China is one of the first countries in the world to utilize thermal mineral water for medical care, and has accumulated rich experience in treatment. In modern medicine, the use of natural environmental water on the human body, to promote the treatment of disease, to achieve health care, longevity effect, this non-pharmaceutical therapy is called environmental hydrotherapy.
The health care mechanism of hydrotherapy is mainly the use of water temperature stimulation, chemical stimulation and mechanical stimulation of the combined effect of medical treatment.
1. Temperature stimulation
The human body and all biological life processes must be carried out at a certain temperature. Different temperatures have different effects on the human body, the temperature and the normal body temperature difference is proportional to the greater the difference in temperature, the stronger the stimulation. Different temperatures have different therapeutic effects.
1)The therapeutic effect of low-temperature bath: hot mineral water bath temperature below 34 ℃ is called low-temperature bath. Low-temperature bath has the effect of promoting adrenergic effect, excitation of sympathetic nerves, skin vasoconstriction, pulse slowing, heart rate decreases, blood pressure increases, gastrointestinal peristalsis decreases and so on.
2)The therapeutic effect of non-sensory bath: hot mineral water bath temperature between 34 to 36 ℃ is called non-sensory bath. This temperature on the body of the least irritation, bathing on the cardiovascular and respiratory system basically does not have any effect, this temperature for a long time bath therapy on the nervous system has a significant sedative effect.
3)The therapeutic effect of hot bath therapy: hot mineral water bath temperature between 37 to 42 ℃ is called warm bath. This temperature can excite the sympathetic nervous system, vasodilatation, accelerated pulse, increased cardiac output, accelerated blood flow, increased cardiac strength, blood pressure drops, skin temperature rises, skin resistance drops, the basal metabolism, gastrointestinal peristalsis, gastric secretion began to increase by the gradual decrease in the amount of circulating blood increased, increased respiratory rate.
2. Mechanical stimulation
1) the role of water buoyancy: the relative density of hot mineral water is higher than that of fresh water, so the buoyancy of the human body in which it is subjected to is greater than that of fresh water. Due to the buoyancy, the weight of the limbs in the water becomes lighter, and the movement is easier. It facilitates the movement of limbs with movement disorders and promotes blood pressure circulation. It is also good for functional recovery of joint dysfunction, fracture sequelae and nerve paralysis.
2) the hydrostatic effect: the human body in the bath, chest and limbs are due to hydrostatic pressure and shrinkage, such as the chest can be reduced by 1 ~ 3.5cm, and thus inhalation is difficult to exhale feel comfortable, which strengthens the respiratory movement and gas exchange, on the respiratory organs are favorable. At the same time, because of the pressure on the limbs, especially the lower limbs, the venous blood return becomes easy, the blood volume of the right heart increases, thus the blood output increases, which promotes the blood circulation and material metabolism.
3)The friction effect of water: through mechanical action, the static water in the container into a rotating flow of water, the liquid power of the flowing water and the impact of the particles contained in the fluid, the muscle to produce a certain friction effect.
3. Stimulating effect of chemical composition
(1) carbonated water
When the content of carbonic acid gas (HCO3) in 1L of hot mineral water is more than 1,000mg, it is called carbonated water. Carbonated water on cardiovascular disease has a significant therapeutic effect on obesity and a variety of metabolic disorders also have good results. Carbonated water bath can make the skin blood vessels highly dilated, so that the average increase in circulating blood volume of 30%, it can also increase venous tension, so that the venous blood back to the heart, while reducing arterial pressure. Drinking carbonated water, can stimulate the gastric mucosa to make it congested and enhance the blood circulation of the stomach, but also can promote gastrointestinal peristalsis, enhance laxative, digestive, enhance appetite.
