Lina Mohamed-Assignment 3
Lina Mohamed October 17th, 2016
MHC 20301-Paper 3 Professor Glen Kowach
Continuation of: The Search for Natural Alternatives-Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy is the use of water, ice, steam in hot and cold temperatures to maintain and restore health, subdue pain, speed up recoveries, lessen the pain from injuries and so much more. Hydrotherapy dates back to times as early as the beginning of civilization. It was used to treat diseases by many cultures like the Egyptian, Babylonian, Greek, Hebrew, Hindu, Chinese and Native American. You would think that something this ancient has simply become extinct, but think again. You’re using hydrotherapy every time you take a hot bath/ice bath, or just simply placing an ice pack of heat pack on an injury. Hydrotherapy is effective for such a wide range of conditions and can be used to self-treat and with a little background knowledge, one can help many other people practice simple hydrotherapies to treat chronic pain.
Most hydrotherapy involves water because it is used to change the temperatures in our bodies, can manipulate blood circulation, inflammation, and help with burn treatments. Water is very versatile because it can be used to apply pressure (water massages), for relaxation (floatation therapy), to expose skin to certain substances and so much more. Water is also cost-efficient and usually harmless while being effective. Sometimes the body needs help regulating temperatures and water can do just that. Also, different types of waters can heal the body. For example, natural spring water carries concentrated levels of sodium, calcium. Magnesium, and other minerals that are beneficial and bicarbonate spring water can aid in healing cuts, burns, digestive problems, allergies, etc. . Women often take pills to relieve menstruation pain such as cramps and such. This can, however, be relieved with sitz baths in which your body is immersed in hot or cold water. There are so many other alternatives for pills that can help soothe other chronic pains.
Hydrotherapy replacing pain relievers would be a huge stepping stone in reducing pill intake in the United States. Since taking pills only makes symptoms, hydrotherapy is definitely a better option because it can result in permanent relief without harming internal organs. Taking Pill after pill will only do so much as it will just minimize the pain for a couple of hours instead of dealing with the problem by treating it correctly. Instead of prescribing pills to patients with joint pain, back pain, etc., why not try some of these hydrotherapies that give lasting relief? Past experiments prove that hydrotherapy provides results almost all the time in cases like rheumatoid arthritis and other disorders.
A galvanic bath, one of the quirkier old-timey hydrotherapies.
Citations:
-(Karin M. Felten-Barentsz P.T., M.Sc., Antonius J. C. Haans R.T., Arthur S. Slutsky M.D., Leo M. A. Heunks M.D., Ph.D., and Johannes G. van der Hoeven M.D., Ph.D., February, 2015)
Feasibility and Safety of Hydrotherapy in Critically Ill Ventilated Patients. ATS Journals. Retrieved from:
http://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/rccm.201408-1559LE#.WAPBk7Ri5FI
-(Jane Hall, Suzanne M, Skevington, Peter J. Maddison, and Kate Chapman, June 1996) A Randomized and Controlled Trial of Hydrotherapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis. Retrieved from:
-Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide (2nd Edition)– June 6, 2002 Retrieved from Google Scholars: https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=OyrhatOdk9gC&oi=fnd&pg=PA270&dq=natural+alternatives+to+painkillers&ots=68fhOAE58y&sig=-malo2jqTO8ylS5N_CVlAN-PFSo#v=onepage&q=natural%20alternatives%20to%20painkillers&f=false
-(Ingraham, 2016) Hydrotherapy: Using warm and cold water as a treatment for pain injury. PainScience.com. Retrieved From: https://www.painscience.com/articles/hydrotherapy.php
– Leire Santisteban, Caroline Hugeron, Michele Lejaille, Isabelle Vaugier, Florian Kunst, Line Falaize, Frederic Lofaso, Helene Prigent. Evaluation of water immersion level on respiratory function of tetraplegic patients undergoing hydrotherapy. European Respiratory Journal 2015. Retrieved from: http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/46/suppl_59/PA3704.abstract
