MM Chapter 16: Hydrotherapy

Footbath Prepare the foot soak by placing warm (not hot) water in a soaking basin. One or two additives like ½ cup of Epson salt (for foot pain), ½ cup of sea salt (energizing), bubble bath (cleansing), herbal infusions (detoxifying), 3 drops of essential oil (properties based on the oil), or powdered milk (relaxing) add […]

Common methods of application include hot, warm, or cold packs, local applications like ice massage and mustard plasters, therapeutic showers and immersion baths, hot-air baths, friction treatments, and specialized body wraps. In a wellness setting, hydrotherapy is most often used to relax the client, revitalize the body, or remove a treatment product like mud or

Before you can offer hydrotherapy treatments, you should understand general guidelines for ensuring your client’s health and safety. Areas that require particular attention include the sanitation of hydrotherapy equipment and protocols that reduce the transmission of germs and disease, safety issues, and cautions and contraindications to hydrotherapy services. Cleanliness and Sanitation Guidelines In Chapter 3,

Understanding hydrotherapy’s effects on the body begins with the concept of homeostasis. Homeostasis is the relative constancy of the body’s internal environment. The body’s internal environment includes the extracellular fluid that bathes cells. From this fluid, cells receive oxygen and nutrients, and into this fluid, cells excrete wastes from their metabolic activities. The health of

The use of hydrotherapy applications in both wellness and health care settings increases clients’ enjoyment of sessions, offers soothing comfort, ensures that clients stay warm, and provides a useful means of empowering clients to manage many conditions through self-care practices.  A recent study suggests that feelings of warmth are associated with a sense of relaxation

Water is a unique substance that covers more than 70% of the earth’s surface and provides natural beauty in oceans, rivers, rain, waterfalls, and snow. The human body is 55% to 60% water, and tissues like lean muscle (75%), blood (95%), and bone (22%) contain significant amounts of water. Water also has a number of