Water is a simple medicine that works!  One of man’s earliest medical technologies was the application of water to treat disease, and it is still being effectively used today despite the modern world of high tech medicine.  Hydrotherapy is the term coined for the medical use of water to treat disease and maintain health.  There are several medical disciplines and healers, modern and primitive, around the globe that use water as an effective modality for healing.  For example, physical therapists use water in a mechanical sense to heal sprains or strains, naturopathic physicians use water to help cleanse the blood and improve the function of eliminative organs like the kidneys, and Native American medicine uses water for spiritual healing in the sweat lodge ceremonies. 

The history and science of hydrotherapy is just as diverse and interesting as its many forms and applications.  But, in order to keep this a simple and practical article on a basic application of hydrotherapy such as the heating compress instead of a history or science lesson, I’ll just briefly mention a few things.

The use of water as some form of medicine can be historically traced back to virtually all primitive cultures around the world, but the forefathers of naturopathic medicine perhaps brought hydrotherapy to much of what it is today with the water cure movement in Germany.  Vincent Priessnitz and Father Kneipp in the 1800’s were curing many acute and chronic diseases like tuberculosis, diabetes, and small pox using primarily hydrotherapy.  Their successes lead to the spread of hydrotherapy in America which was improved upon by such doctors as Dr. Lindlahr, Dr. Kellog, Dr. Carroll, and Dr. Dick.  They continued to have great success treating disease with water therapy as do several current naturopathic physicians today. There is tremendous historical proof that water is a powerfully simple medicine that works.  

Hydrotherapy originates from many different places and practices.  It can be applied in many ways and for many different reasons, but what all hydrotherapy has in common is that it’s cheap, easy, accessible, and it works remarkably well.  Hydrotherapy improves the quality and quantity of the blood by thermotherapy which is the treatment of disease by the manipulation of hot and cold temperatures.  This use of different water temperatures for varying durations of time has very powerful effects on human physiology.  For example, a short hot treatment of less than 5min. can have a very stimulating effect on the circulation, but a hot treatment longer than 5min. can actually have a depressive effect.  Short cold treatments can increase oxygen absorption, carbon dioxide excretion, nitrogen absorption and excretion, tissue tone, peripheral red and white blood cells, and decrease blood glucose levels. 

One of the easiest physiological concepts to grasp about hydrotherapy is the pumping action that it creates with the blood and lymph vessels.  The application of cold temperatures to the body causes the vessels to constrict called vasoconstriction and the use of hot temperatures causes the vessels to dilate referred to as vasodilation.  The alternation of hot and cold temperatures amplifies the physiological effects the water has on the body by creating this pumping action which greatly increases circulation and warmth in the tissues which then induces healing.  The greater the difference in temperatures of the water the greater the effect it has on the body.

 

The heating compress that will be discussed works by these same thermal principles.  The compress is applied to the body cold initially causing vasoconstriction.  The body then naturally responds to the cold with vasodilation of the vessels which leads to the warming effect on the tissues.  This heat response by the body and warming up of the compress is why it’s called a heating compress.  As the heat increases, more dilation and circulation results and then evaporation in the form of sweat eventually happens to reduce the heat which allows the heat to later build back up and start the cycle over again.  It creates a self-modulating treatment of oscillating hot and cold temperatures that have a strong tonic effect to the tissues which increases circulation, decreases congestion, and removes toxins.
   

Now that we’ve got a little bit of background, let’s get down to business, and talk about how we apply this easy, low tech, practical hydrotherapy treatment called the heating compress.  The heating compress is simply moist heat via a cold compress applied to a body part and covered with wool or flannel.  All you will need for the compress is a cotton cloth large enough to cover the area you’re going to treat and a piece of wool or flannel large enough to cover the cotton cloth.  You’ll also need some safety pins or some other kind of fastening devices.  If you want a strong heating effect you’ll want some plastic garbage bags handy.  Have a few extra towels and blankets ready to just in case you need them, and last but not least the water at the desired temperature.

 

Here’s the set-up for the compress treatment:·   

 

·    Assemble materials

·    Make sure your warm and comfortable ( hot foot bath if necessary)
·    Wring out cotton compress material in cold water so it doesn’t drip
·    Apply compress to body part to be treated (wrist, knee, ankle, throat, etc.)
·    To increase the heating effect cover the compress with the plastic garbage bags (recommended for weakness, chilliness, or poor circulation)
·    Wrap with flannel or wool very snuggly so no air can circulate within the compress (prevents excess cooling by evaporation which my increase congestion)
·    Don’t wrap so tight as to cut off circulation or respiration
·    Use safety pins or fastening devices to secure the wrap in place
·    Keep compress in place for several hours, overnight, or until it becomes dry
·    End treatment with a friction rub with a dry towel, dry area thoroughly
·    Stay warm and Rest
·    Use socks, gloves, hats, shirts, sleeves, sweaters, underwear, etc. as ready-made compresses and coverings

Here are some diseases the heating compress can be used for:

·    Acute Mastitis
·    Chronic bronchitis
·    Pneumonia (if fever is greater than 103 F change compress every ½ hour)
·    Chest cold
·    Early Flu
·    Cough

Abdominal Compress
·    Constipation
·    Diarrhea
·    Backache (make sure compress reaches around the back)
·    Poor digestion
·    Gas
·    Insomnia
·    Crohn’s disease
·    Ulcerative colitis
·    Irritable Bowel Syndrome
·    Biliary Stasis

Throat Compress (Don’t wrap around neck; compress should be drawn across the front of the neck from ear-to-ear and fixed at the top of the head)

·    Pharyngitis
·    Laryngitis
·    Tonsilitis
·    Lymphadenopathy

Other Uses
·    Boils
·    Cellulitis
·    Lymphangitis
·    Pain
·    Arthritis
·    Sprains

Contraindications
·    Too weak to react
·    Body temperature below 98 F
·    Over skin conditions irritated by moisture
·    Abdominal compresses with increased heating effect by plastic garbage bags should be used with caution

This article is for informational purposes only.  Please contact a naturopathic physician or your primary health care provider before attempting to use the heating compress or any other form of hydrotherapy for the treatment of disease.

Reference:  Naturopathic Hydrotherapy by Wade Boyle, N.D. and Andre’ Saine, N.D. 

Byron Templeton - Byron Templeton is currently a medical student aspiring to become a Naturopathic Doctor and a pioneer in various health fields. He previously attended the Clarksburg Beauty Academy of Massage Therapy and graduated with honors. He practiced as a national and state licensed massage therapist at Travis Physical Therapy in West Virginia for 6 years. During that time, Byron also worked as a certified ISSA personal trainer for 8 years and graduated from Fairmont State University in West Virginia with a major in psychology and a minor in biology. Byron desires to progress naturopathic medicine while staying true to the philosophy, principles, and practice of nature cure.