Methods employed

1. Sitz baths
2. Whirlpool baths
3. Hot or warm water baths
4. Alternate hot and cold water baths
5. Sea-water treatments
6. Wraps
7. Compresses
8. Turkish baths, Steam Room and Steam Cabinets.
9. Saunas.

Sitz Baths

Place two bath-lubs side by side—filling one with cold water and the other with hot water. The patient should sit for 3 minutes in hot water and one minute in cold water, keeping feet in the opposite bath. This position should be alternated.
Whirlpool baths
Immerse the body for 15 minutes in the pressurised bubbles and the body should be massaged


Hot or warm water baths

Soak the body in hot water for 20-30 minutes, keeping temperature at 100°F or 38°C. If necessary oils, herbs and minerals can be added to warm bath. To derive better and quicker results, finely blended oatmeals / bran (possibly couched in a muslin bag) to soothe skin, and minds, and extracts (such as Dead Sea salts) to nourish the skin or Epsom salts to relieve the swollen joints.

Hot Foot Bath

Hot water should be used in winter and tepid water (if it is not too hot or cold) water in summer. Take a bucket wherein both feet can be immersed easily, and fill it to 3/4th capacity with suitable water adding, (if necessary), a teaspoonful of table salt. Now immerse both feet in the water, frequently massaging feet and legs in water itself. Keep the feet for about 20-30 minutes, and remove your feet from the water when it turns cold. (In winter cover your body with a blanket so as to avoid exposure). If you have added salt to water, then pour hot water over your legs and feet after removing the same from water. Thereafter, wipe with a dry towel. After wiping take care that feet and legs are not exposed to cold winds.

Alternate cold and hot baths

Alternate hot and cold water therapies are credited with the benefits or stimulating hormonal system, reduce circulation related congestion (caused by muscle spasm) and relieving inflammation.

Sea Water Treatments

Sea-Water is believed to possess healing properties while minerals inherent in seaweed are believed to induce sweating, tone and cleanse the skin. Seaside wraps, or sea water baths or sea-water itself, are also include in this system.

Wraps

In this process a cold flannel cloth-sheet is wrapped around the body and cold / hot packs are wrapped in towels for being placed on top. Then the patient is covered in a warm blanket and left for about 30 minutes. This process is employed to treat long-term fatigue, aid in circulation and to stimulate the immune system of patient.

Compress

Soak the towels in cold / hot water, wring out, and then apply to affected parts of the body so as to increase blood flow, make the body sweat and ease stiffness of muscles through hot compresses. Cold compresses are employed to reduce inflammation and push up circulation of blood.

Turkish baths, (steam) cabinets and steam rooms

If a patient sits in a steam room for about 20 minutes or for an hour in a cabinet, his sweat will be induced, impurities eliminated and water relieved. This procedure is known as Turkish baths.

SAUNA

Though saunas are identical to Turkish baths but they generate dry heat and not humid heat. For Sauna, hot and dry temperature is required (say 100°F or 38°C). It encourages sweating and helps the body to eliminate waste products and impurities. After every 5-10 minutes during the sauna and at the end of the sauna, a dip or plunge into pool or cold shower is advised.