Hydrotherapy: Know more about the healing properties of water

Hydrotherapy is a technique of treating diseases and disorders with the help of water. It is one of the techniques of drugless treatment called Naturopathy. Before we understand the powerful benefits of hydrotherapy, we need to know the principles of naturopathy.

Naturopathy: What is it?

Remember when your mother suggested a strong cup of ginger tea for cold? or you are asked to drink a glass of warm water on an empty stomach in the morning, that it will drain the acids from the stomach. Essentially, Naturopathy follows a similar healing technique. It is a theory that diseases can be treated successfully or prevented completely without the use of drugs. The techniques adopted in Naturopathy such as Control of diet, Exercise, Massage. It uses natural therapies like herbal medications, nutritional balance, Acupuncture, Hydrotherapy, Homeopathy, Colonic Irrigation, Physical Manipulations, Colon Cleanse, Fasting, and so on. This healing technique is comprised of a treatment plan that caters long term optimal health.

The principles of Naturopathy include:

• Believing in nature’s healing power
• NO toxic drugs, do no HARM
• Treatment for the root cause
• Treating the person from tip to toe as a whole
• Prevention is better than cure
• Awareness and Health education for disease-free future

You can get more ideas about how naturopathy treatment can help you with various diseases by getting in touch with a licensed naturopath.

What is Hydrotherapy?

We all know that water is among the three crucial elements apart from air and food for sustaining life. Using this very element of life, Hydrotherapy aims to heal a patient both internally and externally. Hydrotherapy is a branch of Nature Cure. Also called Water Therapy, It is the treatment of disorders using different forms of water. Aims at catering treatment options such as steam baths, saunas, contrast therapy, foot baths, water therapy, and hot/cold showers.

History of Hydrotherapy

Various cultures all around the world have been using water as a superior element for the treatment of ailments. These forms of water application are in practice since age-old days. The ancient Indian philosophy believes water to be one of the basic elements, which has formed the world as well as the body.  From springs with mineral-based water all the way to the Roman baths, water has been important throughout time.

Procedure of Hydrotherapy

Now that you know the basics of Hydrotherapy, here is how the water therapy works on your body. According to the basics of hydrotherapy, the cold water induces a constriction effect on your superficial variant of blood vessels. This allows the blood to flow away and towards the organs inside your body. This is followed by treatment with hot water.

The use of hot water in the body dilates the superficial surface based blood vessels. This activates the sweat glands while removing the waste products and toxins from the tissues in the body. The alternating use of hot and cold water helps to reduce inflammation, stimulates the circulation of blood, and enhances the lymphatic drainage.

Scientifically the basic principles of Hydrotherapy are derived out of :

1. Buoyancy:  the body feels lightweight as compared to the force it experiences over land. Water buoyancy aids in better exercise with less gravitational resistance. Aids in Muscle relaxation.
2. Hydrostatic Pressure: The pressure tends to increase as you go deeper or with an increase in liquid density. This is why any movement can be performed easily by the water surface as opposed to deeper levels.
3. Cohesion: Water molecules flaunt a tendency where they get attracted to one another. This causes increased resistance for motion range as opposed to air. So if you happen to exercise in water, you can lose more weight given the higher resistance.
4. Viscosity: Viscosity is the internal friction which directly depends upon liquid speed. In simple words, higher speed means a higher viscosity. This leads to an onset of higher resistance for movement inside water. Objects that are spread out more tend to face greater ratio of resistance.

Types of Hydrotherapy

Steam Baths or Turkish bath:

It involves steam rooms packed with warm and humid air. This particular steam aids the body with the release of impurities.

Sauna:

The sauna treatment uses warm and dry air which promotes the onset of sweating and hence the removal of toxins in the body.

Watsu:

Watsu is an aquatic form of massage in which the therapists use various massage techniques while the patient floats comfortably in a pool of warm water.

