Fw: [Mycoplasmaforum] hydrotherpy discourse #1

February 13, 2004

- walt

mycoplasmaforum

Friday, February 13, 2004 9:00 AM

[Mycoplasmaforum] hydrotherpy discourse #1

The Forgotten Art of Hydrotherapy, Part I [ Part I, Part II ] Next >> By Daniel H. Chong, N.D. By now, many of you have learned of Dr. Mercola's support fornaturopathic medicine. Some of you may be very familiar with naturopathicmedicine, and some of you may even be seeing a licensed naturopathic doctor.Although this is a wonderful thing, I fear that most of you, even thoseseeing a naturopath, are missing out on one of the most powerful treatmentsever used in naturopathic medicine, hydrotherapy. Used as part of anytreatment plan, hydrotherapy treatments can have a profound effect. Unfortunately, there are few medical doctors out there who recommendthis type of treatment to their patients. Worse yet, there are fewer andfewer naturopathic physicians using hydrotherapy as part of their treatmentplans. This article is being written to give everyone a short lessen on, orreminder of, the power of hydrotherapy, in hopes that it will once againfind its place amongst the common treatments being prescribed by trulyhealth conscious physicians today. A Brief History Hydrotherapy, in one form or another, has been around for at least aslong as animals have roamed the earth. There have been numerous accounts ofsick or injured animals observed in the wild, soaking themselves or theirinjured parts in a cool stream everyday until they were well again. One ofthe first textbooks on hydrotherapy was written in 1697 by the Englishphysician John Floyer. Since then, there have been numerous physicians andothers who have become famous using various types of hydrotherapy treatmentsto cure people of countless illnesses. Many people have heard of John HarveyKellog, who ran the famous Battle Creek Sanitorium in Michigan, and usedmany different hydrotherapy treatments, as well as massage, electrotherapy,and diet to help cure hundreds of previously "incurable" cases. By the early 1900s, hydrotherapy was a common treatment employed bynaturopathic physicians. Benedict Lust, Henry Lindlahr, and O.G. Carroll arethree of the most famous naturopathic physicians who have ever lived. Theycombined hydrotherapy with other treatments such as herbal medicine,homeopathy, and diet therapy to help heal literally thousands of peoplewhose conditions were originally considered incurable. Hydrotherapy was thecenter-point of their practices and many of the treatments that they usedare still being used today. Since the time of these great physicians, hydrotherapy has experienceda slow but steady decline in popularity as a common treatment innaturopathic offices, for numerous reasons. Some doctors lack the propertraining and experience, as school curriculums no longer focus onhydrotherapy. Some doctors choose not to use these treatments, because theycan be time consuming, and not very cost-effective. There are still a fewdoctors out there who continue to carry on with these wonderful treatments.These doctors are aware of the power of hydrotherapy, and will continueusing it well into the future, regardless of what new supplements or other"miracle treatments" come along. The Theory and Practice of Naturopathic Hydrotherapy Naturopathic hydrotherapy differs slightly from the standardhydrotherapy commonly used by medical doctors and physical therapists. Ingeneral, M.D.s and physical therapists simply recognize the mechanicaleffects of hot and cold applied to the body, e.g., that hot will relaxmuscles, and cold will decrease inflammation. The naturopathichydrotherapist also believes that hydrotherapy can affect the quality ofblood in circulation. This is done primarily through treatments that tonifythe digestive and detoxification organs (liver, kidney, lungs and intestinaltract) and thereby improve the nutrition received by the blood as well ashelp to cleanse the blood of endogenous and exogenous toxins. This effect is accomplished by using an alternating application of hotand cold water to specific areas of the body. By switching back and forthbetween hot and cold, blood flow will be increased to that spot and theorgans underlying that area. The naturopathic hydrotherapist views blood asthe conveyer of life. Naturopathic hydrotherapy works because it optimizesthe quality of blood while improving the efficiency of its circulation. A naturopathic doctor will sometimes prescribe a hydrotherapytreatment specific for the