14 Symptoms That Can Be Alleviated With Hydrotherapy

The following self-help remedies have been found safe and useful in using hydrotherapy treatment:

1. Abdominal cramps, irritable bowel syndrome: A heating pad or hot-water bottle applied to the abdomen offers relief.

2. Arthritis and bursitis: Use gel or ice packs for pain resulting from overactivity; apply heat for swollen, tender, hot joints; and take a hot shower or bath to relieve stiffness and pain. Alternating ice and heat, ten minutes for each application, helps bursitis.

3. Breast soreness from pregnancy, menstruation, benign discomfort: Heating pads work for some women, while cool-water compresses work for others, and some achieve comfort by alternating hot and cold applications.

4. Carpal tunnel syndrome: For this condition, caused by long-term, repetitive motions of hands and wrists, use ice packs.

5. Colds, laryngitis, sore throat: Humidity helps these and related ailments. Stand in a hot shower, use a humidifier, try a steam bath, or place your face over a bowl of steaming water with a towel draped over your head, forming a mini-steam bath.

6. Headaches: Hot compresses or heating pads are the usual treatment, but some people get more relief from cold compresses applied directly to forehead and neck.

7. Hemorrhoids: A sitz bath, sitting in warm water with knees raised, reduces pain and shrinks swollen veins.

8. Hives: Cool baths, cold compresses, or an ice cube rubbed on the hives can all be helpful and provides relief.

9. Insomnia: A warm bath a few hours before going to bed can induce drowsiness and relaxation.

10. Insect stings: Ice cubes or an ice pack are helpful, but some people feel better with applied heat.

11. Menstrual cramps and endometriosis: If a heating pad does not help, some women find relief with cold packs.

12. Muscle aches and pains and swelling: Use ice packs twenty minutes on, twenty minutes off for several hours or a day.

13. Stress: Soaking in a hot tub restores proper circulation, relaxes the body, and reduces stress.

14. Sunburn and other minor burns, bumps, bruises, sprains: Apply ice water or ice compresses, or apply a cloth dipped in cool water.

Although hydrotherapy treatment has many benefits and applications, some precautions are in order concerning various forms of its use:

1. Cases of bacterial diseases infecting users of improperly cleaned public and private whirlpools and hot tubs have been reported.

2. Excessively hot water can cause burns and other problems; ice applied directly to skin for more than a short time can damage tissues.

3. Excessively cold water can harm people with circulatory disorders.

4. Be wary of outlandish claims made for the curative value of any hydrotherapy treatment.

5. Particularly regarding internal hydrotherapies, be aware of possible side effects or harm from excessive water temperature, pressure, or amount of liquid infused.

6. Colonic irrigation can cause perforation of the colon. In addition, serious and even fatal internal infections have been caused by this procedure in practices that fail to sterilize their equipment.