Featured Alternative Hydrotheropy: Contrast Baths

Partial Baths #1

1. Contrast Baths: The immersion of the hand, arm and hand, foot, leg and foot into a basin or tub of water. It is both simple and effective. Also known as a Alternate Hot and Cold is an alternating plunge of the body into hot water, then into cold and back again. This results in a powerful alternate contraction, the dilatation of the blood vessels, and a general improvement of body circulation. For the particular body area being treated, it removed waste products and greatly improves rapidity of blood flow. Not to mention, the quality of fresh oxygen, nutrients, and white and red blood cells is also increased.
   
   Contrast baths to the hands, feet, arms, or legs are very helpful for fractures, arthritis (both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis), congestive headaches, edema, sprains, strains, trauma (after 24 hours), infections, lymphangitis (2-3 times a day), impaired venous circulation, and indolent ulcers.

What You Will Need: 

For a Contrast Bath, you will need two containers, large enough for the water in them to come up over the extremities to be treated. If necessary, thoroughly cleaned buckets can be used. Medical personnel recommend that an antiseptic be placed in the water if there are open wounds. You will also need a bath thermometer and a bath towel. You will also need a pitcher, to add more hot water from time to time, and ice cubes for the cold water bucket. Sometimes a cold compress (hand towel wrung from cold water) or ice bag is used.

How to Apply It:

1. Place the limb in hot water (105-110F) for 305 minutes. Then put it into the cold (cold tap water or ice water) for one-half to one minute.
2. Begin with the hot water and end with the cold. Change from one temperature to the other 6-8 times (3-4 complete cycles). Time spans are generally 3-4 minutes in the hot and, then, one-half to one minute in the cold. Begin hot immersion at lower temperature as you continue on through the treatment. Add hot water by pouring it over your own hand; add it while the limb is in the cold water. A cold compress (hand towel wrung out of cold water) or ice bag may be needed on the head or back of neck, if a large part of the body is being treated and always if he feels faint. Place an ice bag to the heart if his pulse is over 8- beats per minute. (In serious cases, it is best to check his pulse every 5 minutes during treatment.
3.  End by drying the limb thoroughly. Have him rest afterward for a half hour.

Additional Points:

1.  Do not normally use hot water temperatures above 110F
2. In blood vessel diseases of the legs and feet, do not go over 105F. 
3. Extremes of hot and cold water should not be used in diabetes or in peripheral vascular disease. 
4. When working with rheumatoid arthritis, end with the hot instead of the cold.

...to be continued 

Source: 

Natural Remedies Encyclopedia 5th edition.
The editor of this blog highly recommends the use of this book in every home in America. It can be a  life saver and while it's cost may be a little high it is worth the money!

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