The Effect of Hot Salt Pot Compression in Postpartum Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Hot salt pot compression is a method of postpartum care that has been widely used in Thai traditional medicine. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of hot salt pot compression in 60 postpartum women, divided into 2 groups: the experimental group taking a hot salt pot compression and the control group taking an empty pot with no salt, herb or heat. Subjects were examined according to the Thai traditional medical principles, had their body shapes measured and lochia colour evaluated, and were asked about the numeric rating scores of muscular pain and uterus pain by applied Thai traditional medical practitioners. Client satisfaction was also asked after this study. The results showed that the means of muscular pain score and pain relief duration were significantly different between groups (p=0.04), but no significant differences were observed in the mean of uterus pain score and pain relief duration between groups. The differences in body shapes measured after study in both groups decreased significantly (p<0.001). In the experimental group, the lochia colour after study (day 5) was significantly different from that in the control group (p=0.008). In conclusion, hot salt pot compression can help decrease muscular pain and uterus pain in postpartum women, and positively affected the lochia colour, resulting in a high level of client satisfaction without any complication. Thus, the use of hot salt pot compression should be promoted in every hospital for health recovery after delivery.