Hot And Cold Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy certainly isn’t a new type of treatment since it was first documented as far back as the 5th century B.C, but it is having a revitalization with the sprouting of new spas around the area. Hydrotherapy is essentially the use of water (hot or cold, ice or liquid) to treat and heal the body of aliments.  

The use of various water temperatures is very important to treat certain aliments for example; hot and cold contrast hydrotherapy stimulates circulation by causing increased constriction and dilation of the veins which in turn provides fresh nutrients while also stimulating movement of the lymphatic system to eliminate waste from the body.

1. Warm Pool

Begin in the warm pool to get in a more relaxed state from the dilation blood vessels that increase the blood flow through them, diverting blood flow to the extremities and to the skin’s surface, opening the pores of the skin, activating sweat glands and relaxing muscles.  Increased blood flow has important effects on your body, including: more efficient oxygenation of tissues, thereby helping injuries heal faster, and more efficient removal of toxins from tissue, which helps prevent or ease injuries and increases tissue resiliency.

2. Eucalyptus Steam Room

Inhaling steam has a beneficial effect on the lungs as well. The moist, hot air causes the small airways and air sacs in the lungs to dilate and increases the lung’s ability to move phlegm and mucus out. It can also help people breathe in more easily, since the volume of space in the lungs slightly increases.  The eucalyptus mixed within the steam helps to clear any sinus congestion while lining the mucous membranes with antimicrobials to fight colds.

3. Sauna

Sweat it out! The most gentle way to rid yourself of toxins is as simple as heat and sweat!  By eliminating toxins through your skin you are able to avoid integrating the toxins into your blood stream and increasing the burden to your kidneys and liver. The heat from the sauna induces lypolysis (many toxins are stored in our fat cells) and the sweat increases the elimination pathway.

4. Cold Pool

Cold water and ice causes the body to conserve heat. As a result, blood vessels in the body constrict, decreasing the amount of blood that flows through them. Blood flow is diverted from the extremities to the core of the body and to internal organs, to help keep them warm and operating correctly. The pores of the skin close, sweat glands shut down, muscles tense, and some endocrine system organs, like the adrenal gland, become more active.  In naturopathic medicine we call this part "Stimulating the Vis" because it forces the body to work harder and warm itself which in turn promotes healthy immune function.

It can be used to:

• Boost the immune system

• Heal injuries

• Detoxify the body

• Treats cold & flu

Want to learn more about the benefits of hydrotherapy on the body?  

Read My Water Cure by Sebastian Kneipp, which was written in 1894 detailing his experiences with 35 years of water treatments.