patient's condition, and that patient willperform this treatment on themselves at home. Some naturopathic doctors havethe capacity to perform hydrotherapy treatments in their office, but such asituation is quite rare these days. Many of the commonly used hydrotherapytreatments work perfectly fine at home, but if possible they are best donein a doctor's office. This allows for the entire treatment to be monitoredand modified if necessary. Some Classic Treatments Nasal Lavage - The nasal lavage is a wonderful treatment used in casesof chronic infections and/or irritations in the nose and sinuses. Theseconditions include sinusitis, hayfever, and seasonal allergies. The goal ofthe nasal lavage is to reduce or eliminate the recurrent irritant so thatthe body can be given a chance to heal itself. Often times antihistamines,antibiotics and/or surgery are used to treat these conditions but do littleto affect them, especially their recurrence. Long-term use of nasal lavagein these cases, along with appropriate diet and lifestyle changes, can beextremely helpful. It is extremely important to follow all the instructions verycarefully. Continue the routine until all symptoms resolve. This may takethree to six months so BE PATIENT. For acute problems, perform the nasalwash up to four times per day until resolved. For chronic problems, it isusual to do the wash one or more times daily, continuing for several months.Pain or bleeding after the lavage may mean that an infection is stillpresent and so it is important to continue with the program. Be persistentas it takes a lot of effort to rid your body of these chronic bacteria thatmay be producing the low-grade infection. If your condition continues toworsen, or no improvement is noted after a week of treatment, see yourdoctor. Supplies Needed: a.. Sea salt b.. Filtered or bottled water c.. Neti pot or bulb syringe d.. Towel or washcloth Directions: The technique, outlined below, may seem unusual at first.However, once learned, you will quickly realize how beneficial it is forsinus problems. 1.. Locate a workable container. The neti pot is specially designedwith a spout that fits comfortably in one nostril. Alternatives you can useinclude a bulb syringe, a small flower watering pot, a turkey baster, orjust a teacup (though the latter will be messier). 2.. Fill the container with lukewarm salt water. The salt-to-waterratio is 1 teaspoon sea salt to 1 pint (2 cups) water. Filtered or bottledwater is best. 3.. Have some tissues within reach for this next part. Over a sink,tilt your head forward so that you are looking directly down toward thesink. Insert the spout into your right nostril. It is important that youbreathe through your mouth. Turn your head to the right and let water moveinto the right nostril and exit the left nostril. Normally, you will feelthe water as it passes through your sinuses. It is fine if some of the waterdrains into the mouth. Simply spit it out and adjust the tilt of your head. 4.. After using a cup of water, repeat the above procedure for theother nostril. 5.. To finish, expel any remaining water by quickly blowing air outboth open nostrils 15 times over the sink. Avoid the temptation to block offone nostril, as doing so may force water into the eustachian tube.-------- Alternating Hot and Cold Sinus Compress - This treatment can be usedas a stand-alone treatment for painful, swollen sinuses, but can also beused in conjunction with the nasal lavage treatment. Combining the two seemsto make each one work a little better. Supplies Needed: a.. Two face cloths b.. Hot water c.. Cold water Directions: 1.. Soak one face cloth in hot water. Wring it out so it is damp butnot dripping. Place the face cloth over your nose and eyes, and sinusessurrounding these areas and leave it in place for three minutes. 2.. Have the second face cloth soaking in cold water. Wring thecloth out. Remove the hot cloth, and place the cold cloth over the same areaof your face for 30 seconds. 3.. Repeat this alternating sequence two more times for a total ofthree alternating sequences of three minutes hot and 30 seconds cold. Frequency: 1.. For severe and acute problems, perform morning and evening. 2.. For less severe problems or maintenance, perform once a day. The entire procedure will take about 10 minutes once you haveeverything organized. If you are trying to clear drainage from your sinuspassages, perform the NASAL LAVAGE procedure after you have completed thealternating hot and cold heating compresses.