Water Therapy is Hydrotherapy that reduces aches, pain, and inflammation

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Water Therapy:
Effective Acute and Chronic Pain Treatment

Temperature and Pressure variables afford versatile treatment capabilities.

Water Therapy has been used for thousands of years by numerous civilizations to provide pain relief for sore muscles, for joint pain treatment, and other forms of acute and chronic pain. The medical name for Water Therapy was formerly known as Hydropathy, but is now commonly known as Hydrotherapy. The therapeutic application of water for medical treatment of pain has time, temperature as well as pressure variables. This basically means that we can use hot or cold or lukewarm water combined with pressure to produce a hot or cold massaging effect, as in a whirlpool or hot bath.

Contraindications, precautions and concerns for Water Therapy.

There are contraindications, precautions and concerns with water therapy that should be considered. A contraindication is an advisement against the use of a form of therapy. Depending upon the individual and that person’s medical history, there may be contraindications against heat or hot water therapy or ice or cold or cold water therapy. Excessive heat can cause burns. Excessive cold can cause Frostbite. Some people are sensitive to pressure as well because they are susceptible to bruising if excessive pressure is used.

Contrast Shower Hydrotherapy

How Ice or Cold Water Therapy works.

Ice or cold water is used for elbow injuries, joint pain relief, and to reduce bruising, muscle spasms, pain, swelling, temperature, inflammation and bleeding. Temperature, inflammation, and painrelief or pain reduction is accomplished when the temperature is low enough to cause a sensation of numbness resulting in temporary anesthesia. Bruising, bleeding and swelling is reduced by lowering the accumulation of fluids in damaged tissue due to constriction of blood vessels and capillaries.

Ice or Cold Water Therapy applications.

The application of ice should be 15 minutes alternating with 45 minutes breaks. RICE- Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation is a commonly used to promote healing in acute injuries. It is used in common injuries such as strains or sprains. The important concept to understand is that the area of application should become numb for the therapy to work properly, or the ice or water is not cold enough or has not been applied long enough. Conversely, tissue damage or hypothermia can occur if the ice or cold water is applied too long.

Ice or Cold Water Therapy concerns, precautions, and contraindications.

The use of Blue Ice Packs should be avoided due to their ability to get extremely cold, and if not monitored properly, Frostbite becomes a real concern. The application of Ice or cold water and more specifically RICE therapy should be avoided if you have:

• Peripheral Neuropathy
• PVD-peripheral vascular disease
• PAD-Peripheral Artery Disease
• Peripheral Artery Occlusive Disease
• Raynauds Disease
• Cold Hypersensitivity
• Reduced skin sensation
• Hypertension-and cold increases your heart rate
• Skin Lesions
• Cancer
• Hemorrhage
• Weakness
• Diabetes Mellitus
• Heart Disease
• Pulse-heart rate exceeds 140 beats per minute
• Previous Frostbite
• Hypothyroidism
• Kidney Problems

hot water therapy or heated hydrotherapy

How Heat or Hot Water Therapy works.

Ever notice how heat makes your skin turn red? Heat or hot water is used to provide pain relief, increase circulation and temperature, promote healing, and reduce muscle spasms. Circulation is increased by opening up blood vessels and capillaries. This is turn promotes healing by removing waste products. Heat relaxes muscles, which in turn reduce muscle spasms.

Heat or Hot Water Therapy applications.

Some people are fortunate enough to have hot tubs or whirlpools with thermostats that can adjust to water temperature to a 105 degree Fahrenheit maximum. Hot showers should be taken with care because the temperature is difficult to monitor. Very few people use hot water bottles these days. A Hot baths with 1 cup of Epsom Salts can provide a great deal of Pain relief. More people are using heating pads, and new heating pad designs provide for the adjustment of temperature. Moist heat is preferred to prevent the skin from drying out. There are even reusable heating pads that can provide instant heat.

Heat or Hot Water Therapy concerns, precautions, and contraindications.

The application of Heat should never exceed 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Use common sense to avoid burns. Never fall asleep while using heat and never use any kind of heat that can cause fires. The application of Heat should be avoided if you have:

• Cancer
• Hemorrhage
• Reduced skin sensation
• Weakness
• Skin Lesions
• Pregnancy
• Tuberculosis
• Anemia
• Diabetes Mellitus
• Body Temperature that exceeds 104 degrees Fahrenheit
• PVD-peripheral vascular disease
• PAD-Peripheral Artery Disease
• Peripheral Artery Occlusive Disease
• Pulse-heart rate exceeds 140 beats per minute
• Skin sensitivity to heat
• Kidney Problems
• Inflammation

Alternate Heat with Cold to produce Vascular Flush

When the inflammatory stage has passed, the combination of Heat and Ice therapy, also known as Vascular Flush, can be applied to promote new levels of healing. Vascular Flush produces a vascular pumping action to improve circulatory response in soft tissue, muscles, tendons, and ligaments, as tendons and ligaments have poor circulation compared to muscle tissue.

Contrast Hydrotherapy

Vascular Flush Application

Vascular flush is applied in a 3 to 1 ratio of time that is dependant upon whether Ice or Cold water is used.

If Cold water is used, then the time ratio is 3 parts of Cold water time to 1 part of Heat or Hot water time. In other words, apply 3 minutes of Cold water then when that time elapses, immediately apply 1 minute of heat close to but no more than 105 degrees Fahrenheit. A ratio of six minutes of cold water to two minutes of heat is the maximum cold water to heat recommended time for one cycle. Apply three cycles for an effective treatment session.

If Ice is used, then the time ratio is 3 parts of Heat time to 1 part of Ice time. In other words, apply 3 minutes of Heat, and when that time elapses, immediately apply 1 minute of Ice. Again the application of heat should be close to but no more than 105 degrees Fahrenheit. A ratio of six minutes of heat to two minutes of ice is the maximum heat to ice recommended time for one cycle. Apply three cycles for an effective treatment session.

What is Contrast Shower Water Therapy?

Hot Water will expand Blood Vessels, and Cold Water will contract Blood Vessels. It stands to reason then, that we should be able to achieve a wide range of blood vessel constriction by using hot and cold water.

What are the steps for Contrast Shower Water Therapy?

Begin by taking a Hot Shower. The water should be hot enough to make the skin turn red, but not hotter than 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Remain under the initial hot water application until the skin turns red, but no longer than 6 minutes.
Immediately switch the hot water to the coldest water you can tolerate. If you need to gradually switch or the temperature from hot to cold, that will diminish the effect of the treatment, so try to avoid that type of action.
Stay under the cold water for 1 minute if you were under the hot water for 3 minutes. The time ratio of hot to cold is 3:1, with the hot water time being no longer than 6 minutes.
When the cold water time has elapsed, immediately switch back to hot water again and repeat the cycle of hot water then cold water again.
Perform 3 cycles of hot water then cold water, ending with cold water.

Contrast Shower Water Therapy Hydrotherapy

What other kinds of Water Therapy can I use?

You can also apply the same 3:1 Contrast Shower H2O Therapy concept to individual parts of your body – your hands, feet, head, or neck with Hot and Cold Water or compresses, or bags of ice cubes or frozen vegetables.

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Water Therapy: Effective Acute and Chronic Pain Treatment

Water Therapy:
Effective Acute and Chronic Pain Treatment