hydro and balneotherapy Flashcards
What is hydrotherapy?
The terapeutic use of water
What is balneotherapy
balneotherapy uses natural mineral waters or hot springs
What are the benefits of hydro/balneotherapy?
Bathing is a wonderful self-care ritual that promotes relaxation, circulation, and detoxification of the entire body. Submerging the body in hot water stimulates the movement of the blood and lymphatic fluids, allowing for the circulatory and lymphatic systems to function properly, and for metabolic waste to be carried out of the body through sweat
What are the different forms of hydro/Balneotherapy
Bath teas Foot baths Sitz baths Facial steams Bath salts Bath melts Bath bombs
What are the benefits of a footbath?
While this method of hydrotherapy is particularly useful for the part of the body you’re immersing—for example, calluses, dry skin, and wound healing on the hands and feet—immersing just part of your body in hot water also stimulates whole-body diaphoresis, thus promoting detoxification. The following are just a few ideas for using hand and foot baths:
What is a sitz bath?
Sitz baths apply the principles of hydrotherapy to draw fresh blood to the pelvic area. Using applications of hot and cold water, you alternately dilate and constrict the blood vessels in the pelvic area. When the blood vessels are dilated, a fresh flow of blood is carried to the area. When they are constricted, the blood is forced away. This pumping action serves to concentrate energy in the area and aids in removing stagnation and blocked energy.
What are the benefits of emollient herbs when added to a bath?
Emollient herbs are especially soothing to the skin, as they contain mucopolysaccharides which swell when introduced to water. Emollient herbs include marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) root, plantain (Plantago spp.) leaf, comfrey (Symphytum officinale) leaf and root, oat (Avena sativa) seed, flax (Linum usitatissimum) seed, and chia (Salvia hispanica) seed.
What are the role of nourishing herbs when added to a bath?
Nourishing herbs are rich in minerals, allowing you to reproduce something similar to mineral balneotherapy at home. Nourishing ingredients include Celtic sea salt, Epsom salt, magnesium chloride salt, nettle (Urtica dioica) leaf, horsetail (Equisetum arvense) aerial parts, gotu kola (Centella asiatica) leaf, and comfrey (Symphytum officinale) leaf.
What are the role of stimulating herbs when added to a bath?
Stimulating herbs are warming and pungent. By promoting circulation of blood and lymph to stagnant areas, they can help support a healthy immune response, as well as bring nourishment to tissues and carry away waste products. Stimulating herbs include ginger (Zingiber officinale) rhizome, cayenne (Capsicum annuum) pepper, rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) aerial parts, and angelica (Angelica archangelica) root.
What are the role of toning herbs when added to a bath?
Toning herbs contain tannins that astringe tissues, prevent excess fluid loss, and create a protective layer that helps to support wound healing and stave off infection. These herbs are excellent for topical wound cleansing and support, as they are often antimicrobial, vulnerary, anti-inflammatory, and styptic. Toning herbs include yarrow (Achillea millefolium) aerial parts, plantain (Plantago spp.) leaf, elder (Sambucus nigra or S. canadensis) flower, rose (Rosa spp.) petal, calendula (Calendula officinalis) flower, chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) flower, and oak (Quercus spp.) leaf and bark.
Why should essential oils be diluted with a carrier or soap before adding it to a bath?
Adding essential oils to hydrotherapy delivers potent concentrations of beneficial constituents to water. However, essential oils are lipophilic (oil-loving) and are not soluble in water. Therefore, when adding essential oils to bathwater, it is necessary to first dilute them in soap or in a carrier oil, such as sesame oil, olive oil, or apricot kernel oil. Undiluted essential oils in a water bath will seek out the nearest lipid, and without a carrier oil, that would be YOU! Having undiluted (neat) essential oils pooling up on your bare skin can cause sensitivity, inflammation, and, in extreme cases, dermal burns.
What are the benefits of magnesium?
Magnesium plays a major role in overall health and wellness—in adequate amounts in the body, it pushes excess calcium out of the soft tissue and back into the bone, helps to calm the nervous system, relax muscles, and regulate blood sugar, insulin metabolism, cardiac excitability, vasomotor tone, and blood pressure (Gröber et al., 2017; Pitchford, 2002). Research shows that when soaking in a hot bath filled with dissolved, unrefined salts, magnesium can be absorbed through the skin into the soft tissue to promote these same therapeutic actions
Why should carrier oil be added to bath salts?
to counter the drying effects of the salts
What is the ration of carrier oil to salts for bath salts?
apprx 2%
Which salts are commonly used for bath salt?
Celtic sea, Dead sea, Himalayan, Epsom, and magnesium chloride salts
