Hydrotherapy

Post Nasal Drip

Wash the nose and sinuses with salt water: Nasal irrigation’s utilizing a buffered hypertonic saline solution helps to reduce swollen and congested nasal and sinus tissues. In addition, it washes out thickened nasal secretions, irritants (smog, pollens, etc.), bacteria, and crusts from the nose and sinuses. Non-prescription nasal sprays (Ocean spray, Ayr, Nasal) can be used frequently, and are very convenient.

Nasal irrigation can be done several times per day, and is frequently performed with a syringe, a Water Pik device or Neti pot. The irrigating solution can be made by adding 2-3 heaping teaspoons of salt to one pint of water. It is best to use Morton Coarse Kosher Salt or Springfield plain salt because table salt may have unwanted additives. To this solution, add 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Store at room temperature, and always mix solution before each use. If the solution stings, use less salt. In the beginning, or for children, it is best to start with a weaker salt mixture. It is not unusual to initially have a mild burning sensation the first few times you irrigate.

While irrigating the nose, it is best to stand over the sink and irrigate each side of your nose. Aim the stream toward the back of your head, not at the top of your head. For young children, the salt water can be put into a small spray container which can be squirted many times into each side of the nose.

Another effective way to introduce the saline solution into the nasal passage is with a urinary catheter (with female Luer Lock fitting) attached to a 30-60cc syringe. This can then be inserted a short ways into the nasal passage.

Enlarged Lymph Nodes

To hasten the recovery of swollen lymph nodes, try a heating compress. A heating compress is not a hot compress but a cold one. It heats the area by bringing more blood to the area in order to warm the cold compress. Apply a cotton compress, such as a washcloth which has been placed in cold tap water and wrung out, to the affected area. Place a layer of plastic on top of this, followed by a large cloth such as a towel which will have an insulating effect. Make sure to wrap it in such a way that no air gets to the heating compress. Holding it in place by use of a makeshift wrap (ace bandage, belt, strapping material) will ensure that it doesn’t fall off if you fall asleep. This should be left in place for several hours or until the compress has dried.

Phlebitis / Thrombophlebitis

Hot packs may be helpful for superficial thrombophlebitis but probably will not benefit deep vein thrombosis. Taking alternating hot and cold sitz baths or using alternating hot and cold compresses may help improve circulation in the affected area.

Also, keep the affected leg elevated 6 to 12 inches above the level of the heart when applying moist heat. It may help to keep your feet up all night long. You can elevate the foot of your bed several inches with wooden blocks.

Hypotension

Heating the skin draws more blood to the surface and increases the risk of lowered blood pressure. Avoid prolonged exposure to hot water, such as hot showers and spas. If you get dizzy, sit down. It may be helpful to keep a chair or stool in the shower in case you need to sit; to help prevent injury, use a chair or stool that is specifically designed for showers or bath tubs.

Dyspepsia / Poor Digestion

Hemorrhoids

A sitz bath is recommended 3 times a day and after each bowel movement for at least 15 minutes. Just sitting in a few inches of warm water in a tub can lessen the swelling and the pain. Dry the area carefully, yet thoroughly, afterwards.

Constipation

Chronic Fatigue / Fibromyalgia Syndrome

Feb. 2008. REUTERS reports that European researchers have found that swimming can significantly ease the debilitating pain of fibromyalgia. According to the report, researchers studied 33 women, having one group exercise in warm water for more than an hour three times a week for eight months while the others did no aquatic training.

Narcis Gusi at the University of Extremadura in Spain and Pablo Tomas-Carus of the University of Evora in Portugal, who conducted the study, said that the women who swam said the workouts helped ease their pain and they reported an improved quality of life.

“The addition of an aquatic exercise program to the usual care for fibromyalgia in women is cost-effective in terms of both health care costs and societal costs,” they wrote in the journal Arthritis Research & Therapy.

Weakened Immune System

Pharyngitis

Gargling with very warm salt water hourly can ease the pain and reduce the duration of a sore throat. Sometimes it works so well that people forget to continue gargling after the first couple of times and the sore throat returns. Use at least 1/2 teaspoon salt per cup of water. The water should be no hotter than your immersed finger is able to tolerate. Other uses of water for pharyngitis are mentioned in the discussion of the Treatment – Hydrotherapy.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

Sitz baths can powerfully affect the organs of the lower abdomen and pelvis.

Colds and Influenza

(Europe)—A recent report by News24.com cited a new study that found children with colds may recover faster with a saltwater or saline treatment.

European researchers found that a nasal spray made from Atlantic Ocean seawater “eased wintertime cold symptoms faster and slowed cough and cold symptoms from returning among children ages 6 to 10.”

The study, done by Dr Ivo Slapak and colleagues at the Teaching Hospital of Brno in the Czech Republic, was announced after a warning just last week, by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that standard cough and cold treatments could be risky in young children, and were mostly ineffective anyway.

The Czech research, which involved 390 children having “uncomplicated cold or flu symptoms,” lasted for a period of 12 weeks.

