What Is Hydrotherapy and How Can It Help Me?
November 25, 2021
Simply put, hydrotherapy is the use of water to help you get healthy and stay healthy.
Versions of it have been around since Roman times, though it really took off in Europe, Asia, and the United States in the 19th century. Today, it's used to treat a number of conditions in spas, clinics, wellness centers, and doctors' offices. Many people even practice their own hydrotherapy techniques at home.
Hot Water Vs. Cold Water
One aspect of hydrotherapy involves using water at extreme temperatures. Both heat and cold are said to have benefits, as can alternating the two.
Hot water is good for loosening stiff joints. It can also dilate the blood vessels, improving circulation, and it can help with digestion. Because it makes you sweat, it's thought to have cleansing properties that help remove toxins from your body.
Cold water has an opposite effect on your blood vessels, which can help remove inflammation. This is why you're supposed to ice an injury.
Contrast hydrotherapy involves alternating soaking in hot and cold water, and it's popular with athletes after a game or intense performance. Research has shown that it can help reduce fatigue, soreness, chronic pain, swelling, and lactic acid. It's also thought to help the immune system by promoting drainage of the lymphatic system.
Internal Vs. External Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy can take place internally or externally. As the name suggests, external hydrotherapy involves adding water in any form to external parts of your body. This might include icing a sprained ankle, massage via water in motion, or soaking in a warm tub.
Internal hydrotherapy involves using water internally. Examples include colonics and enemas.
What Conditions Can Hydrotherapy Help?
Hydrotherapy is used to treat a wide range of health issues and conditions, though not all of these have been scientifically proven to be effective. Studies have shown that it can be beneficial to people who suffer from osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. It can also help you relieve stress and relax, and it may even improve your overall mental health.
The University of Michigan reports that hydrotherapy has been used to treat:
1. Acne
2. Depression
3. Colds
4. Headaches
5. Digestive issues
6. Joint and muscle pain
7. Nerve problems
8. Sleep disorders
9. General pain
What Are Some Types of Hydrotherapy?
There's more to hydrotherapy than putting an ice pack on a sore knee or soaking in a warm tub to relieve stress. Aquatic exercises, like jogging in a pool or water aerobics, are considered hydrotherapy. It allows people who may not be able to exercise outside of the water to move more comfortably, such as older people, obese people, people who are recovering from an injury, and people with chornic back pain. Because exercising in the water is low impact, it takes the stress off your joints.
Spending time in a sauna or steam bath is another form of hydrotherapy. It may help you relax, improve your skin health, burn calories, and release toxins.
Some other types of hydrotherapy include:
1. Balneotherapy: Soaking in mineral springs, which is thought to help cure some health issues 2. Colonics: Colon irrigation to remove toxins 3. Flotation tanks: Floating in saltwater in a dark tank to help with anxiety 4. Foot Baths: Soaking your feet in a tub of water to relieve pain and swelling 5. Hot Fomentation: Applying warm compresses to the chest to relieve congestion 6. Watsu: Receiving a massage while floating in water
Who Shouldn't Use Hydrotherapy?
One reason hydrotherapy is popular is that it it is reported to have fewer negative side effects like many other medical treatments. However, if you have certain conditions, you may need to avoid certain types of hydrotherapy.
For example, heat or cold exposure can have a negative impact on your cardiovascular system, so if you suffer from problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, or thrombosis, you need to be careful or avoid hydrotherapy that involves extreme temperatures.
You should also be cautious when using hydrotherapy techniques if you:
1. Are pregnant
2. Have cancer
3. Have a cold or the flu
4. Have a fever
5. Have skin infections Suffer from kidney disease