Sitz Bath:

Sitz Bath requires 2 adjacent water tubs, one with warm water and another with cool water. Here, you need to sit in one of the tubs while your feet are placed in another. This method is then alternated after a period of time. This process is recommended for people who have issues with Premenstrual syndrome, hemorrhoids, as well as menstruation issues.

Warm Water Bath:

Depending on your ailment, you are required to soak yourself in a tub of warm water for a duration of more than 30 minutes. The water is mixed with mineral mud, Epsom salts, ginger, aromatherapy oils, moor mud, as well as Dead Sea salts depending on the requirement. Additionally, it also helps increase the overall capability of your immune system to fight off diseases.

Compresses:

Towels soaked in the cool and warm water can be placed in the affected area of your body. The cool water treatment reduces swelling and inflammation. On the other hand, warm water compress tends to promote the blood flow while easing the sore and stiff muscles. The use of two different forms of water aids in better relief from pain and stiffness in the muscles.

Wraps:

This therapy involves the patient lying down over cold and wet flannel sheets as the same is wrapped around the body. After this, the body is covered with the dry towels followed by blankets. In response to the wet towel, your body releases heat. This therapy is used for skin issues, cold, as well as muscle pain.

Contrast Hydrotherapy:

After completion of a hot shower, the temperature is turned down to a level that is comfortably tolerable. The alternating hot and cold hydrotherapy helps increase proper blood circulation throughout the body.

Hydrotherapy Pool Exercises:

Exercising in the warm pool of water allows you a chance to work out without having to fight gravity. Water treatment offers a gentle level of resistance as compared to land. It aids in issues such as arthritis, back pain, and musculoskeletal conditions whereas exercising on land can be painful. As opposed to water aerobics, the exercise forms opted in hydrotherapy pool treatment are controlled and slow.

Colon Hydrotherapy:

Colon Hydrotherapy is a procedure where the colon is cleaned out with the use of water. Colonic irrigation is a necessary requirement in cases where the patient is about to receive medical treatment in the area in and around the colon. Colon Hydrotherapy or Colon therapy gets rid of excess accumulated toxins in the colon area from food consumption, especially with harmful additives present in them.

Benefits of Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy can aid you in various ways for overall health benefit, which include:

Muscle Relaxation:

The relaxing warmth catered by water allows the muscles in your body to relax while easing issues such as joint pain. A drop in the joint pain can help you exercise better and thus maintain a healthy weight.

Better Joint Movement:

Water is known for its buoyancy which supports your body weight. It helps relieve body pain with an increased motion range in the joints. You can exercise better in water without much pain and similar benefits.

Improved Muscle Strength:

Water can easily be used to cater to resistance for joint movement. As you push your legs and arms against water, you can evidently improve the muscle strength.

No Allergies:

Water is basically the best form of treatment given the fact that almost no individual in the world is actually allergic to water.

Stress-Buster:

The relaxing sound of water can help bring down stress. If you happen to experience regular stress with associated issues, you can invest in the distressing, soothing, and calming effects of a shower or long bath which helps decrease the cortisol levels.

Weight Loss:

Water is a great way to relax with a reduced gravitational pull. If you are someone who has been troubled with joint pain and can’t exercise properly, water-based exercises can be amazing for weight reduction.

Post-Rehabilitation Surgery:

If you recently had surgery, opting for post-operative hydrotherapy treatment can be an amazing way to speed up the healing process.

Eases Labor Pain: 

Additionally, women during their final months of pregnancy can opt for hydrotherapy to ease up the labor pain. Water delivery makes it easier to give birth to a baby normally.

Contradictions of Hydrotherapy

Now, there are many cases where hydrotherapy should definitely be avoided. These cases include:

• Open Wounds
• Altered Sensation
• Active Infection
• Hydrophobia
• Poor Balance
• Cold or Heat Intolerance

Most of us have been using the basics of hydrotherapy with a warm shower or cold press such as ice packs for painful areas. While some of these therapies can easily be practiced at home, some require you to visit a professional for complete benefit. Professional help ensures that all techniques are at par with your health requirements with the best results to show for.