Hydrotherapy is the use of water, ice, steam, and hot and cold temperatures to keep up and restore health. Treatments include full body immersion, steam baths, saunas, sitz baths, colonic irrigation, and the application of hot, and/or cold compresses. Hydrotherapy is effective for treating a wide range of conditions and can easily be used in the home as part of a self-care program.

  Hydrotherapy has been used to treat disease and injury by many different cultures, including the Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Hebrews, Hindus, Chinese, and Native Americans. Today, many alternative practitioners prescribe baths, jacuzzis, steam, saunas, mineral tubs, wraps, rubs, flushes, fasts, enemas, colonic irrigations, douches, sitz baths, and compresses to remedy a great variety of health conditions. Hot or cold water administered externally or internally can be effective in treating conditions ranging from stress and pain to the many toxins, bacteria, and viruses that can cause disease.