Hydrotherapy Self-Help Techniques

Cold Compressing

Soak a small hand towel in cold tap water. Wring out well and apply to the area requiring treatment for 30-40 minutes. During this time the towel will slowly warm up, leaving the treated area pleasantly heated up and the skin flushed (vasodilated). Repeat as directed, normally three or four times daily if the injury is recent, reducing as recovery takes place.

Warm Compressing

Apply a wrung out warm wet towel to a hot water bottle and apply to the injured area to be treated. Normally an area being treated in this way would last for 30-40 minutes, but this relates to the type of injury, the part being treated, as well as the age of the person amongst other factors. Take advice, and follow as directed.
Try to finish each treatment with a short session of cold compressing or spray as appropriate. Repeat leaving a period of 3-4 hrs between applications.

Alternate Hot and Cold Compressing

By using both the above methods, you can greatly decrease recovery time of injured tissues, including muscles, joints and tendons. The normal ratio in acute injuries, which are those of a recent nature, is twice the time with cold applications as for those with heat….

Cold Compress 10 minutes. Hot Compress 10 minutes. Cold Compress 10minutes.

  • How to make up an ice pack if you haven’t got access to a gel pack is quite simple. Obtain 4-5 handfulls of ice cubes and place in a plastic bag. A freezer bag works well for the purpose. Put the ice cubes in the bag with a cup or two of cold tap water. Add a heaped soup spoon of table salt (this helps to further reduce the pack’s temperature as saline is colder than fresh water…) Leave for a few minutes then apply being careful to never apply directly to the skin as ice can easily give a painful burn to the epidermal (surface) tissues as well as providing help with acute swelling and discomfort.
  • Always play safe and take advice if you’re unsure of what treatment is best, but remember with soft tissue injury the diagnosis is the single most important part of the treatment and management problem.
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