Hydrotherapy is a popular form of alternative therapy that taps the benefits of hot water for alleviating stress and even treating certain kinds of ailments. Contrary to popular belief, the concept of hydrotherapy has actually been around for centuries and practiced extensively as an integral part of therapeutic treatment and recovery of patients.
What is Hydrotherapy?
Formerly known as hydrotherapy or water cure, hydrotherapy is a combination of multiple natural sciences including physiotherapy, occupational therapy and naturopathy and incorporates warm water for the purpose of treating painful chronic conditions such as rheumatism and fibromyalgia. In essence, hydrotherapy is an incredibly effective natural technique often employed for achieving overall physical and mental health and well-being. The science typically involves incorporation of water and air jets for providing relaxing messages to specific target sites on the patient’s body. The good news however is, that you can enjoy the countless benefits of hydrotherapy not only at specialized clinics but also in a hydrotherapy bath tub within the comforts of your home!
What are the major health benefits of hydrotherapy?
Here are a few major health benefits of hydrotherapy that can effectively contribute towards better health and well-being of the user.
Boosting blood circulation
Most people are largely unaware of the health implications of sluggish or impaired flow of blood within the human body. Hydrotherapy treatments essentially employ the use of hot water to target specific parts of the patient’s body and trigger its response to high temperatures. When the target area comes in contact with the hot water, the blood vessels in the region get dilated consequently enhancing the circulation of blood.
Detoxifying the body
At any given time, there are hundreds of toxins including unassimilated proteins, chemicals, plaque in the organs and parasites in the lymphatic system that possess the capacity to wreak havoc on the human body. An accumulation of toxins in your body can not only impair the functioning of your vital organs but also eventually lead to chronic poisoning and death! Hydrotherapy has been found to be exceedingly helpful in eliminating the harmful toxic wastes from the body through the process of detoxification and restoring the inner balance of your body on the whole.
Reducing muscle tension and pain
Hydrotherapy can effectively alleviate symptoms of chronic pain by relaxing sore muscles and joints. In addition to loosening out the tension of strained muscles, hydrotherapy also triggers the release of endorphins that act as natural pain relievers and are great for dealing with aching muscles and bone injuries. The technique is also extensively used by professional athletes and body-builders for recovering after a rigorous training session.
Eliminates anxiety and stress
In addition to being a great physical stress reliever, hydrotherapy has also proven to be an incredibly useful therapy in reducing mental agony, stress and anxiety. Hot water typically has a calming effect on the endocrine system and causes it to get less active over the span of the session. As a result of which, the blood pressure is lowered and the nervous system gets relaxed. Hydrotherapy has been extensively used in providing relief to patients suffering from stress and anxiety.
Strengthening the immune system
As a direct consequence of increased blood circulation during a hot water hydrotherapy session, the flow of lymph within the body is also enhanced. The lymph is essentially a fluid of the immune system that helps the body fight against harmful foreign agents and infections. Hydrotherapy boosts the circulation of the lymph throughout the body and strengthens the immune system against common colds and flu.
Treating respiratory infections
The hot water hydrotherapy sessions are a great way of enjoying the incredible health benefits of warm moist steam in opening up your lungs and treating respiratory conditions such as asthma and bronchitis. The warm moist air, when inhaled by the patient, dilates the sacs and tiny airways of the lungs consequently dissolving the phlegm and mucus to be disposed-off as waste by the body.
Rehabilitating injured joints and muscles
When the body is immersed in hot water during the hydrotherapy sessions, the surrounding temperature automatically raises the temperature of the body as well. The rise of the body temperature enhances blood circulation and alleviates pain and inflammation. The increased blood flow, in turn, stimulates the process of healing and rehabilitating damaged or injured joints and muscle tissues.
Typically, a good hydrotherapy session can not only relieve any physical stress or pain but also uplift your mood and enhance your activity and alertness. In essence, hydrotherapy is one of the most effective and entirely natural forms of alternative treatment that can alleviate stress and pain and promote healthy healing from within.