WATER THERAPY

WATER THERAPY

PART I

³ pania ro panaaI tora rMga kOsaa, ajIsamaoM maIlaalaao ]sa jaOsaa ´

‘Oh! Water what color do you assume! In whatever it is mixed up ,that color it assumes.’

This feeling has always been at the back of my mind whenever I had  a sojourn to HIIMALAYAs since 1982 where one sees nothing but rivers ,mountains, river confluxes everywhere at

KEDAR-BADRI, GANGOTRI- YAMUNOTRI, KINNAUR,KULLU, CHAMBA, PITHORAGDH, NAINITAL KASHMIR, AMARNATH.

Water is perhaps the only unique, non-toxic, non irritating, universally

,n  abundantly  available ,inexpensive ,malleable substance which absorbs any other substance. Two third of world geographic area and two third of human body contains water .Water is one the basic five elements (along with earth, ether, fire n wind) that constitute LIFE. Swimming is, hence a best method to keep  oneself  fit n fine .Perhaps therefore water therapy is proven n best method of child delivery that is less laborious  for pregnant mothers

Hence, I made it a habit to take a river bath, for all those who joined me for tours at all the places, despite being freezing cold there at times.

I have resorted to a practice of a suitable variation of T.R.(THERMO REGULATORY )HYDROTHERAPY at AmarGanga, (amaranth),Mandakini(kedar nath n kali math )Alaknanda n its confluxes at karnaprayag, nand prayag rudra prayag n dev prayag,Bhagirathy at gomukh, Gangaji at Dev Prayag Rishikesh and Haridwar, Allahabad Banaras VINDHYACHAL, Patna .T.R.  THERAPY is developed by Thrombosis Research Institute –ENGLAND. N spread by “the European”in 1993.

What we did, without making any one aware of technicalities of the theory is .what we did by way of just a fun, is as follows:

1) Stand in cold flowing/steady water for some time (min. 5 minutes). We do not stand still we march or move walk up and down on the spot or around max 3 meters area (non slip area). Because of this internal thermostat, a part of brain called the hypothalamus starts responding & rejuvenated.

2) With internal thermostat being primed one\we could sit in cold water for another five- ten minutes- up to one waist ideally- so that the pooled blood in the lower half of the body is cooled & activates the hypothalamus.

3) Then immersed the entire body up to neck and back of head in cold water or even full head below water for a while gently slowly moving our arms, legs, so that cooling effect continues. This is done for ten-twenty minutes or up to half an hour.

4) This is ‘re warming’ because of which sensation of ripple (We call it a fish ripple) is created by brings palms together near chest, feet, belly & between shoulders blades & legs. This is done by bringing together rubbing them on each other, rebounding or skipping, running on the spot, walking up & down.

This is called f our stages) Thermo Regulatory Hydro Therapy (TRH) which has been practiced by us without making them understand it is technically in an entertaining manner. As such it was not understood as a therapy, but benefits of therapy were available as:

1.   Improved blood circulation, even with people with cold countries.

2.   A boost to sex hormone   production that helps regulating both potency in men and fertility in women.

3.   Renewed Energy:        from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME) which we used to be because of days full of trekking & traveling were found to improve dramatically.

A tired person even confined to bed 48 hrs a day in a state of exhaustion experiences a ‘new lease of life’. On a day such a practice TRH or HT, is undertaken, each day the feeling of well being improves to such an extent that one can hardly wait for next morning to alive. Hence while moving wherever we see river accessible to us. We have rested to this river bath therapy.

4.  It reduces with improved blood circulation & rising level of specific   enzymes that helps circulation, chances of heart attack & stroke .The standing example is present author who used to leave B.P. 110-170 when it started in 1996.

5.  Increased level of white blood cells thereby this defenders of infection improve immune system.

6.  Reduces level of M.C. irritations and painful menstruations, menopausal symptoms ( Many ladies who joined us are best witness of this.

7.  Some volunteers found teeir nails   becomes harder, skin glowing & hair growth improved.

8.  Full immersion , as researched by Royal     in Bristol, improves kidney function, potassium and sodium exertion blood becomes less viscous (sticky) useful in clotting and cardiac index (Same results are found through Tap water full body bath)

In the treatment of acute diseases WT offers all the benefits which modern medical system ascribes to drugs, but without any harmful side effects. And how this is achieved?

It is through the water /hydro therapy. Mind it, it is as modern as spas of modern days but as ancient as Indian, Egyptian, Japanese, Chinese civilizations are.

TO BE CONTINUED………………………………

PART II.:

EXTERNAL TREATMENT:

WT is an Age Old technique. What is WT/HT?

“It is a method alt. med. That deals with treating an ailment or of maintaining & improving health through the use of water in various ways and at an varying degrees” Dr. Sanjay Honkalse.

Water therapy can be taken internally or an externally-

Internally a warm water enema is valuable treatment for cleaning ……….Jal Yoga consisting of VAMAN, NETI, kunjal are best and widely popular in India.

