Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy has been used for centuries in many traditions to assist the body to heal.  At the SCNM Medical Center this ancient therapeutic art has been adapted to speed the healing of both acute and chronic diseases.  By using hot and cold water applications combined with massage and muscle stimulation the circulation of blood and lymph is regulated and improved.  By enhancing the blood and lymphatic circulation through the major organs of the body, we greatly increase the oxygen and nutrient delivery to the tissues and remove the metabolic wastes and environmental and drug toxins that may have accumulated in the body.  Hydrotherapy techniques can be used to stimulate the immune response in acute illness such as colds and bronchitis, as well as assist in the treatment of chronic viral infections and other stubborn illnesses.  It is frequently recommended to assist in the long term detoxification process of environmental illness and auto-immune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.  Constitutional Hydrotherapy is the most frequently used treatment in many conditions with the application of alternating hot and cold towels to the front and back of the body, combined with electrical muscle stimulation to massage the muscles and stimulate the lymphatics.  These treatments may be combined with oils and botanicals to address inflammation or congestion.

What Is It?

Historical Perspective

How it works

The recuperative and healing properties of hydrotherapy are based on its mechanical and/or thermal effects. It exploits the body's reaction to hot and cold stimuli, to the protracted application of heat, to pressure exerted by the water and to the sensation it gives. The nerves carry impulses felt at the skin deeper into the body, where they are instrumental in stimulating the immune system, influencing the production of stress hormones, invigorating the circulation and digestion, encouraging blood flow, and lessening pain sensitivity.

Generally, heat quiets and soothes the body, slowing down the activity of internal organs. Cold, in contrast, stimulates and invigorates, increasing internal activity. If you are experiencing tense muscles and anxiety from your stress, a hot shower or bath is in order. If you are feeling tired and stressed out, you might want to try taking a warm shower or bath followed by a short, invigorating cold shower to help stimulate your body and mind.

When you submerge yourself in a bath, a pool, or a whirlpool, you experience a kind of weightlessness. Your body is relieved from the constant pull of gravity. Water also has a hydrostatic effect. It has a massage-like feeling as the water gently kneads your body. Water, in motion, stimulates touch receptors on the skin, boosting blood circulation and releasing tight muscles.

Indications

Hydrotherapy is chiefly used to tone up the body, to stimulate digestion, the circulation, and the immune system, and to bring relief from pain.

Water seems to have special powers in getting rid of stress and rejuvenating our body. It affects the skin and muscles. It calms the lungs, heart, stomach, and endocrine system by stimulating nerve reflexes on the spinal cord.

Proof it works

Various case reports, observational studies, and a number of controlled studies provide some evidence of success in the use of hydrotherapy.

In a study of 40 persons at the University of Minnesota, 85% of the participants preferred a whirlpool bath to a still bath. Only whirlpool was effective in reducing the participants' reactivity to stress, although both still and whirlpool baths were effective in reducing anxiety.

Risks, Cautions, and Contraindications

Persons with impaired temperature sensation run the risk of scalding or frostbite at temperature extremes.

When a condition is recurrent or persistent, please consult your physician to determine whether a physical therapy of this type is suitable in your case.

• If you have diabetes, avoid hot application to the feet or legs. Also avoid full body heating treatments, such as body wraps.
• Avoid cold application if you are diagnosed with Raynaud's disease.
• Hot immersion baths and long, hot saunas are not recommended for those with diabetes or multiple sclerosis, women who are pregnant or anyone with abnormally high or low blood pressure.
• Don't take cold foot baths if you are prone to bladder or rectal irritation. People suffering from sciatica, pelvic inflammation or rheumatism in the toes or ankles should avoid cold foot baths.
• Elderly people and young children may be exhausted by too much heat and should avoid long full-body hot treatments such as immersion baths and saunas.
• If you are pregnant or have heart disease, consult a doctor before taking a sauna.

Common techniques

Importance of Drinking Sufficient Water

It is very important that we drink sufficient amount of water in a day to make up for the water lost. The benefits of drinking water are widely recognized. Drinking pure, fresh water is essential to our health and well-being.

Our need for water increases as we grow older. As we age, our skin and mucus membranes become thinner and lose more water, and our kidneys function less efficiently. So our need for water increases. You may not feel thirsty. But you should get into the habit of drinking water, nevertheless.