In a study of 40 persons at the University of Minnesota, 85% of the participants chose a whirlpool bath over a still bath. Both were effective in reducing anxiety, but only the whirlpool bath was effective at reducing the participant's reactivity to stress.

Researchers in France published a study later in the Journal of Rheumatology to confirm these results. Examinations showed improvement in health status (measured in back flexibility and pain duration and intensity) of the spa treatment group than in the medication-only group after three weeks of consistent spa therapy. The use of anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics also decreased in the spa treatment group. This research information was published in the March-April 1996 issue of Arthritis Today.

Hydro therapy use in the back is useful for diseases of the lungs, bronchial asthma, multiple sclerosis, spinal disease, back pain and weakened back muscles. it should not be used on debilitated patients or those with neurasthenia.

The joints have the tendency to swell and stiffen with heavy to moderate exertion as we get older. One in six Americans have some form of arthritis.

The use of heat is recommended for many people suffering from arthritis and hydro therapy is a great way to distribute and deliver heat to many parts of the body. The buoyancy of water reduces body weight by approximately 85-90% and is what provides the relaxing feeling of weightlessness. Many doctors advise people with sore joints to soak in warm water in the morning before starting their daily activities.

Osteo arthritis patients usually get better results with moist, warm treatments as opposed to dry applications, like electric heating pads. Exercising, wading or swimming in a pool heated to 85 degrees Fahrenheit is also very effective when the affected part of the body is immersed in the water.

Alternating cold and hot baths are good for treating hands and feet. The alternating hot and cold stimulates circulation by causing blood vessels to dilate, which is beneficial for arthritic joints and aching feet. The application of heat eases muscle tension, is soothing and relieves pain.

Hydrotherapy Treatment for Insomnia

Are you not getting a good night of sleep anymore? There are over 132 million people in the United States that suffer from some type of sleep disorder according to the National Sleep Foundation. Losing sleep tends to make us feel bad, short tempered and depressed.

In July of 1998, Pool and Spa Magazine reported that hot water bathing to induce sleep in 1,000 adults surveyed in a recent Gallup poll. A Consumer Reports survey found that people with mild sleep disorders listed a warm bath as one of the most popular remedies.

A drop in body temperature can help ease your body into a deeper sleep according to a recent study. Soaking in a hot tub at 104 degrees Fahrenheit an hour or two before bedtime will cause the body's internal thermostat to pull the body temperature down, enabling deeper sleep. Soaking too close to bedtime can make it harder to fall asleep because of elevated body temperature which is why it is suggested to soak an hour or two before sleep time.

Rosalind Cartright, the director of Sleep Disorders Service and Research Center suggested that soaking in a hot tub could reset the body thermostat, so people would wake up more rested.

Soaking in a hot tub is a great way to repair ravaged nerves while giving one a better night of sleep. A leisurely soak in a hot tub holds much promise for a good night's sleep and is a good substitute on days when you can't exercise.