Therapies... - Hydrotherapy - Effects on Metabolism

Hydrotherapy affects metabolism as a result of circulatory changes in the body or an area of the body. Even though hydrotherapy appears to be as simple as moving blood around, the effects on body tissues is profound. It is at this point that the art of healing with hydrotherapy can be seen and appreciated, when under the hands of a skillful hydrotherapist.

The following are some general guidelines to understand how tissue metabolism can be changed with hydrotherapy. Short cold applications and hot applications (of any length) result in a stimulatory effect on metabolism. There are subtle but significant differences in the short cold or hot applications, discussed later. Long cold applications depress metabolism.

In the case of stimulatory effects of hydrotherapy on metabolism, the following events take place in the body under a short cold or hot application. When the skin first encounters temperature changes, there is a temporary increase in blood pressure where the body responds by increasing circulation to the area. This increased superficial circulation results in increased blood supply to the muscles and tissues as the blood vessel widen to allow the blood to reach the capillaries on the skin. Subsequently, blood pressure drops. Heart rate, respiration rate, oxygen absorption, and carbon dioxide secretion all increase.

Additional changes in metabolism occur under a short cold application. These include an increase in tissue tone, increase in peripheral white blood cell (WBC) counts, increase in peripheral red blood cell (RBC) counts, and a decrease in blood sugar levels. In addition, nitrogen absorption and excretion by the kidneys are also increased. For both short and long hot applications, the following changes in metabolism occur: decrease in tissue tone, decrease in peripheral WBC count, decrease in peripheral RBC count, and an increase in blood glucose levels. Note the different physiological effects of the short cold and hot applications in that they are reversed.