What is Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy means Healing With Water. The use of hydrotherapy to bring about improvements in common ailments such as arthritis, back pain, headaches, bronchitis, asthma, common cold, injuries, muscle tension, and many more ailments is not a new concept. Hydrotherapy has a long history, since water is easily accessible and available. However, the finesse in its application has been lost. It has been a wonderful therapy in days when technology was not as we know it and healers had to rely on and use all the elements given by nature such as light, water, and plants to cure illness.
There is a physiological basis to hydrotherapy. Cold is stimulating, and it causes superficial blood vessels to constrict, shunting the blood to internal organs. Hot water is relaxing, causes blood vessels to dilate, and removes wastes from body tissues. Alternating hot and cold water also improves elimination, decreases inflammation, and stimulates circulation. Hydrotherapy treatments include saunas, steam baths, foot baths, and the applications of hot and cold compresses or fomentations.