In natural medicine, naturopathic medicine, health is evaluated through diet, stress, sleep, and other factors that often are affected by everyday decisions and lifestyle habits.
Many people are familiar with the Special Olympics fundraising event titled “Polar Plunge.” It is an event that ends with participants plunging into Lake Michigan in the middle of winter. Although it sounds frigid and shocking to the body, there are many beneficial physiological effects to a cold water plunge.
The polar plunge is an example of cold water therapy and hydrotherapy. Hydrotherapy is a form of medicine that uses internal or external therapeutic application of water for a desired health outcome.
It is uncommon to consider water as a form of medicine, but it often has profound effects on generalized and specific conditions including illness, injury, and disease. Water is a simple way to incorporate healthy and supportive natural habits into a lifestyle.
What is considered hydrotherapy?
There are some obvious forms of therapeutic hydrotherapy that include post-workout recovery ice baths, ice packs, contrast hot and cold baths, hot tubs, alternating hot/cold showers, and cold shower rinses. There are other less common forms including constitutional hydrotherapy, sauna, warming socks, and colonics.
Constitutional hydrotherapy is an in-office treatment used to strengthen someone’s “constitution” or the composition of the body. It can decrease anxious feelings and hyperactivity while improving immune function, sleep, stress response, endocrine and hormone function. Much like other forms of medicine including acupuncture and massage therapy, the conditions listed have been shown to improve with regular and consistent constitutional hydrotherapy application.
Constitutional hydrotherapy is offered at Tri-City Health Care. A consultation with us is the best way to determine if it can benefit you.
Another form of hydrotherapy, warming socks, is a traditional naturopathic approach to at-home “sick care.” At the first sign of illness—sore throat, congestion, cough, etc.—wet a pair of socks and place them in the freezer until almost frozen. Wear them to bed, layering the cold wet socks with a warm, dry pair of wool socks on top. Falling asleep with the layered socks and waking in the morning, or after a full nap, the wet socks should be dry and warm. Repeat as needed. This is a very simple and natural method used to support the body during illness.
Naturopathic and chiropractic medicine offer a natural approach to evaluating where there may be gaps in lifestyle and health and making the most effective changes based on goals established between patient and doctor. With natural interventions and habits like hydrotherapy, the key is consistency with the treatments you choose.
There are many options and places to begin your health journey. Tri-City Health Care is honored to be your choice in natural medicine.