Externally water is used as healing & cleaning agent in the form of bath, compresses, douches & packs

Water Therapy can be with steady/ flowing natural water of river, lake or even sea (sea waves) or stored water. It can be cold or hot water treatment or both. Water types by temperature is categorized as follows

Type of Water	Degrees
HOT	100 TO 110 F
COLD	55 TO 65 F
NEWTRAL	93 TO 97 F
TIPID	81 TO 92 F
WARM	65 TO 75 F

It is interesting to note that at RAMESHWARAM INDIA shrine in

Ramwada dist. Of Tamil Nadu state, there are 22 natural ponds which contains 22 types/ varieties of water varying not only in degrees of temperature but also in their tastes & effects on people using it for water bath.

Let us first took a brief on external WT

A.  HIP BATH

Ø    Cold Compress and HOT Compress: is a local application using cloth wrung out in cold /hot water and is applied to head, neck, chest, abdomen or back.

A cold compress reduces heat, inflammation soothes dermatitis , eye inflammation , inflammatory conditions of liver, spleen, stomach, intestine, legs, brain, pelvic organs and so on.

Hot / heating compress which can be given through linen in cold water which is completely covered with dry flannel or blanket to prevent this circulation and help accumulation of body heat.

It can be applied to throat, chest, abdomen, joints. It is useful in some throat hoarseness, tonsillitis, pharangitis, laryngitis, throat compress, gastritis, hyperacidity, indigestion, jaundice, constipation, diarrhea, dysentery and abdominal compress,

Compress can be given in traditional way by using hot/ cold water rubber bag.

HIP BATH is most useful type of Hydro Therapy  where tub is filled with water is used so that it cover hips

CHB- HIP bath may be cold hip bath for 10-15 minutes up to 30 minutes is routine for constipation, indigestion, obesity, sub involution of uterus, pelvic inflammation, hepatic, congestion, uterine infection, seminal weakness, sterility, IMPOTENCY, urine and  ovarian  displacement, dilation of stomach and colon, diarrhea, dysentery, hemorrhage of bladder

It should not be used in inflammation of nemalgies of pelvic and abdominal viscera…and bladder, reclaim or vagina.

Ø    HOT HIP BATH (HHB)- taken for 6-10 minutes , one/two glasses of cold water should be taken in through mouth before entering hot tub.

HHB is useful in painful menstruation, pain pelvic organs, painful urination, inflamed rectum or bladders, piles. It is useful in enlarged prostrates glands, painful contraction, sciatica, neuralgia of /bladder….

Precautions:  Cold water bath should follow HHB

Prevent patient from catching chill after bath

Terminate bath if giddiness felt

No friction be applied to abdomen

NHP -NEUTRAL.HIP BATH- taken for 20 minutes (90 to 98 degree f . water) relives  acute, sub acute inflammatory conditions such as catarrh of bladders, urethra, uterus, ovaries, tubes, neuralgic of fallopian tubes, testicles, painful spasm of vagina  and anus and vulva and anxiety. Friction to abdomen be avoided in this bath.

ALTLTERNATE HIP BATH (AHB) OR REVULSIVE HIP BATH (RHB)- Here patient sits alternatively  in hot and cold tub bath for five minutes and three minutes respectively. It is useful pelvic viscera such as salpingitis, ovaritis, cellulites, neuralgia, sciatica….. etc

-B-SPIN

E BATH

- This also given in special tub and can be cold ( reliever nervous irritation, fatigue, hyper tension, excitement, fits, mental disorder, memory loss etc.) neutral spine bath for sedative treatment, insomnia, vertebral column tension, for 20-30 minutes or hot spinal bath for stimulating nerves, vertebral spondylitis, muscular back…, sciatic pain and gastric intestinal disturbances of gastric organ. The duration for cold and hot bath is 10-15 minutes.

-C FOOT BATH

- is taken by putty legs in a tub/ bucket a) hot water is useful for uterus, intestine bladder, a pelvic abdominal organ. It also relives sprain, ankle-joint pain, headache, one should take glass of cold water before the treatment. Cold bath is taken after  a treatment for 10 minutes. b) Cold Foot Bath relives cerebral congestion, uterine hemorrhage, sprains, strains inflamed bunions

-D-IMMERSON BATH OR FULL BATH –

.

This can also be neutral, cold or hot graduated & alternate temperature bath, while neutral bath is given/ taken for 15-60 minus or even for longer duration, it reduces pulse rate without modifying respiration and is best sedative & useful in kidney and skin problems & also for brain & spinal cord it is g…. hot immersion bath is useful in pneumonia, suppressed menstruation, chronic monchitis, capillary bronchitis, rheumatism & obesity, gall bladder stones.

Hot bath should be avoided in organic diseases of brain, spinal cord, a cardiac problem. A cold glass water intake and con also take cold compress. Cold immersion bath is useful in acute peritonitis, gastritis, ontetites, and inflammation of uterus …

Graduated immersion bath is a bath where while taking  both water temp. be reduced gradually at 2 degree f. rate per minute starting with 88 degree f. till it reaches 77 degree f. Bath should continue until patient shivers. It is useful in fever, except material fever, it is energies, vitalizes.

