The Healing Power of Hydrotherapy: A Naturopathic Doctor’s Guide to the Therapeutic Use of Water
Medical Disclaimer: This content is for educational purpose only and is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making health-related changes. Some links may be affiliate links, which may provide a small commission at no cost to you.*
Hydrotherapy is one of the pillars of Naturopathic Medicine, yet it’s almost completely overlooked in modern healthcare. Long before Naturopathy was known for supplements and advanced diagnostics, nature cure doctors utilized water to support the body’s natural healing processes. This blog will explain how hydrotherapy works and walk you through various common techniques, many of which are safe to incorporate at home.
What is Hydrotherapy?
Hydrotherapy is the therapeutic use of water application. It comes in many different forms. Today’s health and wellness conversation is dominated by two popular hydrotherapy techniques: sauna and cold plunge.
While sauna and cold plunge are remarkable, hydrotherapy encompasses much more than these two practices. Hydrotherapy includes everything from epsom salt baths and foot baths, to constitutional hydrotherapy, to wet sheet wraps, to cold compresses.
Doctors and healers over the years have developed a long list of methods that employ water, at various temperatures, for the healing of both acute and chronic health conditions. Any time you are utilizing water in support of healing, you’re technically performing hydrotherapy. These treatments are used strategically to influence circulation, inflammation, lymphatic activity, immune function, organ function, and nervous system activity.
How Does Hydrotherapy Work? The Naturopathic Philosophy Behind Water Therapy
The central principle of Naturopathic medicine is Vis Medicatrix Naturae—the healing power of nature. Water is a natural substance that the body innately responds to—just like sunlight, fresh air, and nutritious food.
Your body responds to every stimulus with its opposite. This is behind the mechanism of hydrotherapy: depending on what your body needs, and what type of reaction you want to create, you can use water as a stimulus to support that reaction.
For example, after you expose your body to a short cold stimulus (seconds to minutes), your body will bring heat to that same area. The result is a dilation of blood vessels, an increase in blood flow, and the delivery of energy, awareness, and physical resources to that part of the body. Hence, your body meets the stimulus with its opposite.
We can use different temperatures of water and different lengths of water exposure to those temperatures to elicit a variety of responses from our bodies, depending on what response might be most healing.
Hydrotherapy helps move your body toward balance by:
Stimulating innate self-regulating mechanisms
Improving circulation and lymphatic flow
Supporting and bolstering immune system function
Regulating the autonomic (automatic, unconscious) nervous system
Drawing energy and resources to areas that need healing
Effects on Circulation
Hot water exposure causes blood vessels to dilate (open), increasing circulation to tissues.
Cold water exposure causes your blood vessels to constrict, temporarily reducing inflammation and redirecting blood flow inward.
The alternating of hot and cold applications (called contrast therapy) creates a vascular pumping effect, resulting in improved circulation and lymphatic drainage throughout the body.
Effects on the Nervous System
Full-body hydrotherapy directly influences the autonomic nervous system:
Warm exposure tends to activate the parasympathetic (rest and digest) pathways, calming the body
Cold exposure can increase the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) pathways, increasing neurotransmitters and stress hormones to stimulate energy and alertness
Effects on the immune system
Historically, hydrotherapy has been used to support immune function by:
Enhancing the circulation and activation of immune cells
Supporting lymphatic drainage
Improving the body’s ability to respond to infection, inflammation, and toxic exposure
Common uses of hydrotherapy
The following is a short list of health conditions that may benefit most from the use of hydrotherapy:
Chronic fatigue
Recurrent or chronic infections
Digestive imbalance
Joint pain, muscle pain, injuries, and athletic recovery
Stress, anxiety, and burnout
Poor circulation
Sleep disturbance
Fevers
If you need to lower a fever, you can apply a cold compress to your forehead. A cold compress involves dipping a small towel or cloth into cold water, applying it to the area, and then refreshing the cold towel every 5 minutes or so to continue the cold treatment.
Migraine headaches
If you're dealing with a migraine headache, you can combine a cold compress on your forehead with a warm foot bath, supporting circulation of blood away from your head and down toward your feet. In some people, this combination relieves the pain of a migraine.
Clogged glands, ducts, and lymph nodes
A warm compress can be applied anywhere on the body that requires movement of fluid. Have you ever had a stye or clogged tear duct? Using a warm compress made with a strong cup of chamomile or black tea can help open the blockage. The compounds in the tea are both anti-inflammatory and astringent, meaning that the compress will help draw fluid out of the area to relieve pain and swelling.
Joint pain, muscle pain, and internal inflammation
Most physical injuries throughout your body can benefit from contrast hydrotherapy treatment. Contrast hydrotherapy involves alternating exposure to hot and cold.
Contrast is always started with hot and ended on cold. The duration is typically 3 minutes hot, then 30 seconds cold, for three rounds. This is called “the rule of threes.” The general idea is that the hot exposure is longer, and the cold exposure is shorter. This type of hydrotherapy treatment increases blood flow to that area of your body, bringing your body's attention and resources to the area in need of healing.