According to the report, the children all received the same medications, but some received the saline nasal wash in addition. Those who did were found to have less stuffy or runny noses, and “eight weeks after the study began, those in the saline group had significantly fewer severe sore throats, coughs, nasal obstructions and secretions than those given standard treatments.”

Ear infection, External

Using moist heat (but not overly hot) can improve circulation and lymph flow when dealing with an external ear infection.

Sinusitis

Nasal Lavage by Daniel H. Chong, N.D. – The nasal lavage is a wonderful treatment used in cases of chronic infections and/or irritations in the nose and sinuses. These conditions include sinusitis, hayfever, and seasonal allergies. The goal of the nasal lavage is to reduce or eliminate the recurrent irritant so that the body can be given a chance to heal itself. Often times antihistamines, antibiotics and/or surgery are used to treat these conditions but do little to affect them, especially their recurrence. Long-term use of nasal lavage in these cases, along with appropriate diet and lifestyle changes, can be extremely helpful.

It is extremely important to follow all the instructions very carefully. Continue the routine until all symptoms resolve. This may take three to six months so BE PATIENT. For acute problems, perform the nasal wash up to four times per day until resolved. For chronic problems, it is usual 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 still present and so it is important to continue with the program. Be persistent as it takes a lot of effort to rid your body of these chronic bacteria that may be producing the low-grade infection. If your condition continues to worsen, or no improvement is noted after a week of treatment, see your doctor.

Supplies Needed:

Sea salt

Filtered or bottled water

Neti pot or bulb syringe

Towel or washcloth

Directions: The technique, outlined below, may seem unusual at first. However, once learned, you will quickly realize how beneficial it is for sinus problems.

Locate a workable container. The neti pot is specially designed with a spout that fits comfortably in one nostril. Alternatives you can use include a bulb syringe, a small flower watering pot, a turkey baster, or just a teacup (though the latter will be messier).

Fill the container with lukewarm salt water. The salt-to-water ratio is 1 teaspoon sea salt to 1 pint (2 cups) water. Filtered or bottled water is best.

Have some tissues within reach for this next part. Over a sink, tilt your head forward so that you are looking directly down toward the sink. Insert the spout into your right nostril. It is important that you breathe through your mouth. Turn your head to the right and let water move into the right nostril and exit the left nostril. Normally, you will feel the water as it passes through your sinuses. It is fine if some of the water drains into the mouth. Simply spit it out and adjust the tilt of your head.

After using a cup of water, repeat the above procedure for the other nostril.

To finish, expel any remaining water by quickly blowing air out both open nostrils 15 times over the sink. Avoid the temptation to block off one nostril, as doing so may force water into the eustachian tube.

Another effective way to introduce the saline solution into the nasal passage is with a urinary catheter (with female Luer Lock fitting) attached to a 30-60cc syringe. This can then be inserted a short ways into the nasal passage.

An alternative formula for the lavage which some report to be more effective is:

1 pint of water

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp Witch Hazel

If this seems too strong, the ingredients can be cut in half or the amount of water doubled.

Alternating Hot and Cold Sinus Compress – This treatment can be used as a stand-alone treatment for painful, swollen sinuses, but can also be used in conjunction with the nasal lavage treatment. Combining the two seems to make each one work a little better.

Supplies Needed:

Two face cloths

Hot water

Cold water

Directions:

Soak one face cloth in hot water. Wring it out so it is damp but not dripping. Place the face cloth over your nose and eyes, and sinuses surrounding these areas and leave it in place for three minutes.

Have the second face cloth soaking in cold water. Wring the cloth out. Remove the hot cloth, and place the cold cloth over the same area of your face for 30 seconds.

Repeat this alternating sequence two more times for a total of three alternating sequences of three minutes hot and 30 seconds cold.

Frequency:

For severe and acute problems, perform morning and evening.

For less severe problems or maintenance, perform once a day.

The entire procedure will take about 10 minutes once you have everything organized. If you are trying to clear drainage from your sinus passages, perform the NASAL LAVAGE procedure after you have completed the alternating hot and cold heating compresses.

ALERT! Make sure to use purified water, not tap water. 2011 – Louisiana’s state health department has issued a warning about the dangers of improperly using nasal-irrigation devices called neti pots, responding to two recent deaths in the state that are thought to have resulted from “brain-eating amoebas” entering people’s brains through their sinuses while they were using the devices.

Both victims are believed to have filled their neti pots with tap water instead of manufacturer-recommended distilled or sterilized water. When they used these pots to force the water up their noses and flush out their sinus cavities — a treatment for colds and hay fever — a deadly amoeba living in the tap water, called Naegleria fowleri, worked its way from their sinuses into their brains. The parasitic organism infected the victims’ brains with a neurological disease called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAME), which rapidly destroys neural tissue and typically kills sufferers in a matter of days.

Ear Infection, Middle

Cystitis, Bacterial Bladder Infection

Sitz baths may be used for chronic cystitis, but should not be used in acute cases.

Laryngitis

Gargle with warm salt water (1/4 teaspoon of salt in 1/2 cup of water).

Insomnia

Various forms of hydrotherapy have to been used to treat insomnia. The neutral bath tends to sedate disturbed people.

