For those suffering from the debilitating effects of arthritis, it’s tough to find potential solutions to relieve joint pain and discomfort. Some are better than others, and to some extent the benefits of different solutions can be individual.
Hydrotherapy is one of the best solutions available. It’s gentle, highly effective, and it can be done in a variety of settings, including your home if you have the right kind of setup.
It’s important to know how it works, though, along with the potential benefits and some of the other issues that come with hydrotherapy, so let’s take a deeper dive and explore the world of hydrotherapy.
Hydrotherapy: A Definition
The simplest definition of hydrotherapy is that it’s any use of water to address medical issues that are causing pain or stress.
Beyond that, hydrotherapy can take a variety of forms. A basic warm bath might be considered hydrotherapy in some situations, but most hydrotherapy takes place in special tanks, pools or tubs. In some cases, it includes the use of pressurized jets to further soothe joins, along with hot and cold treatments, ice packs and so on.
Hydrotherapy Benefits
The general benefits of hydrotherapy have been known for some time, but many of the medical benefits it provides are still being explored and defined.
The biggest benefits are due to the effects of the water. It relaxes muscles and eases joint pain, and that pain relief can last well beyond an individual treatment session.
This kind of relief is also cumulative, and many people who try hydrotherapy are able to live far more comfortably when they use hydrotherapy regularly, either on their own or with a medical professional.
Hydrotherapy Versus Arthritis
Arthritis is very common. It occurs at some level for most of the population, and the symptoms tend to worsen with aging.
There’s no known cure, but hydrotherapy is one of the best treatments available, especially when ongoing pain from arthritis becomes debilitating restricts movement and mobility.
But hydrotherapy doesn’t just work well on arthritis. It can help reduce or eliminate pain from a number of other medical issues, some of which are quite common:
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic pain
- Parkinson’s disease
- Neuropathy
- Multiple sclerosis
- Cerebral palsy
Does Hydrotherapy Help Rheumatoid Arthritis?
While arthritis is quite common in the general population, fewer people suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. The symptoms for the latter tend to be far worse, but that doesn’t mean hydrotherapy can’t be part of an effective treatment plan.
One of the biggest differences between using hydrotherapy for arthritis versus using it for rheumatoid arthritis is that some combination of drugs are usually also used to treat the latter.
These may include steroids and other specific drugs, and hydrotherapy is especially effective when it comes to dealing with the flareups that typically occur with rheumatoid arthritis.
Hydrotherapy at Home
One of the best ways to use hydrotherapy for arthritis and these other medical conditions and issues is to do it home. This may sound complicated and intimidating, but it’s actually not as difficult as it sounds.
Basically, all you need to do hydrotherapy effectively at home is soaking tub or a freestanding tub equipped with jets.
You can even do home hydrotherapy with a regular built-in tub, but the positive effects tend to be multiplied with either of these tub options.
Soaking tubs allow you to cover more of your body when you use them for arthritis treatment, and jetted tubs provide even more soothing relief.
Hydrotherapy Treatment Combined with Physical Therapy to Deal With Joint Pain and Arthritis Pain
An even better way to use hydrotherapy for arthritis is to combine these kinds of home sessions with formal medical sessions.
These will typically be conducted by a physical therapist as part of a physiotherapy program, and home treatments allow medical professionals to plan a far more effective treatment program.
Some patients suffering from arthritis pain have restricted mobility, and in many cases it’s a struggle for them to get to a medical facility to receive treatments.
Home hydrotherapy can be a game changer in this situations. It helps alleviate pain for those who would otherwise have few options, and it can make a huge difference when it comes to comfort and quality of life.
Hydrotherapy Exercises for Arthritis with a Physical Therapist
Regular exercise can be important for many people dealing with arthritis, and hydrotherapy can be a great way to get it. A physical therapist may use a freestanding tub or a walk-in tub and shower combination to do some of the following exercises:
- Walking or light jogging
- Basic lunges
- Side stepping
- Arm raises and other range of motion movements
- Pool planks
All of these can be especially beneficial if they’re done in warm water as part of a treatment plan that includes both home exercises and medical visits. For some people the improvements and increased comfort level can be incredible.
Does Hydrotherapy Help with Inflammation?
Inflammation is another common problem that can be alleviated to some extent by hydrotherapy. It comes with a variety of illnesses and diseases, and in some of them it can be just as debilitating as arthritis, sometimes even more so.
Hydrotherapy can help, especially if it’s performed by a licensed physical therapist. It stimulates circulation and increases blood flow, and it can also help with the stress and mental health issues that can exacerbate inflammation.
Moreover, some of these improvements have been quantified. Several studies involving rheumatoid arthritis have shown that inflammation markers can be lowered when it comes to ongoing pain when inflammation is one of the symptoms.
Get a Great Tub for Hydrotherapy from Hydro Massage
At Hydro Massage, we’ve recommended many tubs for hydrotherapy to help deal with a variety of medical issues. We’re not medical experts, of course, but we can assess your situation and your needs, then help you made the best choice for your individual situation.
To find out more, call us at (303) 356-7427, and you can also visit us at hydromassageproducts.com, where you can do a live chat to talk luxury specifics. We also have some great videos and blog posts that will fill you in on the benefits of hydrotherapy and give you all the necessary information you need.
