Any person knows that water is an attribute of life, and note the main one. Without water, a person will die in just 5 days. In humans, 70% of the composition of flesh is water. It appears fully in all significant organs and cells of the body. Water is a liquid that has exceptional properties, some of which scientists are not yet ready to interpret. Perhaps it is not without reason that massage with a stream of water has been considered an excellent medical method since ancient times.
The use of water for healing is called hydrotherapy. Hydromassage is a body massage with a stream of water. This is a process of targeted balneotherapeutic pressure on the patient’s body through jets of hydro-flow under significant pressure.
These water procedures are described in the works of the ancient aesculapians Avicenna and Hippocrates. Hydromassage is a special health-improving operation in which certain areas of the individual’s body are influenced by a jet of water of a specified strength. Great pressure contributes to the unique processing of such significant coverings of tissues and muscles; some of them cannot be agitated even by the most dexterous tentacles of the massage therapist.
Features of water massage
Hydromassage is the effect on the human body of a directed water flow under pressure. The power of the water jet, as well as the microbubbles that form when water is mixed with air, have a healing effect.
Modern hydromassage has become very popular; it is part of a complex of therapeutic and rehabilitation procedures for diseases of the musculoskeletal system, internal organs, and nervous system.
The term “hydromassage” most often means underwater massage performed by the pressure of water jets while the patient’s body is immersed in water.
Water massage combines all the beneficial properties of the mineral composition of the liquid and its physical effect on the human body. Thanks to muscle relaxation, the vibrating effect of the water jets has a deep, but at the same time painless effect.
Mechanism of influence on the body
Thanks to hydrotherapy, fat deposits are reduced and water balance is restored. Metabolism in the body improves, it quickly gets rid of waste and toxins. The cells are saturated with oxygen, the flow of nutrients is resumed, and the elasticity of blood vessels is restored. The activity of the gastrointestinal tract increases, the mobility of the joints and spine increases. After several sessions, you can see how hematomas, swelling dissolve, adhesions, scars and scars on the body soften.
The problem area for many women, cellulite, gradually fades into the background and instead you can see healthy, young legs without an “orange peel” in the mirror. The skin becomes firmer, more elastic and looks noticeably fresher and younger.
There are many more types of underwater massage - this is a whirlpool underwater massage (in a specially equipped bath with circular movement of water), and Charcot's shower (a kind of “shock” force that has a therapeutic effect. Consultation with a doctor is required), Watsu massage (exposure to warm water in combination with acupressure), as well as hydromassage of the legs. There are a very large number of biologically active points on the soles of the feet, and thanks to the effect on them, the work of internal organs is activated, fatigue is relieved, and blood flow is restored. And if you add essential oils to the foot bath, this will increase the effectiveness, because... Aromatherapy is also added.
Main indications
The range of applications of water massage is quite wide:
- Nervous stress, chronic fatigue, stress, depression;
- Sleep disturbances;
- Weak immune function of the body;
- Neuralgia, myalgia, pathologies of the peripheral nervous system;
- Chronic diseases of the digestive system;
- Disorders of capillary and vascular circulation, vegetative-vascular dystonia;
- Diseases of the musculoskeletal system, contractures;
- Loss of muscle strength, flexibility;
- Rehabilitation period after long-term illnesses, injuries, with severe pain syndrome;
- Overweight, fat deposits, cellulite.
Hydromassage can be enjoyed by children and adults. For children, it is best to carry out this procedure a couple of hours before bedtime.
Why is this massage done?
Water massage gives a positive effect immediately after the session - blood circulation improves, muscle tension goes away, pain in muscles and joints subsides, and vigor appears. Exposure to water jets is much more effective than classic massage.
Under the influence of warm water, tissue density decreases, and the high pressure of the water jet is much easier to access to influence the deep layers of tissue. The massage effect is softer and more delicate than with the manual technique of classical massage, and the achieved result on muscle relaxation is maximum.
Hydromassage will help restore psychological balance. He is able to cope with depressive conditions, relieve nervous tension, fatigue, and normalize sleep .
With the help of massage with water jets, not only issues related to improving the health of the body are resolved. This manipulation helps solve aesthetic problems aimed at combating excess weight and cellulite.
