The benefits of hydrotherapy have been known for centuries. With the introduction of spas, or hydrotherapy tubs, Americans rediscovered that great feeling. But what makes hydrotherapy relieve so many ailments?
Two hundred years ago, a doctor in Bath, England (of all places) recorded the effects of warm water immersion, or hydrotherapy, on a man named James Crewk who suffered from jaundice, palsy, rheumatism, and back pain. Crewk was a drunk with a bad heart. The records show that when he was immersed in warm water, the swelling in his legs was reduced and he excreted more fluid than he drank.
Oddly enough, there is not much documented on water immersion and hydrotherapy. However, in the early years of America's manned space program, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) became concerned about astronauts because of the illness and dizziness they suffered during relatively short periods in space. A loss of salt and minerals (electrolytes) can cause this condition. Warm water immersion (soaking in a hydrotherapy tub) was selected for the NASA experiments, because people weigh only 10 percent of their body weight in water, and that was as close as they could come to simulating the weightlessness of space on earth.
They discovered that hormones triggered the electrolyte changes. By allowing the astronauts to soak in a hydrotherapy tub, NASA found a means to control hormones. This work was helpful in discovering how hydrotherapy can lead to a healthier lifestyle.
Hydrotherapy Can:
- REDUCE STRESS LEVELS - The general massaging hydrotherapy action increases circulation, relieves tension, and accelerates physical and emotional healing.
- SOOTHE MUSCLE & JOINT PAIN - During hydrotherapy, the body becomes buoyant, reducing body weight by as much as 90%, reducing pressure on joints and muscles.
- CONDITION & CLEANSE THE SKIN
- BALANCE BODY AND SPIRIT
- PROMOTE DEEP, PEACEFUL SLEEP
- Today, a soak in a hydrotherapy tub, or spa, can help relieve stress, muscle aches, and minor arthritis pain as well as a number of other health problems. Best of all hydrotherapy can help you relax and forget the stresses of the day.
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