“For what conditions does hydrotherapy work?”

Hydrotherapy is an effective way to reduce inflammation and support the immune system. It is beneficial for conditions such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, strains, sprains, and any condition that benefits from pain relief, reduced stiffness, stress relief, and decreased swelling. Hydrotherapy is contraindicated for those with diabetes, neuropathies, and other vascular or temperature-regulating issues.

Hydrotherapy is an amazing modality to support the constitution. However, hydrotherapy is a broad term that can include multiple types of water applications; contrast showers, warming socks, cold plunges, saunas, constitutional hydrotherapy and many others. It depends on what you are attempting to recover from, or treat, as to what application is the most effective and how long to apply it for.

I love hydrotherapy for many conditions. I encourage people to end their showers on cold to improve circulation, immune and nervous system function. Acute illnesses like fever, autoimmune flares, bumps and bruises, anxiety and depression.

There are several types or methods of hydrotherapy. Each type is used for a specific purpose. Generally speaking though, hydrotherapy benefits range from detoxing/flushing the major organs and reducing joint swelling, to relaxing or stimulating the nervous system, to helping treat common illnesses and more.

I love this question! Hydrotherapy is one of my favorite 'old school' treatments. Because it is such a broad term, there are many things it can be used for. Hydrotherapy can simply mean soaking in a jacuzzi because it the the application of hot water for relaxation and sore muscles. There are constitutional treatments, saunas, cold mitten friction. So without knowing which treatment you are looking at it's hard to tell. But as a generalization, we use hot and cold water to stimulate the movement of the lymphatic system by moving the blood. Think of it like a work out without being in a fight or flight state. It's a very invigorating yet relaxing type of therapy that stimulates the body's own ability to heal. The Chinese called it Qi (Chi), the Egyptians called it Ka, Naturopathic doctors call it Vis or life force. Since it's so broad we can use it from everything from swollen joints, to a cold, to digestive issues, to oversell wellness
and promoting a parasympathetic state.

Great question. Basic hydrotherapy is the use of water to affect physiological change in the body, such as warm lavender baths to promote calming; hot, therapeutic bath to promote fever management when appropriate; and cold, wet sock treatment for boosting the immune response, to name a few. Not so common these days, but nonetheless they're very effective in certain cases. Constitutional Hydrotherapy (CH) indicates the use of wet towel wraps alternating hot and cold on various body areas sometimes employed with diathermy or other devices to stimulate digestion for instance. Where basic hydrotherapy is usually for short spot treatments, CH is meant for immune support, cleansing routines, fever support, and a host of other conditions. It is difficult to find qualified doctors who know what they are doing with CH and who understand when it is medically appropriate. "Do no harm" is the guiding principle.