-IBIS-1.5.0-
rx
hydrotherapy
constitutional hydrotherapy
physical medicine

definition

constitutional hydrotherapy

1. place two wool blankets on table
2. place sheet over blankets
3. collect urine sample from patient and measure specific gravity
4. patient undressed from waist up lies supine on sheet
5. take record of oral temperature
6. place warm moist sine pads between shoulder blades at T5 level
7. insert towel at waist to protect clothing
8. prepare two hot towels, wring out and place over chest and abdomen; each towel folded in half, making four layers total; wrap patient in blankets (leave 5 min.)
9. prepare one hot and one cold towel, wring out
10. apply new hot towel on top of old hot towels and flip so new hot towel is directly on patient
11. immediately apply cold towel on top of hot towel and flip towels; cover with blanket
12. apply sine surge gradually to patient tolerance; leave this and cold towel on 10 min. or until towel is warm
13. remove towel and move one sine pad to L5, the other to solar plexus (or other abdominal point depending on patient’s needs); place weight on top of abdominal sine pad; restart surge to patient tolerance, or until you feel gastrointestinal muscle contractions; leave 10 min.
14. all pads removed, patient turns prone
15. place two hot towels on back, leave 5 min.
16. repeat steps 9,10,11 while patient prone
17. leave cold towel 10 min. or until towel has warmed
18. remove towel and lightly dry back
19. retake oral temperature and specific gravity
20. have patient rest

note: important never to remove cold towel before it is warmed, or treatment may be ineffective!

options:
1. if oral temperature < 97° F, warm patient before starting treatment
2. if oral temperature 97-98° F use extra pair hot towels during hot towel phases; leave first pair towels on 4 min. and apply second pair 2 min.
3. if oral temperature 99-100° F shorten hot towel phases from 5 to 3 min.
4. if oral temperature 100-101° F shorten hot towel phases to 2 min. and lengthen cold phases to 15 min.
5. if oral temperature > 101° F shorten hot towel phases to 1 min. and lengthen cold phases to 15-20 min.
6. if patient complains of feeling chilly use option #2
7. if lung congestion present use option #2
8. if rheumatic use option #2
9. if extreme peripheral pain, apply hot compress to area during first hot towel phase
10. if congestion anywhere apply heat to feet, especially during cold phases
11. if chronic pelvic problem (ovaries, prostate, bladder) either:
a. apply 5 min. of high frequency (see high frequency, materia medica) or short wave diathermy over affected area instead of sine pad only phase
b. give standard treatment then end with 5 min. or high freq. or short wave diathermy over affected area
12. during healing crisis without fever adjust changes as follows: 5 min. hot to back, 10 min. cold to back, 10 min. interscapular sine wave at T5, 10 min. sine to abdomen and L5, 5 min. hot to chest, 10 min. cold to chest
13. if patient is tense and anxious use #12 routine above
14. if patient is overly stressed use #12 routine
15. for local problems, i.e. leg ulcers, fractures, use an extra phase of continuous sine wave applied to perception, one pad distal to affected area the other pad over spinal level governing innervation to affected area, apply this before flipping patient over to back in standard treatment. note: give no localized treatment until standard treatments have been given
16. in treating children:
» no interscapular sine pads
» no hot towels before changing to cold towels
» double length of cold and hot phases

contraindications:
1. acute bladder infection
2. acute asthma
3. malignant fever
4. standard contraindications for sine wave applications, i.e. over gravid uterus


footnotes