ArticleEvidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM2018
Physical and Mental Effects of Bathing: A Randomized Intervention Study.
Article in Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 41 citations in OpenAlex.
- Cold-water exposure and psychological outcomes in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in physiology · 2026Pooled it
- Effects of balneotherapy on stress, anxiety, and depression: results of a multicenter randomized controlled trial with six-month follow-up.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2026Trial
- Effects of Contrast Water Therapy on Physiological and Perceptual Recovery Following High-Intensity Interval Swimming in Collegiate Swimmers.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Traditional infant oil massage in early life: a cross-sectional study of knowledge and practices among young mothers in Malappuram district, Kerala.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
- Balneotherapy as a Complementary Intervention for Stress and Cortisol Reduction: Findings from a Randomized Controlled Trial.Brain sciences · 2025Article
- Greater severity of depressive symptoms is associated with changes to perceived sweating, preferred ambient temperature, and warmth-seeking behavior.Temperature (Austin, Tex.) · 2024Article
- Effectiveness of Preoperative Therapeutic Play on Anxiety Among Children Undergoing Invasive Procedure: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Indian journal of surgical oncology · 2022Review
- The therapeutic effect of Värska mud and Värska mineral water baths on the overuse pain and muscle tension syndromes in the working age population.Environmental geochemistry and health · 2022Article
- Health management of patients with COVID-19: is there a room for hydrotherapeutic approaches?International journal of biometeorology · 2022Review
- Perceived Environmental Attributes: Their Impact on Older Adults' Mental Health in Malaysia.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Bathing in Terminal Care of Cancer Patients and Its Relation to Perceptions of a "Good Death": A Nationwide Bereavement Survey in Japan.Palliative medicine reports · 2022Article
- Losing Legs to Losing Everything: How Neglecting Holistic Health Devastated a Lower-limb Amputee.Cureus · 2019Article
- The Thermal Effects of Water Immersion on Health Outcomes: An Integrative Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2019Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Showering is the most common form of bathing worldwide. Whole-body immersion bathing in warm water (~40°C) is common in Japan and exerts sufficient hyperthermic action to induce vasodilatation and increase blood flow, supplying more oxygen and nutrients to the periphery. Cross-sectional studies report better subjective health status with an immersion bathing habit. This randomized controlled trial compared the effects on health of immersion bathing and shower bathing in 38 participants who received 2-week intervention of immersion bathing in warm water (40°C) for 10 min (bathing intervention) followed by 2-week shower bathing without immersion (showering intervention) or vice versa (n = 19 each group). Visual analog scale scores were significantly better for fatigue, stress, pain, and smile and tended to be better for self-reported heath and skin condition after bathing intervention than after showering intervention. The SF-8 Health Survey showed significantly better general health, mental health, role emotional, and social functioning scores. Profile of Mood State scores were lower for stress, tension-anxiety, anger-hostility, and depression-dejection. Immersion bathing, but not shower bathing, exerts hyperthermic action that induces increased blood flow and metabolic waste elimination, which may afford physical refreshment. Immersion bathing should improve both physical and emotional aspects of quality of life.
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.