Musculoskeletal

What is Hydrotherapy?

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What is Hydrotherapy?Head shower while running water

Water can be a very powerful tool for healing that is often underestimated. As Naturopathic Doctors, we use water therapy, called hydrotherapy, which involves applying different methods of water to the body to promote healing. This might involve alternating hot and cold water applications to an area, or even using a sauna to nourish our bodies. Hydrotherapy has an added benefit of being inexpensive, because most of the time it is just a matter of applying water to an area. Though it is just water, some of the treatments may not be good for certain patient populations based on its effect and pre-existing medical conditions. Therefore, it is best to consult with your Naturopathic Doctor before trying any hydrotherapy treatments on your own.

What does it cause in the body?

Overall, various hydrotherapy treatments can be used to cause the following effects in the body:

  • Reduce pain
  • Increase circulation
  • Promote detoxification
  • Promote healing of organs/tissues
  • Stimulate brain function
  • Relieve fatigue
  • Boost Immune system functioning
  • Promote digestion
  • Increase metabolism
  • Relieve congestion
  • Relieve coughs
  • Promotes relaxation

What are the different conditions it can help with?

Hydrotherapy can be used to help many different conditions including:

  • Digestive concerns such as constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, fatty liver, colic, tenesmus, etc.
  • Menstrual concerns such as irregular cycles, premenstrual tension, cramping (dysmenorrhea), etc.
  • Musculoskeletal concerns such as joint pain, muscle pain, muscle tears, ligament instability, etc.
  • Respiratory concerns such as the effects of allergies, congestion, coughs, frequent colds and flues, compromised immune systems etc.
  • Many other concerns such as weight loss goals, fatigue, detoxification and improving overall health.

For more information on hydrotherapy or the services I provide, consider calling the clinic at 519-537-7058, or message me via the contact portion of this website.

Have you benefited from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Dr. Elisha Cook ND by calling 519-537-7058 and book your appointment today!

 

Gua Sha for Pain Relief

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What is Gua Sha?

Gua Sha is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that involves “press-stroking” the skin with a smooth edged instrument to remove stagnation from the area of concern. “Gua” refers to the scraping action, where as the “Sha” refers to the petechiae (red marks) that are produced after the application.

What are the therapeutic benefits?

  • Improves circulation
  • Relieves pain
  • Removes stagnation
  • Breaks-up scar tissue
  • Stimulates the immune system
  • Eliminates toxins
  • Can be relaxing
  • “Up-regulates the HO-1 gene expression”(1) – helps to decrease oxidative stress.

What are the indications?

  • Pain
  • MSK Disorders
  • Breast Engorgement
  • Stress
  • Chronic injuries
  • Colds/flu
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Scar tissue

What does the research say?

  • After one treatment with Gua Sha, versus heat pack, to the posterior neck in patients with chronic mechanical neck pain, there was a statistically significant reduction in pain, increase in quality of life, and decreased pain with motion in the intervention group. Follow-up was one week later. (2)
  • Postpartum breastfeeding women with breast engorgement problems were assigned to a Gua Sha protocol or hot packs and massage for 20 minutes. The Gua Sha was statistically more effective at decreasing breast engorgement, breast temperature, pain, and discomfort both at 5 min and 30 minutes (3)
  • A systematic review showed that it may be beneficial for MSK pain (4)
  • A study of individuals with chronic neck pain and chronic low back pain reported decreased pain and improved quality of life following 1 treatment, BUT they were compared to those on the weight list (5)
  • In combination with other TCM therapies, Gua Sha caused a decrease in TSH levels in patients with Subclinical Hypothyroidism (6)
  • Many case studies exist for its application in other conditions such as hepatitis, headaches – migraine type, priapism, etc.

What are the Contraindications (when should Gua Sha not be used)?

Gua Sha should not be performed in the following cases:

  • Broken skin
  • Fractures
  • Contusions
  • Burns
  • Over moles or pimples
  • Over genitals

Caution should also be used, or Gua Sha not done in patients with any of the following:

  • Older patients with less “elastic” skin
  • Frail patients
  • Those taking blood thinner medication
  • Past history of abuse – the treatment can be misinterpreted as abuse

Please let your health care provider know if you have any of the following around the area that they will be treating.

What should be done after treatment?

  • Following the treatment, let the patient know that they:
    • May feel sore for several days
    • May have bruising or petechiae for several days
    • Should drink plenty of water to help their body flush out toxins and waste product
    • Keep body surfaces that have had treatment done to them covered (the treatment opens up pores, maybe susceptible to wind invasions)

Resources

  1. http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=00634f78-4ef4-404a-8ae0-815effdbe21e%40sessionmgr4004&vid=1&hid=4109
  2. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1526-4637.2011.01053.x/abstract;jsessionid=F0AB4AC624AF8F8728F4727D225E24D7.f01t03?deniedAccessCustomisedMessage=&userIsAuthenticated=false
  3. http://journals.lww.com/jnr-twna/Abstract/2010/03000/Effects_of_Gua_Sha_Therapy_on_Breast_Engorgement_.aspx
  4. http://biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1749-8546-5-5.pdf
  5. http://worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/s0192415x1250067x
  6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22165143
  7. http://www.chinesemedicinetimes.com/section.php/307/1/gua_sha_a_clinical_overview

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, please book an appointment with Elisha Cook at the RSNC (416-498-9763), and let me help you achieve your health goals.

Tight Jaw? Pterygoid Release!

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Do you experience a tight jaw? This week, Elisha shows her viewers/readers a musculoskeletal technique that is beneficial for patients suffering from tension in their jaw. This may help with the pain, but may not be the key to solving the problem. Want more information? Book an appointment with Elisha Cook (416-498-9763)to get more information and help with any symptoms you might be experiencing!

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, please book an appointment with Elisha Cook at the RSNC (416-498-9763), and let me help you achieve your health goals.