Hydrotherapy for Anxiety Disorders: Warm baths with or without herbs can help soothe anxious states of mind. Once you are relaxed, you can focus on the issues or conflicts that are causing your anxiety.
Hydrotherapy for Arthritis: Using a warm compress for 10 to 20 minutes every four hours helps relieve stiffness and dull, penetrating pain. Wading, swimming or exercising in a pool heated to 85°F can also be very effective. Make sure that the affected part of the body is immersed in the water.
Hydrotherapy for Back Pain: For sudden back pain, a practitioner may advocate applying alternate hot and cold compresses to the painful area - three minutes for the hot compress, one minute for the cold, repeated every 20 minutes. The hot compress will increase blood flow to the area and relax the muscles, while the cold compress helps reduce inflammation.
Those with or prone to chronic backaches may benefit from alternating hot and cold showers. Begin with a hot jet or strong spray aimed at the back for one to four minutes. Follow this by a cold jet or strong spray for 5 to 30 seconds. You can repeat this treatment as often as once every hour if necessary.
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Hydrotherapy for Infertility – women: The greater the difference between the temperature of the skin and the water applied, the greater will be the potential for physiological reaction. Alternating hot and cold sitz baths are useful in improving pelvic circulation. These stimuli affect the sympathetic nervous system and the hormonal system.
Hydrotherapy for Infertility – men: Cold sitz baths may help men increase their sperm counts. Alternating hot and cold sitz baths can improve pelvic circulation in both sexes.
Hydrotherapy for Insomnia: Take a bath before going to bed. A bath is much more relaxing than a shower. The warm water raises body temperature that helps you to sleep. Keep the water temperature slightly warmer than your own body temperature.
Hydrotherapy for Stress Management: Hot baths can do more than keep you clean. It has been found that warm baths (water temperature between 100 to 102 degree F) not only relax the muscles but help provide some quiet time as well.
Hydrotherapy for Varicose Veins: It is beneficial to alternate between hot and cold baths. This is believed to stimulate circulation in the legs. It is easy to do this. You need two buckets or plastic wastebaskets tall enough to submerge the legs up to the knees. Fill one container with enough comfortably hot water to cover the lower legs and the other container with the same amount of cold water. Add 2 tablespoons of epsom salts per quart of water or you can add an aromatherapy oil to the water. Soak your feet and legs in the hot water for about three minutes, then immerse them in the cold water for about 30 seconds. Repeat three times, finishing with the cold soak. Perform this treatment once a day for at least one month to see results. If you have diabetes, use warm (not hot) water.