Water therapy or hydrotherapy is a complex of various cosmetic and medical procedures that use water. These procedures may have curative, rehabilitative or prophylactic purposes. Usually hydrotherapy was used only externally. But in our time, internal hydrotherapy is also used for treatment. In this case, water is a cleansing agent that helps to remove toxins from the body.
History of water treatment
The healing benefits of both fresh and mineral water have been known to people since ancient times, since antiquity and ancient Egypt, and maybe even earlier. Its life-giving benefits are mentioned in mythology. Ancient scientists such as Hippocrates, Pythagoras, Avicenna and many others used the healing properties of water in the treatment of many diseases.
In the Middle Ages, this knowledge was forgotten, they were remembered only in the XVIII century. The knowledge that the ancient peoples possessed was supplemented by new ones. Techniques have become more advanced, hydrotherapy as a treatment has become much more common.
Scientists from Europeand Russia began to study the benefits of hydrotherapy treatment, indications and contraindications at the beginning of the 19th century. The Russian head doctor Alexander Nikitin described the law of antagonism in 1825. It turns out that if a person takes a bath with cold water, then the vessels located in the skin begin to narrow, and those located in the abdominal cavity expand, but if the treatment is carried out with hot water, then everything happens the other way around - the vessels of the abdominal cavity narrow, and those in the skin expand.
Mechanisms of influence
Hydrotherapy is a treatment with water. Depending on the place of exposure, hydrotherapy can be general or local. During the general, the entire surface of the body is treated, while the local procedure is done on certain areas and zones. There are the following types of hydrotherapy: chemical and mechanical, temperature. It depends on how it affects the body.
Chemical exposure
If the receptors, which are located in the respiratory system or on the skin, are reflexively affected by chemical or temperature factors, then the nervous system gives a certain impulse, which is then transmitted to the internal organs, which in turn causes a vascular reaction.
In addition, if a patient takes mineral baths, the healing substances in the water first affect the respiratory tract and skin, and then through the blood to the internal organs, causing positive changes in them.
Physical impact
The intensity of this method of hydrotherapy is best felt by a person while taking a bath in which water moves. Such an example would be hydromassage, jacuzzi or other types of water therapeutic massage. During this procedure, under the pressure of a jet of water, the skin vessels expand.
If a person takes a bath or bathes in any body of water, his body feels hydrostatic pressure. It is impossible to accurately determine the value of this pressure on the human body, since it depends on how much the body is immersed in water. If a person is completely immersed in a bath of water, then his limbs will experience a pressure of about 50 centimeters of water, while the chest is about 10 centimeters of water.
Affecting the vessels, such pressure narrows their gaps. Because of this, blood begins to move from the abdominal cavity and saphenous veins to the heart, increasing the load on it. To prevent this from happening, for patients who have heart disease, baths are prescribed with a maximum immersion in water no higher than the level of the chest, where this organ is located.
Temperature effect
Depending on the temperature of the water used for hydrotherapy, these can be the following treatments:
- Cold. The water temperature is less than 20 degrees.
- Cool. Water has 20-25 degrees.
- Warm. The bath water heats up to 33 degrees.
- Hot. The water temperature is about 40 degrees.
- Contrasting.
The use of cold water during hydrotherapy procedures leads to the spasm of blood vessels in the patient's skin, then they expand, and due to this, the blood flow speed increases. In addition, there is an increase in the production of thyroxine in the thyroid gland and adrenaline in the adrenal glands. All this contributes to the strengthening of the work of internal organs and tissue metabolism.
Warm water promotes better blood and lymph circulation, stimulates metabolism, enhances the function of the endocrine system. Also, warm hydrotherapy can boost immunity, calm the nervous system, relieve pain, muscle spasm, it has a beneficial effect on the stomach, pancreas and intestines.
Contrast procedures have a pronounced stimulating effect. Thanks to them, the contractile activity of the myocardium improves, the vessels are trained, metabolic processes are stimulated.
Features of hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy refers to the therapeutic use of water.
- Procedures are carried out using both ordinary water and mineral springs. Treatment with mineral water is called balneotherapy.
- Hydrotherapy is the external effect of water on the human body. For this purpose, showers, baths, rubdowns, douches and other methods are used.
- Recently, internal hydrotherapy is sometimes used as a purification from toxins. But orthodox medicine does not consider such treatment effective.
- Most procedures can becarried out not only in medical institutions, but also at home. But there are some that should only be used under the supervision of a specialist.
For what diseases hydrotherapy is indicated
Water treatments can be prescribed to very he althy people to strengthen immunity, relieve irritability, tension and fatigue, to harden the body, establish a he althy, sound sleep, and restore the overall tone of the body. Also, hydrotherapy can help patients who suffer from various diseases or undergo a rehabilitation period after surgical interventions.
