What is Hydrotherapy?

What’s Hydrotherapy?

The utilization of water for treatment has been for many years, however only few of us have the idea of what hydrotherapy means and how precisely it affects our health.

Hydrotherapy is the utilization of water for the treatment of different health conditions and promoting our wellbeing. It helps in several therapeutic treatments including pain, arthritis and rheumatic condition. Although this has to do with the use of pool, but it is quite different from swimming because it involves some exclusive exercises that you observe in a warm-water pool.

Hydrotherapy is used to treat health conditions such as colds, stomach upset, sleep disorders, depression, arthritis, joint and muscle pain, headaches and stress.

This treatment is mostly done within a hospital physiotherapy department and you can always get the best service from VitalityNW as they have qualified physiotherapist and specialist who will assist you with your treatment depending on your condition.

There are different types of hydrotherapy techniques:

  • Bath and shower
  • Sitz baths
  • Steam inhalation
  • Cold and hot compresses
  • Body wrap
  • Salt glow
  • Neutral baths
  • Foot baths
  • Wet sheet pack
  • Cold mitten friction rub

How does hydrotherapy works?

Hydrotherapy is solely centered on how the body reacts to hot and cold stimuli and to the exerted pressure by the water.

This is how it works; our skin is very sensitive to touch, thanks to the nerves which are responsible for transferring what is felt by the skin into our body. When the impulses transferred get to the immune system, it causes the release of stress hormones, thereby influencing the flow of blood, and reducing the body’s sensitivity to pain

Whenever your body is submerged in water you will experience what is called weightlessness and during this period, the water relieves your body of much of the effects of gravity. This has hydrostatic effect on your body as the water softly rubs, soothe and stimulate your body.

Health and Healing Benefits of Hydrotherapy

Ease stress

Stress is what we face in our day to day activities and one of the best ways of reducing it is through Hydrotherapy treatment. Hydrotherapy treatment causes the release of a natural stress fighter hormone known as endorphins and this helps to reduce the body’s response to anxiety.

Boosts the Immune System

Have you ever thought of why you have goose bumps when you feel cold? This occurs as a result of increased blood flow around the body which permits the lymph to be transferred through the body thereby strengthening the immune system to fight cold and diseases.

Rehabilitates injured Tissues

When the body is submerged in warm/hot water, this boost the body temperature and increases the flow of blood around the circulatory system and so lightens pain. This will then turns out to heal and restores injured tissues.

Lowers muscle tension and ease pain

When you are under the water you will experience what is called weightlessness, and this condition will absolutely ease tension on your limbs, gives support to the aching muscles and relieves pain through the help of endorphins hormone known as a natural pain killer.

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