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A full-body steam bath may be taken either reclining or sitting. The Turkish bath is done in a cabinet with the individual seated and the head exposed.

A full-body steam bath with the patient reclining is called a Russian bath. These are used to produce sweating and for mild fever therapy. The body temperature is increased in this environment of 100% humidity, preventing
heat loss. There is usually an increase in pulse rate, blood pressure, and metabolism. Alcoholism and other addictions, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, and certain cases of influenza respond well to the steam bath.

Since this is a more vigorous treatment than other heating measures, certain considerations should be regarded. A generalized steam treatment is contraindicated in hypertension, diabetes, and cardiac impairment. An individual should have had a bowel movement within 24 hours previous to the treatment time and should void before taking the treatment.

Adequate fluid intake should be encouraged during and preceding the treatment, as any increased perspiration helps eliminate some wastes.

Preheating the body with a hot foot bath or using a fomentation to the spine is helpful. In the home, a hot plate with a kettle of water may be placed under a wooden stool or chair, on which the patient is seated. The feet are placed in a hot foot bath. A shower curtain with a hole cut out for the head may be wrapped around, much as in the barber chair or at the hairdresser’s. With complete covering in this way, the steam filling the area will cause a rapid onset of sweating. It may be necessary to apply a cold compress to the head, changing it frequently. Finish the treatment with a graduated spray. Patients should be adequately cooled after every steam treatment and rest for 1/2 to 1 hour.

With aromatic medications, such as tincture of benzoin, camphor gum, menthol, or eucalyptus oil, the steam bath can be therapeutic in relieving the inflammation of mucous membranes, common colds, sinusitis, and bronchitis. Other chronic conditions of the respiratory tract improve when these inhalant mixtures are used in conjunction with the steam.

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At certain seasons of the year, children seem to be particularly prone to nosebleeds. This may occur after picking the nose or introducing a foreign body into one nostril. More commonly it is associated with allergies, in which the prolonged sneezing and irritated mucous membranes provoke one of the small veins to break. Pressure on the nostril, with the use of an ice pack will control most nosebleeds. If there is a bleeding disease, such as hemophilia, leukemia, or the blood pressure is abnormally high, sudden nosebleeds may be difficult to control. If rest, pressure, and ice do not suffice to control the bleeding, the patient should be seen by a physician. An examination with improved lighting and suction available may be necessary to determine the source of the bleeding and allow the offending vessel to be cauterized. Local anesthetics and antibacterial precautions are valuable. It may even be necessary to pack the nose to control the more severe hemorrhages.

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Deep pain, including that of the internal organs and skeletal structures, has basically the quality of severe aching. However, intense, visceral pain may also be sharp or knife-like. Occasionally there is a burning type of deep pain, as in the case of heartburn from esophageal irritation, and rarely, in the angina pectoris of heart disease. These pains are felt beneath the body surface.
Localization is poor and the margins of pain are not well outlined, presumably because of the scarcity of nerve endings in these organs.

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In the privacy of your home, there are several types of therapy that
deserve particular attention. Naturally, it is our instinctive tendency to look for the simplest way of getting well. Often people resort to drugs in an attempt to cure themselves, only to find that the drug has changed the form and location the disease, producing new symptoms or complications that might even be worse than the original disease. Furthermore, the expense of drugs, together with their long term risk are reason for great caution in their use by the home health practitioner.
Diet is an extremely important type of home treatment. In case of illness, the patient’s diet should be simpler than is usually eaten. Sometimes a fruit fast for a few days will help a person recover without a grain of medicine. Juices have a more limited place. Sometimes skipping a meal and drinking water or fruit juice will allow nature a chance to build up defenses against the invader. This should be done at mealtimes, not drinking juices all through the day.
Herb teas have a valued place in healing. Hence, a special chapter is being devoted to their use. Medicinal teas are usually prepared by mixing one teaspoon of the herb in a cup of boiling water and allowing it to steep for three to five minutes, until the tea is ready. The herb is strained out before drinking. Other herbal beverages made with parsley or comfrey, create the so called “green drink,” which is popular in health food stores today. There are many common symptoms that can be treated safely with herbs, making it
unnecessary to consult a physician nearly as often as we do these days.

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Most laboratories today require requisitions from a physician to run
various tests. New self-care home kits are now available for many screening tests, which can be done at home. Some of these are as follows: pregnancy test, blood cholesterol, blood glucose, and stool testing for occult blood. The latter is useful to periodically evaluate possible blood loss, as well as causes for anemia. Urine testing for protein or sugar, and fasting blood sugar measurements, are good screening tests for diabetes. These tests can be done on a group basis at health fairs, and for a considerably reduced cost.
Cholesterol and triglyceride evaluations are periodically performed in coronary screening programs, and occasionally, it is possible to secure chest x-rays, electrocardiograms, and even treadmill tests from public health groups or private groups screening for cardiovascular disease. Sometimes the YMCA, religious camp meetings, or special health fairs in shopping centers will provide these tests at a very reasonable cost. Cooperative physicians may provide other laboratory determinations in the case of acute disease.

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