• One cannot imagine life without water.
  • Our body tissue also consists of 2/3rd of water.
  • It posses many medicinal and life giving properties. It is needed for every purpose.
  • Water itself is capable of preventing and curing many diseases. Its therapeutic value is valued since thousands of years.
  • Water treatment is useful for increasing the tonicity of muscles of the body and also for relaxing the muscles of the body.
  • Water is available everywhere in the homes of the poorest or the richest. It remains one of the most powerful and harmless therapeutic agent.
  • It has a unique power of instantly reliving the pain and curing many chronic diseases in which other treatments have completely failed.
  • It can be used internally as well as externally.

Internally:-

  • Drinking hot water in constipation and acidity.
  • Hot and cold enemas for purification of bowels.

Externally:-

  • Its benefits can be obtained by hot or cold packs with baths such as Jet spray massage.
  • Sometimes it is used with many other additives. Such as in some diseases vinegar is added to it and in some diseases Epson salt is added to it.
  • Ice application is also best for relieving pain and inflammation.

Generalised effect of cold water application on skin

  • The skin has two types of receptor:

(1)   Cold sensing receptor- for Feeling cold

(2)   Warm sensing receptor-for feeling warm

These receptors are nets of nerve tissue which develops action currents to brain. As the number of cold sensing receptors is more, so the action current developed by them is much stronger.

↓

This action current reaches the hypothalamus.

↓

When this cold water application is done to the skin which is warm and well supplied with blood, the cold current along with cold blood reaches the hypothalamus.

↓

Body gears its nervous system for defence mechanism.

↓

Body tries to stop any further cooling in the following ways:

→the skin gets tightened up to reduce the surface.

→Arterio-Venous anastomosis is closed, to reduce the blood supply.

→the blood vessels get constricted further thus reducing the blood supply.

Important points for hydrotherapy:

(1)   Effusion should be taken in empty stomach only.

(2)   Body should be covered immediately after bath.

(3)   During treatment one should be completely silent.

(4)   One should not smoke before or after the treatment, as it hinders the benefits of the treatment.

(5)   The treatment should be repeated only after 2-4 hours of previous application.

(6)   During menses application should be carry out on the upper part of the body only.

(7)   Body should be warmed up immediately after treatment.

For patients who are sensitive to excess cold/heat, Alternate hot and cold application should be used.

Advertisement