Ice and Contrast are effective therapies for trauma relief. Any injury, like sprains and strains, or acute inflammation, like tendinitis, calls for an immediate application of cold. Apply ice as often as twenty minutes every hour for the first twenty-four to thirty-six hours post-trauma.

  Trauma or chronic conditions also respond well to contrast therapy. Alternating hot and cold increases circulation to bring vital nutrients to the area and move waste products out. Simply apply alternating hot and cold packs to the effected area beginning with hot for three minutes, then cold for thirty to sixty seconds. Repeat three times in one sitting, always finishing with cold, one to three times per day, depending upon the severity of the condition.

  Baths and Showers are soothing, both mentally and physically. Not only do they relieve general aches and pains, they can also ease internal congestion and digestive ills.

  Again, water temperature varies according to your needs. Hot baths and showers are relaxing and stimulating to the immune system. By inducing perspiration, they facilitate the detoxification process. Cold baths and showers can tonify muscles, reduce inflammation, and act as a bracer against fatigue. Long cold baths are useful for reducing fevers but are not recommended for home use and should only be used under the direction of your physician.

  Cold showers also can increase the nerve force, stimulate the glandular system, and have a positive effect on the central nervous system. Alternating hot and cold showers can be an excellent way to increase circulation and stimulate organ function. Remember, though, always start with hot and end with cold.

  Sitz Baths are a traditional European folk remedy in which the pelvis is immersed in hot or cold water. A hot sitz bath is particularly helpful for problems involving the pelvic region, including uterine cramps, painful ovaries or testicles, and hemorrhoids. A cold sitz bath, taken for two minutes or less, can be used for inflammation, constipation, vaginal discharge, and impotence, but should not be used for urinary tract infections. (For instructions on how to prepare sitz baths, see "Hydrotherapy Procedures.")

  Foot and Hand Baths are excellent for drawing blood away from inflamed parts of the body, or drawing congestion away from an organ. They can help relieve insomnia, sore throats, colds, menstrual cramps, feet and leg cramps, and pain from gout, neuralgia, and headaches.

  According to Agatha Thrash, M.D., and Calvin Thrash, M.D., of Seale, Alabama, a hot foot bath is the ideal remedy for shivering, cold hands or feet, nausea, dizziness, or faintness. To relieve a sore throat or avert a cold, add a tablespoon of mustard powder per quart of hot water to a foot bath container.

  Alternating hot and cold foot baths has a strong effect on the nerve and reflex points of the feet. These baths also help relieve toothaches, neuralgia, headaches (when used in conjunction with a cold compress on the head), ankle swelling, foot infections, blood poisoning, and abdominal congestion.

  Fill two tubs-one with hot water, the other with cold water. Place your feet and ankles in the hot water for three minutes, then plunge your feet into the cold water for twenty to thirty seconds. Repeat three times, ending with cold water, then thoroughly dry your feet. You may do this several times per day, as needed.

  Hands also contain many reflex points that affect the entire body. A cold hand bath can stop a nosebleed and relieve sunstroke. A hot hand bath can relieve cramps in the hands from overuse in athletics, writing, or sewing, and even alleviate asthma attacks.

  Cold Water Treading is one of the most important preventive water treatments, according to Dian Dincin Buchman, Ph.D. After a shower or bath, immerse your feet in cold water and march in place for five seconds to five minutes. (For safety, you may need the support of a wall or handle.) Afterward, rub your feet vigorously with a towel, especially the soles. Dr. Buchman believes that by building tolerance to cold it is possible to develop resistance to infectious disease, and she recommends this practice be a part of the daily self-care routine for everyone, young and old.

  Steam is an excellent cleanser and deep moisture treatment for the skin. It also helps break up congestion from the common cold and flus. To create a simple home vaporizer boil water in a clean kettle or pot. Add a few drops of eucalyptus or wintergreen oil, or one to two tablespoons of mint leaves to the water. Lean over the steaming pot, holding a towel or sheet over your head like a tent. Be careful not to get too close to the boiling water. Breathe slowly and deeply, inhaling the vapors to warm and soothe the respiratory tract.

  Compresses and Packs are particularly effective for applying heat or cold to specific parts of the body. According to Tori Hudson, N.D., Clinical Director of the National College of Naturopathic Medicine, in Portland, Oregon, they stimulate the immune system and increase the body's white blood cell count.

  One can treat sciatica, for example, by applying hot compresses to the lower back and legs for thirty minutes or longer. For gallstones, intestinal colic, or painful menstrual periods, hot, moist compresses can be applied every half hour around the torso, between the shoulders and the navel. 

  A salt rub, or "salt glow," is excellent for stimulating circulation. Take a small handful of slightly damp sea salts or Epsom salts and vigorously massage them into your already wet skin until it turns slightly pink. One to two pounds of salt is needed for the whole body. Follow the "salt glow," with a warm-not hot-shower or bath. Again, vigorously rub your skin while rinsing and drying. The salt glow may make you perspire and help you sleep more soundly. Do it at least once a month, or weekly as part of your detoxification program. It is not for people with skin rashes or lesions.

  A number of herbs, oils, and minerals may be added to a bath to enhance its therapeutic effects. Here are a few of the more common herbs used in hydrotherapy, available at most natural food stores:

Chamomile: Soothes skin, opens pores, eliminates blackheads, aids digestive problems, and promotes sleep.

Ginger: Relaxes sore muscles, improves circulation, and tones the skin.

Oat straw: Relieves sore feet, ingrown toenails, and blisters.

Sage: Stimulates the sweat glands.

  A few drops of various essential oils may also be added to the bath or rubbed directly onto the skin after a shower. According to Dr. Chaitow, they influence blood pressure, stimulate nerve function, and aid digestive functioning. These are a few of the dozens of essential oils available at health stores and body shops:

Cedarwood: Promotes elimination through mucous membranes and acts as an antiseptic and sedative.

Lemon: Increases urine flow and acts as an antiseptic.

Rose: Stimulates liver and stomach functions, and acts as an antidepressant.

Tea tree: Enhances skin function, and can be used as an antifungal and antibiotic. 

  Also, try adding the following common household ingredients to your bath:

  Apple cider vinegar: Detoxifies, combats fatigue, relieves poison ivy, and restores the skin's natural acid covering. Add one cup to your bath.

  Baking soda: Relieves skin irritation and itching, and acts as a mild antiseptic. Add up to one pound to your bath.

  Epsom salts: Induces perspiration, aborts illness, relaxes muscles, relieves swollen and irritated joints. Dissolve one half to one pound in hot bath.

  Cornstarch: Helps reduce itchiness from poison ivy, poison oak, and eczema. Add one cup to one pound of cornstarch to the bath (can be added in conjunction with other substances such as oatmeal). Cornstarch can also be an effective cooling agent.

  Oatmeal: Coats, soothes, and restores the skin, and is especially good for itchiness, hives, sunburn, and chafing. Put one cup of uncooked oatmeal in a blender, finely blend it, and add it to a warm or mild bath. (This is also good for soothing diaper rashes.)