Many patients report that they sleep much better during the ‘warming socks’ treatment.

Osteoarthritis

The Cochrane reviewers analyzed six trials that had 800 participants who all were living with osteoarthritis. Four studies included patients with osteoarthritis of either the knee or hip, one study followed patients with only hip arthritis and one included patients with only knee arthritis.

In the studies, some patients did aquatic exercises for different lengths of time and numbers of sessions per week, while other patients did no exercise or exercised on land. Most of the studies measured patients after three months of therapy.

Based on the studies’ results, the reviewers said, “In people with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee, pain may decrease by 1 more point on a scale of 0 to 20 with aquatic exercise, and function may improve by 3 more points on a scale of 0 to 68.”

“There is gold-level evidence that for osteoarthritis of the hip or knee, aquatic exercise probably slightly reduces pain and slightly improves function over three months,” the reviewers wrote. “Based on this, one may consider using aquatic exercise as the first part of a longer exercise program for osteoarthritis patients.”

The reviewers were unable to find evidence on whether aquatic exercise affected patients’ walking ability or stiffness after treatment sessions.

Wanda Evans, a physical therapy resource specialist at Kaiser Permanente, said that her clinic uses aquatic therapy to treat 80 percent to 90 percent of patients with hip and knee osteoarthritis and “100 percent” of them experience some improvement.

“Oftentimes, aquatics are the primary course of treatment if the patient is obese and 80 percent of our patients with this diagnosis are obese,” Evans said. “Otherwise, it is considered an adjunct to the primary course of treatment, which is land-based exercises.” [Cochrane Library, October 2007]

Leg Cramps At Night

Bell's Palsy

The use of eye drops can be important in treating BP. The ‘dry eye’ and associated problems are caused by a combination of things. For some people the tear gland may not be producing moisture. Blinking is the mechanism that protects the eye from external debris and spreads tears over the cornea. Under normal circumstances we blink every 5-7 seconds and with every blink the eyelid spreads moisture over the cornea. With facial paralysis the ability to blink may be disrupted; eyelid closure can be weak or the eye can be stuck wide open. Take action if the eye feels uncomfortable. Manually blink your eye using the back of your finger at regular intervals, especially when it feels dry. A stinging or burning sensation can mean the eye is too dry, even if tears are apparent. The 7th nerve does not control focus, so if you are experiencing blurred vision, don’t ignore it. It may be a warning of a dry cornea that needs to be protected.

Prostatitis

Hot baths are helpful for almost all men with prostatitis regardless of the kind. These are often referred to as sitz baths and the warm water and relaxation of the bath soothe the prostate and helps relieve symptoms.

The contrast sitz bath increases pelvic circulation and tone of the smooth muscles of the region. It is indicated in chronic prostatitis. The strong revulsive effect created increases the blood flow in the pelvic region dramatically. The Contrast Sitz bath uses alternating hot and cold water. Hot phase 105 F to 115 F for 3 minutes; Cold phase 55 F to 85 F for 30 seconds. Increases pelvic circulation and tone of smooth muscle of the pelvic region.

A hot enema, up to 103° F may be used three to four times a day, especially in acute cases.

Air temperature appears to play a role in chronic prostatitisas cold is frequently reported as causing symptom aggravation and heat is often reported to be ameliorating.[40] It appears that cold is one of the factors that can trigger a process resulting in CP/CPPS (chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome). Cold also causes aggravation of symptoms and can initiate a relapse. A survey showed that the occurrence of prostatitis symptoms in men living in northern Finland – a cold climate – is higher than that reported in other parts of the world. This could be partly caused by the cold climate.

Low Back Pain / Problems

Hydrotherapy is reported to have many beneficial effects in the treatment of people with chronic low back pain. Among the reported benefits are:

Bronchitis, Acute

Asthma

Hives

An alkaline sponge bath may be helpful to reduce the itching. Add one teaspoon of baking soda to each pint of very hot bath water and soak.

Ovarian Cysts

Contrast sitz baths, using separate basins of hot and cold water, can improve circulation in the pelvic area, speeding healing and reducing pelvic pain and treating ovarian cysts. Submerge the hips in the bath at least up to the level of the belly button. Begin with a three to four minute soak in hot water, followed by a 30 to 60 second cold soak. Repeat three to five times, ending with cold.

Vaginitis/Vaginal Infection

Sitz baths can powerfully affect the organs of the lower abdomen and pelvis.

Dysmenorrhea, Painful Menstruation

The use of heat has a good history of relieving menstrual cramps. As warmth increases circulation, it can reduce muscular tension. A warm bath or hot pack on the abdomen can provide significant relief.

The use of Constitutional hydrotherapy has been reported to be beneficial in this condition.

Female Infertility

Alternating hot and cold sitz baths are useful in improving pelvic circulation. These may be helpful in promoting fertility. Please use at times other than when attempting conception.

Susceptibility To Miscarriages

In over 1,000 pregnant women, the use of a hot tub or whirlpool bath after conception was associated with a 2-fold increased risk of miscarriage during early gestation. [Am J Epidemiol. November 15, 2003;158(10): pp.931-937]