Decubitus Ulcer : Alternative Therapies

Zinc and vitamins A, C, E, and B complex help skin repair injuries and stay healthy, but large doses of vitamins or minerals should never be used without a doctor's approval. A poultice made of equal parts of powdered slippery elm (Ulmus fulva), ...

Poultices used on broken skin or infected areas should never be reused.An infection-fighting rinse can be made by diluting two drops of essential tea tree oil, Melaleuca spp., in eight ounces of water. This should be used to bathe the wound when b...

Hydrotherapy, or water therapy, is the use of water(hot, cold, steam, or ice) to relieve discomfort and promote physical well-being.Hydrotherapy can soothe sore or inflamed muscles and joints, rehabilitate injured limbs, lower fevers, soothe heada...

Hydrotherapy, or water therapy, is the use of water(hot, cold, steam, or ice) to relieve discomfort and promote physical well-being.Hydrotherapy is intended to relieve pain, increase mobility, and promote a feeling of well-being. Various methods a...

Hydrotherapy, or water therapy, is the use of water(hot, cold, steam, or ice) to relieve discomfort and promote physical well-being.The therapeutic use of water has a long history. Ruins of an ancient bath were unearthed in Pakistan and date as fa...

Water has been used medicinally for thousands of years, with traditions rooted in ancient China, Japan, India, Rome, Greece, the Americas, and the Middle East. There are references to the therapeutic use of mineral water in the Old Testament. During the Middle Ages, bathing fell out of favor due to health concerns, but by the 17th century, "taking the waters" at hot springs and spas became popular across Europe (and later in the United States). Hydrotherapy is broadly defined as the external application of water in any form or temperature (hot, cold, steam, liquid, ice) for healing purposes. It may include immersion in a bath or body of water (such as the ocean or a pool), use of water jets, douches, application of wet towels to the skin, or water birth. These approaches have been used for the relief of various diseases and injuries, or for general well being. There are other therapies that may include the use of water as a part of a technique, but are not included in this review, such as colonic irrigation/enemas, nasal irrigation, physical therapy in pools, steam inhalation/humidifiers, drinking of mineral water/"enriched" water, coffee infusions, aquatic yoga, aquatic massage (including Watsu®), or aromatherapy/baths with added essential oils. Modern hydrotherapy originated in 19th century Europe with the development of spas for "water cure" ailments, ranging from anxiety to pneumonia to back pain. Father Sebastian Kneipp, a 19th century Bavarian monk, spurred a movement to recognize the benefits of hydrotherapy. His methods were later adopted by Benedict Lust who immigrated to the United States from Germany in 1896, and founded an American school of naturopathic medicine. Lust claimed to have cured himself of tuberculosis with Kneipp's methods, and hydrotherapy was included as a component of naturopathic medicine. In modern times, a wide variety of water-related therapies are used, some of which are described below. Sitz bath : A Sitz bath is administere...