Water has been used as a treatment for various conditions for thousands of years. Read this blog to know more about hydrotherapy or water therapy. People automatically turn to medicines when they are feeling out of the ordinary. It is the standard approach when they are not feeling well because medications have been proven to treat various diseases and illnesses. But what you don’t know is that water can also treat multiple physical conditions as well as promote one’s mental well-being. Water therapy or hydrotherapy can be done by yourself or assisted by a medical professional with a particular piece of equipment and location.
Various conditions cannot be treated by medicines alone. They need warm water to ease joint and muscle tensions. Here are some benefits of water therapy:
Provides a Relaxing Experience
The warm water increases blood pressure, making your tensed muscles relaxed. With this in mind, bathing in your customized hot tub before bed is ideal because it helps you fall asleep better. Aside from getting it from the comfort of your home, you can also experience warm water from saunas, sitz baths, rising-temperature hip baths, whirlpool spas, etc. Japanese hot springs or onsen is famous in Japan, where people flock to the hot springs after their work or on the weekend to seek relaxation.
Workout Recovery
Muscles are sore after workouts, and immersing yourself in warm water after an intense workout makes you more relaxed. Athletes usually take a hot shower after a rigorous training session. Furthermore, taking a hot shower is also good for your skin because it opens pores and gets rid of dirt and oil accumulated throughout the day. It also moisturizes the skin and gets rid of those cracks in your skin.
If you’ve had your workout and you want to relax your muscles, always take a hot shower instead of a cold one. While doing so, you can massage your neck, arms, and legs to relieve some stress. Twenty minutes is good enough to relax your muscles, but if you feel like you need more, then feel free to take a longer shower. You’re guaranteed to have a good night’s sleep.
Reduced Pain
There has been a study that hydrotherapy helps with diseases of the nervous system, diseases of the circulatory system, and diseases of the musculoskeletal system or connective tissue. The warm water relaxes the tensed muscles and increases blood flow. For serious medical issues, hydrotherapy must be assisted by a medical professional to ensure its full benefit. The medical professional is trained to provide the necessary treatment. Furthermore, they determine the corresponding movements and how long you should be staying in the water.
Reduced Gravity on Your Body
The water’s buoyancy allows you to perform acts or exercises that you can’t normally do on land. You can now exercise your knees, ankles, lower back, and hips. When you are on land, you can’t do these exercises because you bear 100% of the gravity. This makes it a good exercise for people with arthritis. Moreover, the water is also an excellent resistance if you want to improve your strength.
When Is Hydrotherapy Not Advised?
Although hydrotherapy aids in a lot of medical conditions, there are situations where it is not advised. These include medical conditions that can worsen your current condition and that can affect other clients. It’s difficult to administer hydrotherapy on a group of clients, and it’s even more difficult if a client’s condition can affect others, too. That is why there are guidelines set to ensure the safety of everyone.
The Romans and Greeks were the first to associate hot springs with the quality of health. The wounded military soldiers used the natural hot springs to relax their sore muscles and treat their war wounds. Aside from these, thermal medicine is also believed to treat dermatological conditions. Today, hydrotherapy is still being practiced by many countries around the world because of its proven benefits. It has also made its way to the medical field, where it’s being used to treat several conditions.
It’s a comforting thought that people nowadays have a lot of choices when it comes to their health. If they’re not comfortable with a particular method, they can always explore other ways so that they can feel more comfortable and confident. Moreover, if a technique doesn’t work for them, they are free to explore other choices. What makes hydrotherapy more convenient is that warm water is accessible at home if you’re not dealing with a medical condition that requires the assistance of a healthcare professional. People can always relieve their muscle tensions and seek relaxation within the comfort of their own homes.
