Kimberly R. Azelton, MD
Greg Stienke, MD, MPH
John Kelly, MD, MPH
The definition of hydrotherapy by Merriam-Webster is “the therapeutic use of water.” Hydrotherapy uses water in all forms – steam, ice, heat and cold – which causes physiological reactions which help to enhance the immune system, improve circulation, detoxify the body, and promote healing. Some examples of hydrotherapy treatments include hot foot bath, fomentations for the chest (hot and moist compress) followed by cold mitten friction, hot and cold packs, sitz baths, and alternate hot and cold contrast showers.
The terms hydrothermal therapy and hydrotherapy are often used interchangeably by health care professionals. Hydrothermal therapy specifically refers to the use of steam and hot water temperature to achieve certain physiological effects, such as raising the body temperature. For example, heat causes vasodilation and increases blood flow to the skin and muscles and cold stimulates vasoconstriction and sends blood away from the surface of the skin. The result is an improvement in circulation, alleviation of pain and discomfort, and boosting of the immune system. There are other sources which describe in more details physiological effects of hydrothermal therapy.
Resources
Hydrothermal therapy can be used for many different conditions, including: anxiety, back pain, circulatory problems, fever, infectious respiratory diseases, to improve circulation and as a general tonic, and for many other conditions.
The use of the external application of water in the treatment of disease has been recorded during ancient Rome and the time of Hippocrates. Over 140 years ago, the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan was known world-wide for its expertise in providing hydrotherapy treatments. Under the leadership of Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, hydrotherapy was developed and utilized extensively during the early 1900s.
During the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic, multiple Seventh-day Adventist sanitariums provided hydrotherapy treatments. Anecdotal reports from Seventh-day Adventist campus academies and colleges, sanitariums, and records from Douglas County, Georgia indicated that patients suffering from the Spanish flu who were treated with chest fomentations (a type of hydrotherapy) were more likely to survive as compared with patients who did not receive these treatments. See the article: “Concerned About Covid-19? Hydrotherapy May Play a Role!”
With the advent of antibiotics, the use of hydrotherapy to treat disease is currently very limited in most hospital settings. However, hydrotherapy is used extensively in lifestyle centers such as Uchee Pines Institute, Wildwood Lifestyle Center, Weimar Institute, and other centers as a routine part of the care provided.
We invite Seventh-day Adventist healthcare professionals across all disciplines as well as church members who do not have a healthcare background.
Yes, there are safety issues that need to be considered before administering hydrothermal therapy. Additionally, there are indications and contraindications for using hydrothermal therapy and these should be considered before treatments. Hydrotherapy or hydrothermal therapy should be administered by persons trained and skilled in providing these treatments.
There are uses of steam, ice, hot and cold water that may be carefully and safely done at home for basic concerns such as coughs, colds, and pain relief. But just like you would not put a bandaid on a fracture you should not use hydrotherapy for serious health conditions without consulting a health professional. There are certain indications and contraindications for which hydrotherapy should not be used or should be used in conjunction with other medical treatments by a trained healthcare professional. We focus on simple hydrotherapy modalities that you may use for basic concerns at home. More advanced hydrotherapy or hydrothermal therapy should be administered by persons trained and skilled in providing these treatments. Hydrotherapy Hub and other ministries are working to make this more advanced training available.
If you have COVID-19, do not delay seeking medical attention if you have shortness of breath. See steps to take when sick with COVID-19.
There are not direct studies related to hydrotherapies use in COVID-19 however there are several pending. These are based on previous studies of hydrotherapy being known to boost the immune system.