viewing 27 posts - 1 through 27 (of 27 total)
  • how much salt in a salt water bath?
  • tails
    Free Member

    You can use table salt right?

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    Yes but why? Its an outdated concept of no medical value.

    iDave
    Free Member

    you need a large bottle of vinegar too

    tails
    Free Member

    Yes but why? Its an outdated concept of no medical value.

    Because the nurse said to, and my little reading makes it sound okay to good.

    nonk
    Free Member

    TJ hear me out a moment..
    say you have someone with IBS right.now that IBS can be the result of to much tension or an overly relaxed state.yes? no?
    so if the person trys a salt bath'say 2 cups of salt in a bath that they would have had anyway 9 times out of ten you would find that the person that was too loose would find the bath would not agravate the condition but the normal bath would.
    this can be said of a lot of conditions depending on how well the person understands the condition.

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    tails – its something we did back in the 70s. Its no longer done as the research showed it was a waste of time.

    nonk
    Free Member

    works for loads of people tails try it and see what you think.

    AndyP
    Free Member

    Outside of TJland, it works well.

    crikey
    Free Member

    It's a load of old cobblers.

    If you believe differently, please explain why.

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    Andy – utter bollox. I used to use them as a nurse back in the 70s. these days we in the medical professions like to do something called " evidence based practice" The evidence for them is non existent. Double blind studies and all that were done. In fact they were shown to delay wound healing and encourage bacterial growth which is why they are no longer used.

    tails
    Free Member

    medical professions

    It was a medical professional who advised them.

    Anyway so 2 cups will do then?

    nonk
    Free Member

    i have crikey up the thread a bit.nowt to do with wounds mind.

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    2 cups is more than plenty. Next time you see the nurse ask for their evidence. It won't cause great harm to do it, however the evidence is clear.

    crikey
    Free Member

    Go ahead, fill your boots/bath.

    Still a load of cobblers, but whatever makes you happy..

    nonk
    Free Member

    crikey while your on will you have a butchers in my profile and see if you have a reply to my one for the medics thread.ta.

    AndyP
    Free Member

    these days we in the medical professions like to do something called "evidence based practice"

    Thanks for the patronising reply. I had no idea what medical professionals did. I am however completely convinced by your inclusion of the phrase 'Double blind studies and all that'. Brilliant.

    Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some double blind studies and all that to run, with some medical professionals.

    bananaworld
    Free Member

    So salt water is not a healing stimulant or anti-bacterial agent then? What about that old-skool recommendation to gargle with salt water to aid a sore throat?

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    Andy – you started being offensive. Whats your qualifications on this?

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    banana world – I can't imagine it would do much good – but I have not read research on that one so I cannot be confident. As its a mucus membreane it could have different effects.

    ernie_lynch
    Free Member

    encourage bacterial growth

    😕 Encourage ? I find that very hard to believe.

    If it does so, then I reckon it must be in a very indirect manner……. I'd be interested in knowing how 💡

    steelfan
    Free Member

    Salt water baths work for me especially when I have flair ups of Eczema.
    I much prefer having one of those rather than using any form of cream. I find it really sooths the skin.
    I tend to use sea salt rather than table salt about a 1.5 cups.
    I started doing this after I realised that when ever I went in the sea my Eczema would clear up completly.

    ernie_lynch
    Free Member

    TJ – if you are referring to the bit which says that salt solutions of up to 10% is used in medium to grow Staphylococcus aureus, then that does not signify that salt "encourages" bacterial growth. In fact it suggests the opposite :

    Mannitol salt agar(MSA) was developed by microbiologists seeking a method for isolating Staphylococcus aureus, a pathogen frequently transmitted by contaminated food. This medium contains 7.5% salt, which is inhibitory to most bacteria other than staphylococci.

    It would appear that Staphylococcus aureus is simply slightly more tolerant of salt than other pathogens.

    My understanding is that all bacterial culture medium for diagnostic purposes, have "bactericides" added to them – that's how they work.

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    ernie – I cannot access the original research at the moment. Thats how I remember it – no evidence of any positive effects and some possible ill effects on bacterial growth and wound healing. I doubt any further research was done once it was established it was a waste of time to have salt baths.

    ernie_lynch
    Free Member

    OK, in the meantime, with reference to the OP and how much salt to add, I would suggest that you aim for a salt solution in excess of 10%.

    Like that, you'll kill the Staphylococcus aureus along with all the other nasty pathogens 😉

    dangerousbeans
    Free Member

    Afraid I'm with TJ on this, salt baths are something that we used to advise with no evidence to support it's use or effectiveness.

    Loads of trials have been done and have shown no improvements to healing times.

    When our youngest had an op we were advised to salt bath the wound, asked the nurse why the ward were advocating this when evidence showed it did not work. She said that it was mainly for the benefit of the parents, would give them something to do to feel they were helping and involved in the process.

    Asked the SHO on the ward and he said the Consultant was old school and stuck in his ways, and it would likely do no harm.

    However, go for it if you want, you'll be fine.

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    You'll all be saying that homeopathy is a load of bunk next!

Viewing 27 posts - 1 through 27 (of 27 total)

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