Indications for hydrotherapy, a list of diseases that hydrotherapy helps to fight:
- some disturbances in the work of the heart;
- initial stages of hypertension;
- vascular disease;
- chronic ailments of the bronchi and lungs;
- some liver disease;
- disturbances in the work of the kidneys;
- women's diseases, such as irregular menstruation;
- various musculoskeletal pathologies, joint diseases;
- skin diseases, including cellulite and wilting;
- various pathologies of the digestive tract;
- stones in the genitourinary system;
- muscle cramps;
- swelling of limbs;
- stress conditions, neuroses, depression, sleep disorders;
- headache, migraine;
- hemorrhoids;
- reduced sexual function.
When hydrotherapy is prohibited
Despite the fact that water has a beneficial effect on the human body, hydrotherapy has bothindications and contraindications. There are many conditions and diseases in which hydrotherapy is not carried out.
Hydrotherapy Contraindications:
- chronic diseases in the acute stage;
- pathologies of cerebral and coronary circulation;
- presence of an oncological disease or benign formations that increase;
- acute inflammatory processes;
- severe angina;
- II and III trimester of pregnancy;
- severe form of hypertension (stage 3 B).
Only with the permission of a doctor, hydrotherapy is performed on patients with the following diseases:
- glaucoma (eye disease);
- tuberculosis;
- presence of infection;
- diabetes mellitus;
- drastic weight loss;
- some blood diseases;
- inflammation of the skin, ulcers, boils.
In each case, indications and contraindications for hydrotherapy should be determined only by the attending physician. It depends on the individual characteristics of the patient and the diseases he has.
Hydrotherapy treatments
The main procedures used in water treatment are baths and showers. Baths in this case can be general (for the whole body) and local (for certain areas).
Shared baths:
- The patient is in a reclining position. Its entire body is covered with water, except for the head, shoulders and neck. In some cases, the upper part of the chest is also above the surface of the water (areahearts).
- The human body is affected by the pressure of water, as well as its temperature. Sometimes vibration or vortex motions of water are also used.
- Contrasting temperatures may be used.
- Heat baths should be taken every day for 10-15 minutes. The recommended amount is 15-20 treatments.
Local baths:
- The purpose of this procedure is to treat a specific part of the body. For example, it can be the upper or lower limbs or the pelvic area.
- This type of bath can also use vibration or vortex effects on diseased areas.
- In some cases, a gradual increase in water temperature is applied.
Shower treatment
During the adoption of this water treatment, the surface of the human body is exposed to one or many jets of water at a certain pressure and temperature.
Varieties of souls:
- Dusty. Very small droplets of water, almost like water dust, affect the body with almost no pressure.
- Rain. Water passes through a special mesh fixed at a height of two meters. It affects the human body by its own gravity.
- Fan. The patient stands at a distance of 3-4 meters, the hose through which water passes is clamped with a special nozzle or a finger. The body should be treated with water from all sides, for this there is a certain sequence. The pressure should be 1.5-3 atmospheres.
- Needle. Special metal tubes with tapered ends are inserted into the mesh through which water passes. On the narrow side, the diameter of the tube is about 1 mm. Water enters the body under pressure, which ranges from 1 to 1.5 atm. It seems to a person that his body is pricked with thin needles.
- Sharko shower. One of the varieties of jet shower. The surface of the body is treated with a compact jet of water, which comes under a pressure of 1.5-3 atm. In this case, the patient is at a distance of 3-3.5 meters from the apparatus. If necessary, Charcot can also be used topically on some parts of the body. Each treatment lasts 1-5 minutes, the recommended course is 15-25 treatments.
- Scottish shower. Like the previous version, it refers to jet. It differs from Charcot in that in this form two jets of water are alternately used with different temperatures, but with the same pressure.
After taking a cold shower, dry off with a towel.
Water procedures for children
As already mentioned, water has a very beneficial effect on the human body, helping in the treatment of many diseases, and this applies not only to adults, but also to small patients. Hydrotherapy in children is used for the same diseases as in adults.
In addition, water treatment is recommended for children with cerebral palsy, autism, and other mental illnesses. Taking children baths and showers is also an excellent tempering moment, strengthens the immune system. Children who are often sickcolds, doctors often recommend hydrotherapy.
Patient testimonials
A large number of people speak positively about this treatment method. For he althy people, hydrotherapy helps to improve the general condition of the body, relieves fatigue, strengthens the immune system, improves the functioning of the digestive tract, and activates the body's defenses.
People with painful joints after this method of treatment notice an improvement in motor function. Patients who were diagnosed with bronchitis, sinusitis, sinusitis felt a significant improvement after just a few procedures.
With the greatest gratitude, people who suffer from migraines, headaches and various nervous disorders speak of hydrotherapy. After all, this is one of the most effective procedures for the treatment of the nervous system.
