Research

The Peristeam Hydrotherapy Institute is at the forefront of research about the practice of vaginal steaming. Founders Keli Garza and Kris Gonzalez have compiled information on various steam-related topics. 

Clinical Studies on Vaginal Steaming 

Bibliography of References to Vaginal Steaming

Compiled primarily by Kristin Gonzalez

  • The Trotula: An English Translation of the Medieval Compendium of Women's Medicine, Edited and Translated by Monica H.Green, University of Pennsylvania Press 2001. 12th-15th century Italy
  • A New Method of Curing the Venereal Disease by Fumigation authored by Sir Peter Lalonette, Paris 1776
  • Corpus Hippocraticum, Gynecological Treatises
  • Medicine and Health Care Among Chinese Ethnic Minorities, by Yan Yu and Ke Ren 
  • Reproducing Women: Medicine, Metaphor, and Childbirth in Late Imperial China, the author Yi-Li Wu
  • Dictionary of the Ben Cao Gang Mu, Volume 1, by Zhibin Zhang and Paul U. Unschuld
  • Early Chinese Medical Literature: the Mawangdui Medical Transcripts by Donald J. Harper
  • The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica A Translation of the ShenNong Ben Cao ling by Yang Shou-zhong
  • Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen : Nature, Knowledge, Imagery in an Ancient Chinese Medical Text, with an Appendix, the Doctrine of the Five Periods and Six Qi in the Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen by Paul U. Unschuld (pp. 313)
  • Hawaiian Herbal Medicines by June Gumantis
  • The Fourth Trimester: A Postpartum Guide to Healing Your Body, Balancing Your Emotions, and Restoring Your Vitality by Kimberly Ann Johnson, 2017

Hospitals Where Vaginal Steam Therapy Is Used 

Compiled by Kris Gonzalez

KyungHee BoGung Korean Medicine Hosptial - Uses vaginal steaming for treating wide array of gynecological diseases.

Beijing Tongshantang of Traditional Chinese Medicine - Uses vaginal steam in cervical cancer treatments.

Dunsan Korean Medical Hospital of Daejeon University - Alternative Cancer Treatment Therapy involves vaginal steaming.

Czech Republic -- for labor expedition. 

Vaginal Steam World Map

Compiled by Keli Garza

Survey of Periods

Conducted by Keli Garza

The Institute of Peristeam Hydrotherapy has done a survey of 2871 periods from participants in the United States ranging in ages 19-49.

Results:

  • The top menstrual cycle related complaint was fatigue.
  • Over 90% of participants reported signs of old residue (namely black or brown menstrual blood, clots or cramps).
  • There was a high correlation between old residue and menstrual pain. 
  • There was a high correlation between old residue and endometriosis.
  • There was a high correlation between old residue and infertility.
  • There was a high correlation between irregular vaginal discharge and bacterial, yeast and viral infections.
  • There was a high correlation between infections characterized with irregular discharge and infertility. While as many as 53% of entries reported signs of irregular discharge.
  • There was a high correlation between painful sex and infertility.

Next steps - Publish the findings in a report. Conduct further surveys exploring the found correlations. Explore the effectiveness of peristeam hydrotherapy as a treatment method for infertility, menstrual cycle pain, endometriosis and infections. Explore the correlation between menstrual cycle care and fatigue.

The Perfect Period Phenomenon

Conducted by Keli Garza

Over a period of four years Keli Garza worked with a total of 763 clients who implemented peristeam hydrotherapy plans in response to menstrual and reproductive complaints. Because of the high rate of old residue, one of Garza's main steam plans targeted clearing out uterine residue (mainly brown or black blood and clots).

According to Garza's observations, the first period after steaming usually had a higher amount of old residue. The second and third periods were characterized with decreasing amounts of old residue until the period resulted in only 4 days of fresh red blood with medium flow. This was true whether or not clients starting-periods were heavy and long or short and light. After observing this pattern numerous times, Garza started to call this 4-day-medium-flow-fresh-red period a standard healthy cycle or "perfect period" for short. 

Once a client had reached a standard healthy cycle the initial period side effects they reported (cramps, PMS, acne, breast tenderness, depression, back pain) appeared to go down significantly.

Conclusions:

It's possible that varying period and menstrual cycle lengths are not due to individualization but due to underfunctioning periods where the uterine lining and blood do not clear out all the way. 

The uterus, though designed to be self-cleansing may be impeded in its cleanse by getting plugged by tampon products resulting in a high amount of old residue buildup.

Period side-effects currently believed to be normal are likely a complication of old-residue buildup.