The personal benefits of owning a hot tub are plentiful: a beautiful patio or indoor spa space; at-home stress relief; a nice place to soak and warm up during the fall and winter months. But when it comes to your health, is there any scientific support for hot tub ownership?
You bet.
Not only is your hot tub a great place to relax, but it’s the perfect therapeutic environment for people dealing with pain management issues, strained muscles, and arterial diseases. Physical therapists and medical specialists truly believe in the ability of hot tub therapy to soothe and treat many medical conditions.
PAIN MANAGEMENT AND HOT TUB THERAPY
“Everyone should understand heating the same way everyone knows how to put on a Band-Aid. It is a cheap, drugless way of helping an amazing array of pain problems related to muscle dysfunction, especially neck and back pain” (Paul Ingraham.)
Heat is a universal pain treatment that has been used for thousands of years for a variety of injuries, strains and chronic illnesses. Heat therapy is the primary course of action for people suffering from chronic pain such as that of
fibromyalgia or arthritis.
Heat works to relax blood vessels and muscles, bringing in nutrients and oxygen that help to repair any damage and relieve inflammation. Whether you are suffering from short-term or chronic pain, soaking in a hot tub provides genuine relief.
MUSCLE THERAPY WITH COLD AND HOT TEMPERATURES
“In general, a new injury will cause inflammation and possibly swelling. Ice will decrease the blood flow to the injury, thereby decreasing inflammation and swelling. Pain that recurs can be treated with heat, which will bring blood to the area and promote healing” (University of Utah Health Care.)
Although acute pain caused from intense muscle strain or physical injury should first be cooled with ice, secondary heat therapy is almost always recommended. The combination of cold and hot temperatures first prevents further damage to pulled and strained muscles, and then provides relief. After a strenuous workout or a muscle injury, doctors and physical therapists recommend that their patients apply a cold ice pack to the affected area to bring down acute swelling and stop further stretching and pulling at the muscle.
Once this process is finished, it’s time to rewarm the muscle, and the hot tub is an ideal place to do so.
COLDNESS AS A SYMPTOM
People that suffer from constant feelings of cold may be suffering from a blood vessel problem such as Reynaud’s Disease or arteriosclerosis – in which case they are generally advised not to enter a hot tub. On the other hand, people without weakened arteries that suffer coldness as a symptom of diabetes, chronic fatigue, anemia and other illnesses can freely enjoy the warming benefits of a personal hot tub.
If you suffer from cold due to a non-arterial problem, the hot tub will not only provide soothing and instant warmth, but it will relax your constricted blood vessels and allow more blood to flow to your hands and feet.
Medical practitioners specifically recommend not entering a communal pool or hot tub while sick or chronically ill as these public spaces may not be properly cleaned. Your own private hot tub, however, is the ideal place to relax and warm up.
GO SOAK, WARM UP AND GET HEALTHY!
Hot tubs can go hand-in-hand with a healthy lifestyle and positive physical therapy. If you suffer from chronic pain, symptoms of coldness or regular muscle fatigue, your own personal hot tub can make a big different in your normal routine.