Alternate bath is cold and hot bath alternatively taken. Full immersion can be in two under shower or in river.

E- STEAM BATH

       -is taken in steam cabinet. Weak patients, pregnant ladies, cardiac patients BP (high) patients are advised steam bath. It is also useful for rheumatism, gout, uric acid problems jaundice, obesity chronic toeaxmins.

                                                                                  

PART III

WATER/HYDRO THERAPY

DR. SANJAY HONKALSE

INTERNAL:

Water therapy can also be used internally i.e.b having intake of water inernally into the body in different ways.

1)ENEMA      2)YOGIC KRIYAS         3)SIMLE INTAKE OF WATER

 1)ENEMA: =Rectal irrigation.

This consists of injection of water fluid into the rectum. It is one of the most useful n effective tool of nature  cure . But in naturopathy only lukewarm (95 to 100 F.) water is used for cleaning bowels. Enema-nozzle lubricated is inserted in the rectum of a person, lying on left side stretching straight his left leg n bending his right leg slightly in to the /towards stomach. Then enema cane containing lukewarm water is raised n  2-4 pints of water is allowed to enter  into the rectum. Patient can rest /walk f-or 5-10 minutes retaining water. After that water is ejected along with accumulated morbid matter. This is safe& useful in constipation.

A cold water enema (55-65 F) is useful for inflammatory condition of colon, especially dysentery, diarrhea, ulcerative colitis, haemorrhoids  n fever.

Different AYURVEDIC elements are also  used to give enema called BASTI in indigenous language.

2) yogic kriyas:  In yoga therapy water is used in yogic kriyas-cleansing process There are six such cleansing processes(               ) OR TECHNIQUES  of which two are using water.

(A) Jal Neti: Jalneti is  a process of cleansing passage of nostrils n throat by using/washing them with tepid saline water.

Process; Take a special type of small metal/china metal/plastic  Jalneti pot with a long nozzle available in the market. Put half teaspoonful of salt in the pot & fill it with lukewarm drinking water. Stand up tilting your head slightly to the right insert the nozzle of the pot in left nostril & left water flow into it. Inhale & exhale through mouth, thereby allowing water to flow out through the right nostril. Reverse the process by tilting head to the left and lifting water flow from right to left nostril.

       It should be practiced in the morning once in a month. This relieves most of diseases of nose & throat caused by the accumulation of impurities in the nasal passage such as sore throat, old cough cold, sinusitis, migraine, headache, inflammation of nasal membrane & even poor vision syndrome as it keeps head cool  & improves vision. Marjarasan or kapalbhati performed after jalneti to drain out any residual water from nose.

       Jalneti is best, easiest, cheapest & economic technique of relieving many elements.

       Jalneti be practiced with empty stomach.

(B)  VAMANA DHOUTI OR KUNJAL;

       This is process of cleansing stomach, drink 4 to 8 glasses of tepid salt water early morning empty stomach. Then stand up, bend forward, insert the middle and index fingers of right hand into mouth until they touch uvula. Tickle it till you fill vomiting sensation & eject the saline water along with toxins repeat till stomach is emptied. Should be done once a week or when needed.

Benefits;

       Cleansing stomach in piles, constipation & gastric troubles, hyperacidity. Kunjal be practiced with unsalted water here), headache, nervous weakness, chronic cold, cough and asthma, heart &B. P.  Patients should keep away from kunjal.

(C) SIMPLE INTAKE OF WATER;

       Even through intake of water 100ml to 250ml in the morning keeps away many diseases such as BP diabetes, heart problems, acidity, et el…..

       Water can be normal water. But water kept in copper vessel for 24 hrs gives still good results & more results. Such water if sterilized then still better. While sterilizing the water through boiling process if a gold ring is put in water till boiling point, such water gives best results. Result & returns can be maximized if water is magnetized. It helps resolving constipation stomach problems, liver spleen problems, kidney problems. It keeps one young and fit. If same water is taken through nostrils results are better.

WATER TAKEN AT NIGHT (NISHA-PAAN):

 Charged water can be taken at evening n night But this has to be a boiled water. Warm   water at night reduces /cures obesity, cough n cold arthritis, asthma temperature n cleanses urinal track. Such water taken at late night/early morning cleanses the entire body, improves eyesight, increases sperm count. At evening one must take milk/after meals buttermilk(both contain water)

Thus water therapy is one of the best, cheapest, easiest therapy which can be used at varied levels, varied ways & in varied degrees of temperature. It is versatile and adaptable substance. It is not without vindication   that it is said.

Photo by ; Mr. Chandrashekhar Salunke, Mahadev Fall, Ramwadi , Kedarnath

“ In confrontation between river (water) and rock river always succeed not through its strength but through its adaptability and determination.”

Dr sanjay honkalse.