Hydrotherapy, using water to improve health and address illness, is one of the original naturopathic modalities used and has a long and interesting history. Father Sebastian Kneipp, a man who was helping to support his family in Bavaria from the age of 12, later cured himself and others of tuberculosis in Germany during the TB epidemic in the 1800s when 1 in 7 people was dying of the disease. The treatment he used was hydrotherapy.*
Benedict Lust, The Father of Naturopathy, also had tuberculosis as a boy and was cured by Kneipp’s methods. Lust brought Kneipp’s water cure to the United States and successfully treated the many people who came to him worldwide, finding successful treatment for their tuberculosis at his New York clinic. Dr. Otis G. Carroll of Spokane, WA, was cured of his juvenile arthritis by a doctor who had studied with Kneipp and went on to develop Constitutional Hydrotherapy, a treatment used regularly by naturopaths to this day.
In addition to having a rich history, hydrotherapy is also a safe and effective method to help support your body during a fever. Unlike some medications, hydrotherapy can lower a fever without suppressing the body’s innate healing force. Instead, it gently supports the body in efficiently reaching the optimal temperature for protecting the body, eliminating unwanted organisms such as bacteria and viruses, and improving health.
Cold Water Immersion is a hydrotherapy technique that is great for immunity, mental health and addictions. More information can be found in Dr. Flynn’s article ” The Unexpected Benefits of Cold Water Immersion for Overcoming Addiction.
Below are two hydrotherapy techniques you can do on your own at home. You may also receive Constitutional Hydrotherapy at Dr. Flynn’s office. Go here for more information.
Home Hydrotherapy Treatments
Wet Sock Treatment
This is a favorite amongst naturopaths as it’s an easy way to shift circulation from the head to the feet, improving nasal congestion, sore throat, and ear infections. It also decreases headaches and mild fever, improves sleep, and boosts the immune system. Children tend to love it.
Saturate two thin cotton socks with cold water from the tap. Wring them out well. Put them on and cover them with dry wool socks. Lay down and enjoy a deep sleep for the night. It’s surprisingly comfortable. The body will heat the socks, which should be dry when you wake up.
Wet Sheet Wrap
This treatment is great for high fevers, 103° F or higher. It is helpful to have someone’s assistance if you are alone. I have used this therapy often on myself and my friends at the beginning of flu-like symptoms, and it has been successful 100% of the time.
Soak a cotton sheet in ice-cold water. Pre-warm the body by taking a hot shower or sitting in a hot bath for 10-20 minutes. The hotter the better. When time is up in the bath, wring out the sheet. Quickly wrap the body in the sheet from shoulders to toes like a mummy (excluding the head). Do not delay; otherwise, the body will get chilled. Wrap in a wool blanket (at least one or two is ideal.) Use the bath towel to cover the head so only the face shows. Lay down and maintain the sheet wrap therapy until the sheet is dry, which may take from 30 minutes to 6 hours.
* Later, the medical establishment did not receive Kneip’s success well. The first of several charges of “quackery” were filed. Later, A pharmacist sued Kneipp for infringement of trade – after which a cease-and-desist order was signed. However, when cholera broke out on a large scale in the 1900’s, he ignored the treatment ban and continued to successfully apply his healing methods for the poor, free of charge.
Resources
Father Kneipp https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7219453/
Constitutional Hydrotherapy: From Nature Cure to Advanced Naturopathic Medicine
