MOUNTAIN ESCAPES
| Hydrotherapy |
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Hydrotherapy, or water therapy as it is also
known centres around (as you've probably guessed) the use of water as a healing agent. The
buoyancy, viscosity and mineral components of water are used through hydrotherapy to heal
or relieve ills as varied as fatigue, sore throats, colds, inflammation of the joints,
jaundice, rheumatism, arthritis, spondylitis, insomnia, soft tissue injuries and even
diabetes.
As an alternative system of healing, hydrotherapy is one of the oldest, safest and
cheapest- which is definitely part of the reason why it's swiftly gaining in popularity.
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Hydrotherapy is no upstart; it's been
around for more than 5,000 years, when the first mineral and thermal baths appeared in
Greece.The Greeks, however, were not the only people to realize the healing powers of
water. They were followed in their appreciation of the therapeutic liquid by the Romans
(who are credited with having set up well-planned baths all across their empire); the
Egyptians, the Japanese and the native Indian Americans. Most modern techniques borrow
from both Eastern and Western forms of water therapy, and span a vast range of treatments.
Basically, hydrotherapy is instrumental in stimulating blood circulation, increasing the
production of stress hormones, improving the immune system and lessening pain sensitivity.
The most common curative methods used in hydrotherapy include:
Cold Baths: Cold baths are used mainly as a means of stimulating blood
circulation, and are also used for reducing swelling.
Steam Baths: Hot steam helps encourage sweating, which in turn opens the
skin's pores, leaving the individual feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. It's not
specifically healing, but it works wonders if you're feeling tired and drained, and can be
an effective means of detoxification.
Neutral Baths: A neutral bath-as the name suggests- uses water that is
neither hotter nor colder than the temperature of the human body (cold or hot water draws
or transmits heat to or from the body, as the case may be). For a neutral bath, the
individual is immersed in water that is maintained at a steady temperature of between
33.5°C and 35.6, for about half an hour. This has a sedative, and even soporific, effect
on the patient and is used to calm the nervous system.
Floatation: As relaxing and refreshing as a neutral bath, floatation
involves lying face up in a dark, enclosed tank of warm, heavily salted water.
Hot and Cold Sprays: High-pressure spray jets of hot or cold water are used to heal or
relieve a number of minor ailments, and mainly to stimulate organ function, the nervous
system and the immune system.
Hot and Cold Compresses: Both hot as well as cold compresses actually
start off as cold compresses- a cloth dipped in ice-cold water and left on the effected
part of the body for a certain period of time. In the case of a cold compress, the pack is
replaced by an equally cold pack once it begins to lose its chill. In the case of a hot
compress, the pack is left on and allowed to heat up by the warmth of the body. Both types
of compresses are used in various ways, especially to treat acute injuries.
Ice Packs: Ice packs- which contain crushed ice or a special gel- are
applied to the body to reduce swelling, pain and inflammation.
Wet Sheet Packs: A wet sheet pack (also known as a body wrap) is, as the
name suggests, a procedure in which the entire body is wrapped in a cold, wet sheet that
is in turn covered with a woolen blanket. The sheet is left in place until it dries by the
warmth of the body (usually about half an hour to relieve a fever; longer to relax and
soothe the body; or up to 3 hours to induce sweating, which can be a good detoxification
method for those with drinking or smoking problems).
Among the spas in India that offer hydrotherapy treatments are:
Ananda in the Himalayas
The Palace Estate, Narendranagar
Tehri Garhwal (Uttaranchal)
Tel: 01378-227500
Fax: 01378-227550
Spa Aguada
Fort Aguada Beach Resort
Sinquerim
Bardez
Goa
Tel: 0832-2479123 to 2479136
Fax: 0832-2479200
Angsana Oasis Spa and Resort
North West County
Main Doddaballapur Road
Rajankunte
Bangalore
Tel: 080-28468893
Fax: 080-28468897
The Leela Palace
23, Airport Road
Bangalore
Tel: 080-25211234
Fax:080-25217243 / 25212222
Golden Palms Spa and Resort
Nagarur, Dasanpura
Hobli, Off Tumkur Road,
Bangalore
Tel: 080-23712222
Fax:080-23710033
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