Benefits of Hot Water Soaking
Q. Will hot water therapy
cure my arthritis?
A. While hot water
therapy cannot cure arthritis, pain can be substantially
eased with hydrotherapy sessions. According to Edward A.
Abraham, an orthopaedic surgeon and author, as quoted in
AQUA magazine, "The Number 1 therapy for arthritis,
whether it's Osteoarthritis or Rheumatoid arthritis, is
water activity. Getting in a spa or warm water pool is the
best thing." According to Christopher H. Fleming, also
an orthopaedic surgeon, "The warm water helps to relax
the muscles and get the joints moving."
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Q. Will using
my spa before bedtime improve my sleep?
A. Some studies
suggest that soaking in a spa before retiring to bed can
ease the transition into a deeper sleep. This may be due
to a body-temperature shift signalling sleep, or simply
the sleep-promoting effects of relaxing in the hot water.
Similarly, researchers in China have found that lying in
warm water releases endorphins that not only overcome insomnia,
but also help ease hypertension, anxiety and arthritis pain.
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Q. How effective
is hydrotherapy in relieving muscular and skeletal pain?
A. For centuries, the beneficial effects
of warm water hydrotherapy have been promoted anecdotally
across many cultures, particularly since Roman times onward.
But what about modern studies? Perhaps the most obvious
use of hydrotherapy is in the treatment of muscle and joint
diseases. For example, looking at lower back pain, French
scientists studied 224 patients. While the entire group
maintained their oral medications, those given hot water
spa therapy in addition to massage saw reductions in pain
intensity and improvements in flexibility and function.
An article on the study suggested possible reasons for these
improvements included the relaxation of the lower back muscles
and the decrease of inflammatory substances.
It is important to note that effective
hydrotherapy is only as effective as the design and placement
of the hydrotherapy jets. Interestingly, oversized jets
and overpowering water flow can actually inhibit proper
therapy. Coleman Spas products feature Massage Where It
Matters. Coupling correctly balanced water flow rates with
precision anatomical jet placement, their proven Zone Therapy
targets muscle groups in the back and neck that are most
likely to cause tension and pain. This design also targets
myofascial trigger points and the most influential acupuncture
meridians in the back.
To learn more about Zone Therapy, click
here.
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Q. Is there
any evidence to suggest that hot water therapy is good for
the heart?
A. Japanese researchers
have reported that warm-water bathing does a heart good,
and Japanese doctors routinely prescribe warm water therapy,
even for heart patients. It is important to note that in
the west it has been generally thought that heart disease
patients should avoid warm baths because they may speed
the heart rate among other issues. Conversely, Dr. Nobuyuki
Tanaka, suggests that warm baths may be beneficial because
they appear to dilate the blood vessels and allow more blood
to get to the muscle. Through this thermal vasodilation,
the heart simply has to work less hard to push blood out
to the body. That said, anyone with heart disease should
consult their doctor before undertaking warm water therapy.
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Q. I've heard
that hot water soaking helps diabetics. Are there studies
on this, and if so, in what ways are diabetics helped by
hot water soaking?
A. Dr. Philip L. Hooper, an endocrinologist
from Colorado, has written extensively on this subject.
He is a medical researcher, lecturer and author. Dr. Hooper
reasoned that if exercise has been proven to improve sugar
uptake to muscles by increasing circulation to them, other
ways of augmenting blood flow could have a similar beneficial
effect. His pilot study, on eight people, showed some powerful
results with regard to decreases in fasting blood sugar
levels and weight loss. Of course, much more study needs
to be done, across a larger sample. But the specific, and
very tangible, benefits from this study suggest a strong
link between hydrotherapy and a positive impact on people
with diabetes, and could be particularly helpful for patients
who find it difficult to exercise.
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IMPORTANT:
Aqua Vita Spas is not a medical authority and so does
not recommend any specific treatments. The content contained
in this website is purely for general information. Readers
of this website must decide for themselves on health and
medical matters and/or seek the advice of a health-care
professional before embarking on any medical treatment program.