Tips for hydromassage
Regardless of whether a woman chooses to visit a spa or decides to perform hydromassage on her own, there are rules that will help increase its effectiveness. For the procedure to help you lose weight and benefit your health, you must:
- do not conduct a session every day. The best option is a couple of times a week. During this period, the body will have time to consolidate the achieved results;
- carry out hydromassage in a good mood. A stressful state or even slight poor health can spoil not only the result of the procedure, but also the impressions of it;
- watch your diet and devote time to physical activity. There is not a single remedy that can cope with excess weight alone. This also applies to hydromassage, the main function of which is not weight loss, but health improvement and stress relief. Therefore, it is imperative to eat right and exercise;
- Do not overuse hydromassage. The course aimed at losing weight consists of only 10 procedures. It is repeated no more often than once every six months. But for prevention, light hydromassage at home can be performed regularly.
Watch this video about the technique of a hydromassage bath:
How does weight loss happen?
You need to understand that hydromassage promotes weight loss by affecting fat deposits, softening and breaking them up, but it is not capable of destroying fat on its own. To combat excess weight, this type of therapy should be part of comprehensive measures, the reasons for this are as follows:
- When the body is exposed to a stream of water, the subcutaneous fat layer changes, fat deposits become softer, more flexible, excess fluid leaves the cells, swelling and subcutaneous tuberosity decrease. The surface of the skin is leveled, becomes elastic, refreshed;
- The body's metabolic processes accelerate, stagnant toxins are removed from skin cells;
- Muscle tissue, resisting the jets of water, is toned;
- Warm water makes the muscle more flexible, softer, and increases its endurance.
Hydromassage helps to significantly save energy, time, and means to combat fat deposits. An organism prepared with its help responds much more quickly to a set of measures aimed at achieving this goal.
Benefits and harms
Advantages of hydromassage:
- An effective way to lose weight and get rid of excess weight.
- Visible improvement in the condition of the skin and muscle tissue.
- Hydromassage helps remove toxins from the body.
- Active saturation of cells with oxygen.
- Hydromassage helps to relax the body and is an excellent prevention of spasms.
- Pronounced analgesic effect.
- Strengthening blood supply and normalizing blood pressure.
- Restoration of motor function and joint mobility.
- Intestinal function improves and metabolic processes in the body are activated.
- Increases the strength of blood vessels, preventing varicose veins.
- Water procedures reduce stress, improve mood and general condition.
Disadvantages of hydromassage:
The aquatic environment can stimulate the proliferation of harmful microorganisms. Therefore, after each procedure, the bath must be thoroughly washed with special disinfectants. Injectors also often become clogged and require constant cleaning.
Hydromassage is not useful for everyone and has a number of contraindications. Also, hot tubs and equipment have a very high cost, which makes the procedure quite expensive.
Hot tubs
The inventor of the bath with massage jets was the Italian Jacuzzi Roy, this happened when his little nephew, suffering from rheumatism, was prescribed water treatments to relieve pain.
In order not to have to transport the baby to the place of procedures every day, Roy installed a motor on the edge of the home bathroom, with the help of which the water began to bubble with air bubbles.
This design performed its functions perfectly and the baby received hydromassage sessions at home. So, since 1968, a new invention stepped into the world, named after its inventor - Jacuzzi.
Important! At home, a Jacuzzi bathtub is equipped with special nozzles with aerators located in the walls of the structure, through which a stream of water mixed with air is supplied.
Today, Jacuzzi baths are everywhere - in sanatoriums, SPA salons, saunas, swimming pools and even in the home bathroom. However, in order to get the right session of this therapy, there are a number of features that must be observed:
- The massage session is carried out by a specially trained massage therapist;
- To avoid injury to the patient from hoses and nozzles, the volume of the bathroom should be spacious - the larger the better;
- The massage therapist moves the jet from the hose while the patient is under water from the legs to the stomach, from bottom to top;
- The pressure of the jet is selected according to the individual structure of the human body; during the massaging process, it is necessary to avoid the area of the mammary glands, genitals and groin;
- The intensity of the pressure and the angle of the jet are selected using nozzles; most often the jet goes along the tangent line of the body;
- The temperature regime is maintained no higher than 38 degrees Celsius, the minimum temperature is no lower than 30 degrees;
- Large meals before the procedure are not recommended;
- After the procedure, it is best to lie in the bathroom for a while, avoiding a sudden rise.