When practiced regularly, this technique can speed up the healing process. Note: avoiding using this technique over open wounds, and always talk to your doctor before adding or changing treatments for any symptom or illness.
Pelvic health: post-partum healing, hemorrhoids, anal fissures, pelvic pain
Ever heard of a sitz bath? Sitz baths involve resting in a shallow tub or of warm water to target the pelvic area. Sitz baths can support post-partum healing, relieve and stimulate recovery from hemorrhoids and anal fissures, and bring blood flow to the pelvis for healing of various gynecological conditions.
Common hydrotherapy methods used in Naturopathic Medicine
Constitutional Hydrotherapy
A classic and well-loved modality, constitutional hydrotherapy involves a series of hot and cold towels applied to both the abdomen and back. These towels are paired with a gentle electrical stimulation, designed to “wake up” the enteric (intestinal) nervous system to stimulate normal organ function and disease recovery.
Hyperthermia
Hyperthermia is any treatment that increases the core body temperature. These treatments can be therapeutic in cases of infection, cardiovascular disease, and any time detoxification support is needed.
Hyperthermia treatment essentially induces a fever-like state in your body, turning up your immune, lymphatic, and circulatory systems to promote the healing response. When this treatment induces sweating, you also benefit from the release of toxins through your skin including heavy metals and BPA.
Sauna therapy, steam rooms, epsom salt baths, peat baths, and strenuous exercise are all forms of hyperthermia.
Contrast Showers
Contrast showers are a gentle step into the world of hydrotherapy. You can choose your temperatures and adjust the durations to fit your tolerance. You can also increase the contrast as your body builds resilience over time and with practice. I like to use the rule of 3’s: three minutes hot, thirty seconds cold, three times. Always start with hot/warm and end with cold/cool.
Cold plunging
Cold plunging in particular is popular these last few years. Has it been all over your social media feed like it has been on mine? With any trend comes controversy, debate and push-back. Luckily, this wider conversation about cold plunging has revealed some valuable information, including the fact that women don't need temperatures quite as cold as men do for the same benefits.
Some will claim that cold plunging is "bad" for women, because of an increase in stress. Here is my honest take: anything in moderation. This motto applies to cold plunging.
If a woman were cold plunging in 40 degree water for 5 minutes every day, this is likely to be too much of a stressor, resulting in hormonal imbalance and increased physiological stress. But in smaller durations and less extreme temperatures, the benefits probably outweigh the risks.
I've been cold plunging for years, seeking out rivers and lakes while on vacation and close to home. I personally love the micro-challenge of enduring a bit of discomfort, and the subsequent exhilaration as my body responds by increasing blood flow, endorphins, neurotransmitters, and immune activity.
Incorporating Hydrotherapy into Your Daily Life
Many hydrotherapy practices can be done safely at home with minimal equipment (of course, always consult with your doctor before trying any new medical treatment)
Ending showers with 30-60 seconds of cool or cold water
Warm or cold compresses applied to ease tension or discomfort
Warm foot baths to draw energy out of your head during insomnia or migraine
Regular sauna or epsom salt bath to improve cardiovascular health and detoxification
Cold water splashes on your face or running over your arms to ease anxiety
Best Practices, Safety, and Considerations
Hydrotherapy is generally safe when used appropriately, but it is not one-size-fits-all. Here are a few important considerations:
People with cardiovascular conditions should consult a clinician before using intense hot or cold therapies
Hydrotherapy is generally discouraged when dealing with open wounds
Be cautious any time you are acutely ill, mounting a fever, or pregnant, and consult your doctor about safe practices
Cold exposure should be introduced gradually. Colder does not equal better. Longer duration does not equal better.
Listen to your body—hydrotherapy should lead to improvement in health and happiness
Individual constitution, sensitivities, and health status matter
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Yes! There are many hydrotherapy techniques that can be used safely in your own home, though guidance from a healthcare provider can be helpful.
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The frequency of hydrotherapy use depends on the individual and the type of technique you are using. Some benefit from daily gentle practices, while others feel better with less frequent sessions.
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Cold plunging is one form of hydrotherapy, but Naturopathic hydrotherapy includes a wide variety of hot and cold water applications
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Hydrotherapy uses the application of water to create specific reactions in the body for the purposes of pain relief, immune support, nervous system balancing, enhancing circulation, and supporting your overall constitution and resilience.
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Gentle forms of hydrotherapy are typically safe during pregnancy, as long as temperatures aren’t too hot. Talk with your doctor to make sure it is safe in your situation.
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Yes! Modern science now understands the physiological mechanisms behind the healing power of hydrotherapy, including changes in circulation, activation of nerves and immune cells, and changes to nervous system tone.
Looking for more hydrotherapy recommendations that are personalized to your current state of health?
Dr. Savannah loves incorporating hydrotherapy into her treatment plans. Click the button below to inquire about becoming a patient!
*Medical Disclaimer: This information provided on this website and blog is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The content shared here reflects a Naturopathic perspective on health and wellness and should not be used as a substitute for personalized medical care.
Always consult with your physician or other qualified healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication, supplement, or treatment plan. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking care because of information you have read on this website.
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