5 Benefits of Warm Water Therapy
While many of us love a long soak in the bath, did you know that warm water can actually have many health benefits too?
The process of easing ailments of the body via warm water is called hydrotherapy and it can be used to treat a range of conditions, from alleviating pressure on already aching joints to strengthening weakened muscles.
In this article, we will explore exactly what this type of water therapy is, as well as the benefits of hydrotherapy.
What is hydrotherapy?
Hydrotherapy is any kind of treatment that uses water to manage a condition and its symptoms.
Also referred to as aquatic or water therapy, hydrotherapy is often conducted by physiotherapists as part of a treatment plan for the following:
Arthritis.
Chronic pain.
Bone fractures.
Reducing inflammation.
Surgical procedure recovery.
Medical hydrotherapy sessions typically take place in a purpose-built pool, where you’re guided through a range of exercises. However, you can try water therapy treatments at home with baths, footbaths, or cold plunges.
Is hot water good for you?
Soaking in hot water can have many benefits for both your physical and mental health.
For example, hot water can soothe sore muscles, improve blood flow, and reduce stress and anxiety. That’s why taking baths can help you relax and feel at more at ease – especially after exercising or a long day on your feet.
However, during medical water therapy sessions, it’s quite common for both cold and warm water to be used, and some may involve going back and forth between the two. This technique helps to reduce pain, joint stiffness, and inflammation, as well as speed up recovery after an injury.
What are the benefits of hot water hydrotherapy?
While a physiotherapist will be able to guide you safely through your hydrotherapy session, it’s important to take care when trying water therapy yourself at home.
It’s best to follow these tips to help you safely get the most benefit from your at home water therapy treatments:
- Always make sure the water is at a warm temperature and not too hot. If in doubt, use a digital thermometer which will tell you when the bath exceeds a typical comfortable heat.
- Try to keep baths to no longer than 20 minutes.
- Stay hydrated to avoid exhaustion.
- Gently lower yourself into the tub. By getting into the warm water slowly, you will help your body naturally adjust to the temperature.
With these safety tips in mind, here are some of the main benefits you could enjoy from hot water hydrotherapy:
1. Warm water hydrotherapy reduces joint pain
If you experience painful joints from arthritis, a sprain, or overworking the area, then hot water hydrotherapy may be helpful as part of your treatment or management plan.
Hot water soothes by reducing the force of gravity that compresses the joint, as well as reducing any swelling or inflammation. Warm water can also increase blood flow to stiff joints, which spreads oxygen and nutrients around the body, helping to repair the affected area.
You can also safely test out and help improve your joint’s range of motion when in the bath. Try simple stretches, such as ankle rotations or gentle bicycle kicks, to prevent the joint from going stiff.
2. It helps to strengthen muscles
Hydrotherapy can help you regain strength in the muscles after surgery, provide an easier way to strengthen the body with age, as well as help support general muscle strains.
The resistance of water can help to gently strengthen weakened muscles, as well as develop muscle endurance too. Hydrotherapy pools also typically have a lower risk of injury than settings like gyms, so you may feel more relaxed when exercising your muscles through water therapy than in outdoor spaces.
3. It improves pelvic floor health
Hydrotherapy can also help improve pelvic floor health as well by soothing tight pelvic floor muscles.
Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles (the ones under your uterus, bladder, and bowel) can help improve bladder and bowel control, as well as speed up recovery following child birth.
However, you need to be careful of tight pelvic floor muscles, which can be caused by overdoing exercises or an injury. With tight muscles in your pelvic floor, you may experience pain or aching, constipation, or the need to wee more frequently.
Hot baths help loosen the muscles in your pelvic floor, which can alleviate some painful symptoms. Lying in the tub with your legs up will also help take pressure off the pelvic floor, while adding Epsom salt to your warm bath may help soothe any aches or pains in that area.
4. Warm water hydrotherapy aids circulation
Whether you’re drinking tea or taking a bath, hot water is a vasodilator, which means it can help open up blood vessels.
When your blood vessels narrow, you may experience poor circulation, leading to symptoms such as pins and needles, blue skin, swelling, or numbness in the area. Warm water therapy can help open up those blood vessels, increasing circulation to the rest of the body.
5. It alleviates stress and anxiety
A hot bath after a particularly long day can be relaxing, in turn, helping to alleviate stress and soothe symptoms of anxiety.
Sinking into a hot tub not only helps to lower your cortisol levels, the hormone that causes stress, but it also activates the nervous system responsible for relaxation – the parasympathetic system. Soaking in a hot tub can also help relax muscles that may have tensed up due to stress, alleviating a bit of that tension.
Are there any health benefits to cold water hydrotherapy?
While there are plenty of benefits of warm water therapy, you may also find there are some cold water benefits as well.
Studies suggest cold water therapy can help boost your immune system, treat depression, reduce stress, and help improve circulation.
The most popular method of cold water therapy is the cold plunge. This is where you submerge yourself in ice cold water – typically between 10°C to 15°C – either completely or just partially. Though you can also try taking cold showers in the morning, as you may find this helps you wake up quicker and isn’t as shocking to the body.
Is hydrotherapy safe for pregnant women?
As long as the water isn’t too hot, hydrotherapy can be safe for pregnant women and can be used as an effective management for common pregnancy-related pains and aches.
Just as hydrotherapy is be used to take the weight off painful joints, it can also be used to relieve some of the extra pressure applied to the body during pregnancy. Additionally, you may find warm water therapy useful to help strengthen the pelvic floor and your core after giving birth too.
If you do try hydrotherapy as part of your pregnancy or post-natal care, then make sure the water is at a warm temperature of around 37°C or lower. Of course, if dipping a toe in feels too hot, then add in more cold water, and avoid lying fully flat in the bath as that can impact circulation to the baby. For the best care plan or for more questions around hydrotherapy and pregnancy, always speak to your care team.
How can Benenden Health help with joint pain, muscle aches, and injuries?
Whether in the joints, muscles, or around the body, nobody should have to experience pain or aches as they go about their daily life.
Here at Benenden Health, we believe private healthcare should be accessible to all. With our affordable healthcare services you can get access to our 24/7 GP Helpline from day one. You will be able to access medical advice via the telephone at any time and through video call between the hours of 8am and 10pm.
After six months from joining, you can also request access to physiotherapy assessments and treatments, ensuring you’re able to receive the care you need, just when you need it.
Alternatively, for more advice on coping with stress or some low impact exercises to strengthen your muscles, head over to our Be Healthy hub.