A set of such procedures consists of 15-20 sessions, which are taken every other day.
To enhance the effect, you can add filtered herbal decoctions, mineral salts, and aromatic oils to the water .
Of course, the effectiveness of such procedures is somewhat lower than a professionally performed session, but the positive effect on the body still cannot be denied.
How often should I use it?
In spa salons, they usually prescribe a special bath every other day, for about 30 minutes. Physical and cardio exercises are desirable before, not after. The course lasts 15 sessions, after which there is a break for 3-4 months. Underwater shower, special bath, aqua massage and SPA massage - from 15 to 20 sessions. After the first course of treatment, weight loss occurs. After 3-4 such baths for weight loss, the volumes are noticeably reduced and cellulite is almost invisible.
During the entire course of hydromassage, subject to diet and physical activity, you can get rid of 4 to 6 kg of weight and up to 7 cm in volume. Such an intensive course can be repeated only after 4-6 months.
How does the Charcot Shower procedure work?
The Frenchman Jean Martin Charcot, being a neurologist, came up with a procedure in which the patient’s body is exposed to two pressurized water jets from a distance of 3 meters. In this case, the patient does not lie in the bathtub, but receives these shock-type jets in a standing position.
At the beginning of the procedure, a warm stream of water is dispersed in a fan-shaped manner, gradually the water temperature is lowered, and the direction of the water is applied in a stream. Further, during the therapy session, water is supplied alternating contrasting temperatures.
By directing jets of water under pressure, Charcot's shower helps to cope with joint and muscle pain, myalgia, obesity, and cellulite.
In addition, the procedure is often prescribed in neurological practice as a tonic for the nervous system, to relieve stress and overcome a protracted state of depression. The session is carried out under the supervision of a doctor, most often in specialized clinics and sanatoriums.
Home hydromassage
As a rule, women sign up for the procedure with specialists. Hydromassage for weight loss is carried out in spa centers and sanatoriums under the strict supervision of a professional. But a representative of the fair sex can conduct a hydromassage session on her own.
To do this you will need a special shower head. It can be purchased at a specialty store. A regular shower is not suitable for hydromassage because it does not provide the required pressure. The nozzle will help correct the situation: it allows you to independently regulate the intensity of the jet and the amount of water supplied.
Alekseev's shower
To use it, you must first draw a bath and immerse yourself in the water. Afterwards, you can begin performing hydromassage, directing the shower stream to problem areas. Typically, experts advise avoiding the décolleté, face and neck areas. You can safely direct the water jet to all other areas of the body. You can also change the temperature at the same time, which will allow you to get the effect of a contrast shower.
In addition to the nozzle, true fans of water treatments can afford a special bath with a built-in hydromassage function. But it is worth considering that this is an expensive pleasure.
Hydromassage bath
Important contraindications
Despite the many positive aspects of hydromassage, it has some contraindications:
- Acute form of inflammatory diseases, accompanied by elevated body temperature;
- Fungal, bacterial and viral infectious diseases;
- Violation of the integrity of the skin - cuts, burns, trophic ulcers;
- Sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis in the active phase;
- Conditions after acute circulatory disorders - stroke, heart attack;
- Pregnancy, especially in the 2nd half;
- Presence of a functioning pacemaker;
- Neoplasms of various etiologies;
- Bleeding, as well as an increased tendency to it;
- Impaired functioning of the kidneys and urinary system;
- Aneurysm of blood vessels, arteries, aorta.
Important! A humid environment promotes the growth of fungi and bacteria, so it is necessary to thoroughly rinse the nozzles, as well as the bath bowl, with disinfectants at the end of each procedure.
Hydromassage brings positive emotions, pleasure, and gives a charge of vigor into our lives. This type of therapy is now available to almost everyone, there are few restrictions on its use, and it causes virtually no side effects. Water therapy makes us more resistant to external manifestations of the environment and takes care of our health . Trust the power of water, and in return it will give you strength to live.
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