Benefits of Hydrotherapy

What is Hydrotherapy?
Hydrotherapy is the use of water to promote health and healing. By using the effects of water on the body; buoyancy, warmth, and turbulence (Hydro-massage) we are able to help reduce the effects of pain, stress and discomfort.

Hydrotherapy is found to be especially beneficial for people with sports injuries, Arthritis, aching joints, muscular pain, stress, stiffness, Rheumatism, Sciatica and general tiredness and aching brought on by modern living and much more besides.

How does it work?
When the body is immersed in water it is as much as 80% lighter, this removes the pressure on the muscles, joints, ligaments and spine.

The warmth of the water (or steam) makes the blood vessels dilate (increase in diameter), which increases blood circulation around the body. Heat also enables the cells to more easily rid themselves of metabolic waste, which is replaced by oxygen and the body's natural nutrients.

The movement of the water passing over our bodies gives the body direct and often immediate relief as it massages the muscles and joints. This is most especially noticeable in Whirlpools where the powerful jets massage the body. This direct stimulation relaxes the muscles in the area, so allowing the muscle or joint to mend. As the water massages areas of the body, endorphins are produced, which in turn further assist pain relief.

Massage has been shown to improve flexibility, increase circulation and provide generally restorative benefits. When you are in pain or under stress, chemical changes in your body can cause the blood pressure and pulse rate to increase, having regular hydrotherapy treatments can help you to reduce these symptoms by slowing down the process of stress reaction.
Hydrotherapy is also thought to also help regulate the body’s temperature by improving the efficiency of the body to perspire. This further helps the body remove toxins and can lead to a much improved skin appearance and healthy glow.

The Steam Generator, Steam production information and specifications
Saunas and steam rooms both use heat therapeutically, but they do it in different ways. Essentially, a sauna uses dry heat, while a steam room incorporates high humidity and warmth. Both open up the pores of the body, helping them to eliminate toxins through sweat, ease joint pain, improve circulation, relax bathers, and strengthen the immune system. Which one you use is a matter of personal preference; most people who cannot endure the dry heat of a sauna, for example, greatly enjoy a steam room, while people who do not enjoy the sensation of a steam room benefit from using saunas instead.

A sauna uses a heater or a wood burning stove in an enclosed room to elevate the temperature, usually above 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius). In a traditional dry sauna, sauna bathers sit or lie in the sauna to absorb the warmth, which elevates the internal temperature, stimulates blood flow, and opens up the pores. After a set period in the sauna, the bather jumps out into a cold plunge or shower, and then rests at room temperature before entering the sauna for another round.

Some saunas incorporate small amounts of steam, usually in the form of cold water which is sprinkled on the sauna heater, or rocks placed on top of the sauna stove. Often, the water is mixed with essential oils such as lavender to relax or eucalyptus to improve to ease muscle pain and kill germs. The brief burst of humidity caused by the steam makes the sauna feel more hot, and can in fact scald sauna bathers if the sauna is too hot, causing the steam to boil the skin it contacts. For this reason, water is used sparingly in a sauna.

A steam room is maintained at a much lower temperature, usually not more than 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius), but the humidity is kept very high: usually around 100%. Bathers who enter a steam room are usually immediately surrounded by a cloud of vapor, and sit or lie on benches to absorb the benefits of steam. The cooler temperature makes steam rooms more bearable for some people, and also helps asthmatics and other people suffering from breathing conditions.

In the case of both a sauna and a steam room, bathers should immediately exit if they feel at all unwell, and they should also drink plenty of fluids. Drinking fluids helps the body to eliminate toxins through sweating, and also prevents dehydration, which often causes dizziness and fainting. If you are in a public sauna or steam room and notice someone feeling unwell, help him or her out and hail a bath attendant to assist.