Category: Naturopathy

Hydrotherapy is a type of bodywork that uses water as a healing agent.

It is the external or internal use of water in any of its forms (liquid, ice, steam) for health promotion or treatment of various diseases with various temperatures, pressure, duration, and site.

It is one of the naturopathic treatment modality used widely in ancient cultures including India, Egypt, China, etc. Though many countries used water to produce different physiological/therapeutic effects on different part of the system for maintaining health, preventing, and treating the diseases, the scientific evidence-based effects are not well documented. 

Hydrotherapy is one of the basic methods of treatment widely used in the system of natural medicine, which is also called as water therapy, aquatic therapy, pool therapy, and balneotherapy.

It uses water in various forms and in various temperatures as this can produce different effects on different system of the body. It can involve water in the form of a liquid, a solid, or a vapor.

Water is used as a stimulus to improve energy levels and resistance to disease.

The manipulation of your blood’s circulation by using hydrotherapy can help many ailments, such as fevers, bronchitis, headaches, sinusitis, colds, insomnia, and various other conditions.

Although it is a gentle means of treatment, hydrotherapy can have profound health benefits and it is an
effective way to stimulate the immune system, optimize circulation, and promote detoxification.

It help people with these condition feels better:

• Pain.
• Stiffness.
• Bruising
• Swelling.
• Muscle pain.
• Menstrual pain.
• Osteoarthritis.
• Fibromyalgia.
• Parkinson’s disease.
• Neuropathy.
• Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS).
• Multiple sclerosis (MS).
• Cerebral palsy.

Hydrotherapy and pregnancy

Hydrotherapy has shown to be beneficial for some pregnant people. One study found that pregnant people with high blood pressure might be able to reduce their risk for complications like preeclampsia with regular hydrotherapy sessions.

Some pregnant people choose to labor in warm water, which can increase your comfort and decrease pain and anxiety.

Talk to your healthcare provider about what you want included in your pregnancy and labor plan.

Hydrotherapy and Weight Loss

Hydrotherapy on its own doesn’t cause, stimulate or improve weight loss. However, exercise plans that include working out in water can help you lose weight and improve your overall health.

Hydrotherapy and Body Itch

Soaking your entire body in a warm water containing Epsom salt for 5 - 10min helps reduce/stop body itch.

1. CONSTITUTIONAL HYDROTHERAPY

The most powerful of the hydrotherapy treatments is constitutional hydrotherapy because it benefits the entire constitution of a person. It;

1. Optimizes circulation
2. Detoxifies and purifies the blood
3. Enhances digestive function and elimination
4. Tonifies and balances the nervous system
5. Stimulates and enhances the immune system

FREQUENCY OF TREATMENT
Acute conditions: one to two times daily

Chronic conditions: five to seven times weekly

DIRECTIONS
Note: This treatment is best done with the help of an assistant.

1. The person lies in bed on his or her back.
2. An assistant covers the bared chest and the abdomen with two thicknesses of towels that had been placed in hot water and wrung out (wet towels can be heated in the microwave). Towels should be hot, yet tolerable. For children, place a small section of the towel on the child first to make sure it is not too hot.
3. Cover the hot towels with a dry towel.
4. Cover the person with blankets to prevent the individual from getting chilled. Leave
   the towels on for five minutes.
5. After five minutes, remove the hot towels and replace with a single thickness of a
   thin towel that has been run under cold water and then wrung out (with some moisture left in the towel).
6. Place the cold towel on the bared chest and the abdomen. Cover with a dry towel and blankets. Leave on for ten minutes. The towel should be warm after ten minutes. If not, leave it on longer, or do not make the towel so cold or wet next time.
7. Take cold towel off, and have the person turn over and lie on the stomach. Repeat
   the same procedure on the back. Five minutes of hot towels, followed by ten minutes of a thin cold towel.

HOW IT WORKS
The alternation in hot and cold increases the immune system’s white blood cells to
help fight off infections. It also increases circulation to the digestive organs and other
organs of elimination.

2. FOOT HYDROTHERAPY
A more simple treatment than constitutional hydrotherapy, foot hydrotherapy helps to relieve respiratory congestion, headaches, and insomnia.

FREQUENCY OF TREATMENT
Acute conditions: one to two times daily
Chronic conditions: once daily

DIRECTIONS

1. Sit on a chair or a couch and place both feet in a bucket of warm water (make sure
   it is tolerable, if for a child) for five to ten minutes.

2. Remove your feet from the water and dry them.

3. Put on a pair of cotton socks that had been placed in cold water and wrung out.

4. Cover with a pair of wool socks (or cotton, if wool is not available).

5. Leave the socks on for a half hour or longer. You should be resting now and can
even go to sleep with the socks on.

HOW IT WORKS

The foot hydrotherapy works by diverting blood flow to the feet and away from the upper body, thus reducing congestion.

HEADACHE TREATMENT
You can alleviate a headache simply by putting your feet in warm water and placing an ice pack around your neck.

HOW IT WORKS

This hot-cold water strategy causes blood to move away
from the head toward the feet, relieving the head of congestion and pain

CONCLUSION

Hydrotherapy is often used as Adjunct/Supportive treatment. It’s never a bad thing to find a safe way to feel better, but you shouldn’t expect hydrotherapy to cure any condition — especially more serious chronic diseases. Despite its numerous health benefits, its not a replacement for your medication therapy and always seek experts advice on matters related to hydrotherapy.

Reference:

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4049052/
• Prescription for Natural Cures by James Balch, Mark Stengler (z-lib.org).pdf
• https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/23137-hydrotherapy#:~:text=Hydrotherapy%20is%20any%20method%20that,a%20special%20tank%20or%20pool.

Oluwafemi O Adekunle (Pharm.D)

( Author )