Ice Bath Therapy Has Many Benefits
Contrast bath therapy is one of many types of treatment in a broad spectrum of therapeutic measures associated with water therapy
. There are a number of variations in the type of treatments used in curing an ailment or relieving pain, which are referred to as hydrotherapy or water therapy.
What is Contrast Bath Therapy?
This type of water therapy consists of using alternating sources of warm and cold water on an injured limb or other body part. For instance, if you have a hand that is swollen because of an injury, you would submerge it into a container with cold water first. After about two minutes with your hand submerged in cold water, you would then immerse your hand in a container with warm water for about two minutes as well. This process should be repeated at least three times for optimal results.
The temperature of the liquid is vital, due to its purpose. However, the bather should not use this form of hydrotherapy with liquid temperatures that cannot be tolerated. Generally, the warm fluid basin should be between 100 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit, or 38 and 44 degrees Celsius. On the other hand, the cold fluid basin should be comprised of water that is between 50 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, or 10 to 18 degrees Celsius.
The Benefits
As a type of treatment for sports and other muscle injuries, hot/cold immersion therapy promotes healing and a decreased recovery time. Contrast treatment reduces swelling and inflammation at the site of the injured area. However, it doesn’t always have to utilized only as a type of pain relief or cure for an ailment. In fact, the benefits of this form of water therapeutics may be implemented as part of the recovery process after exercise. It can also be utilized as part of training, since it has the added effect of extending a muscle's range of motion.
Besides physical injuries, this liquid remedy aids in pain management and rehabilitation for inflammatory conditions like arthritis, in particular osteoarthritis. Carpal tunnel causes pain, since the median nerve is pressed at the wrist. Contrast bath therapy has also been known to speed up the process of treatment when you get an infection, due to the fact that switching back and forth between vasodilation and vasoconstriction stimulates your local defenses and white blood cells, which can ultimately lead to a quicker healing time. After the initial inflammation of a sprain has ceased, you may use this method of treatment to ease the pain and swelling. Congestive headaches also seem to respond to this form of therapy. Because of the increase in blood flow, it has a benefit to those who suffer from poor circulation. It’s even known to reduce the symptoms of poor circulation, such as tingling in the legs and numbness.
Prior to the 1950s, hydrotherapy—especially the hot forms of it like baths and wet sheet wraps—was employed as remedy in psychiatric hospitals. Although these hospitals used baths and other forms of hydrotherapy for depression, these treatments were used for delirium, gastrointestinal disturbances, insomnia and agitation, as well.
Treatment Duration Recommendations
As of now, it is debatable exactly how long and often you should use this healing procedure. Generally, it is recommended that you keep alternating between a warm water bucket and a cold water bucket at least three times. You can continue the therapy for up to 15 minutes, if desired. Although cold water is usually recommended as the starting point, it must be the last step of this course of action, so that you stop with your blood vessels constricted. You should use this bathing technique three times daily, in order to see optimal results. When it comes to treating infections, six times daily has been known as the most beneficial. You may continue to use it for up to two weeks for injuries; however, if you still have bruising or swelling that still doesn’t seem to subside, you should consult your physician.
Warnings
If your condition doesn’t show signs of improvement after two weeks, you should contact your physician immediately. You needn’t stop using this treatment if it is alleviating your discomfort, even if it hasn’t corrected the problem, but you may need the assistance of a medical professional to treat your injury.
If you have certain ailments, you need to take precaution when conducting a hot/cold immersion session. Extremely hot liquid may lead to burning when you are unable to sense the temperature of the water. Likewise, extremely cold water can cause issues as well, including the possibility of interfering with circulation and decreasing body temperature. Therefore, patients with peripheral vascular disease—a narrowing of the blood vessels outside of the heart that causes numbness in the legs—should not use very hot or very cold water. If you have diabetes, you should not use extremely hot or extremely cold water either, since you may experience numbness in your legs. In fact, if you have any of these conditions or a loss of feeling in your feet or legs, you should avoid using water over 103 degrees Fahrenheit or 39 degrees Celsius. Nobody should ever use water above 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius), regardless of their health condition.
A strain or a sprain cannot be treated initially with contrast baths. After the first 72 hours, it’s allowable to then proceed with an alternating temperature bath. During the first 72 hours, however, you will be experiencing the acute inflammation stage, which can actually worsen from the use of this program.
by: Steve Hottub
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