(2) hydrogen sulfide water
When 1L of hot mineral water with total sulfur (H2S + HS + S2O3 + S + SO3) content of more than 10mg is called hydrogen sulfide water. Hydrogen sulfide baths irritate the skin and form alkali sulfide by contacting the skin epithelium. The alkali sulfide has the effect of softening the skin and dissolving keratin. This effect can penetrate deep into the skin, so it has a good effect on chronic skin diseases. Its main mechanism is that hydrogen sulfide into the batch, the skin nerve endings and intravascular receptors, prompting the skin to produce histamine and other substances, these substances act on the skin blood vessels, so that the skin blood vessels are obviously congested and dilated, so that there is a clear reddening of the skin, this reddening phenomenon is more than the carbonic acid bath and other bath therapy are obvious.
(3)Silicic acid water
When 1L of hot mineral water silicic acid (H2SiO3) content in more than 50mg is called silicic acid water. Silicic acid in underground hot mineral water, mainly in the form of metasilicic acid and orthosilicic acid.
Silicates are indispensable for the normal growth of the human body and the calcification of bones, and they are also indispensable elements in life, and have a cleansing and washing effect on the skin and mucous membranes.
Indications for bath therapy: eczema, psoriasis, urticaria, pruritus and anti-inflammatory effect on mucous membrane diseases of women's reproductive organs.
Drinking therapy indications: can relieve atherosclerosis, maintain the elasticity of the arteries, protect the inner lining of the arteries, so that lipids can not invade the role.
(4)Sulfate water
When the total solid content of 1L of hot mineral water is more than 1g, the anion is mainly sulfate ions, the cation is mainly sodium, calcium, magnesium, combined with the main formation of sodium sulfate, calcium sulfate, magnesium sulfate is called sulfate water.
Drinking sodium sulfate water is as effective as laxatives in clinical practice. Because of the laxative effect can make the food quickly from the intestinal tube through, reduce the food nutrient absorption and utilization, become a kind of degreasing effect, can be coordinated with the exercise therapy, food bait therapy and other treatment of obesity.
Bath with calcium sulfate water, calcium dense role and sulfate to strengthen the metabolism, can improve purine metabolism and uric acid discharge, is conducive to urinary inflammation, phosphate stones and kidney function. Drinking also has a laxative effect, and has a significant diuretic effect.
Magnesium sulfate in clinical use as a laxative is well known, because of its diffusivity is small and not absorbed by the intestinal tract, can make the intestines to maintain a permanent state of flow, on the intestinal tract, especially the peristalsis of the large intestine to play a role in stimulating, prompting defecation. Drinking magnesium sulfate water has the effect of promoting bile excretion, the gallbladder, bile ducts play a washing effect.
(5)Chloride water
When 1L of hot mineral water with a total solid composition of more than 1g, the anion is mainly chloride ion (Cl-), the cation is mainly sodium, calcium, magnesium, combined with the main formation of sodium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride is called chloride water.
Chloride water is the most common sodium chloride water, water Na +, Cl- can stimulate the skin to cause vasodilation, improve blood circulation, enhance the secretion of sweat glands and sebaceous glands, promote dermatitis exudate absorption, accelerate the tissue of the newborn, and at the same time can be reflexive to the body systems to produce a good effect. Different salts, different temperatures, different stimulation of the skin.
Generally, the lower concentration of sodium chloride water has no special medical effect.
When the content of about 5g / L, and the solid component is high, its osmotic pressure has reached the level of physiological salts, at this time, the application of 36 ~ 38 ℃ micro-temperature bath therapy, trauma, burns, skin diseases, etc. has a good effect.
High-concentration sodium chloride bath, feel especially warm after the bath, because the sodium chloride salts attached to the body surface after the bath, to prevent evaporation of water in the body. Salt 10g/L is better for young people; salt 20-30g/L is better for the elderly and children.
Sodium chloride in hot mineral water content of 10% or more, should be prohibited.
(6)Fluoride water
Fluoride is the most common signature chemical element in geothermal fluids, but also one of the important trace elements in the human body. Fluoride is closely related to human life activities and metabolism of teeth and bone tissue. A small amount of fluoride can promote the resistance of tooth enamel to bacterial acidic corrosion, preventing dental caries; a small amount of fluoride can be formed in the bones of fluorapatite and become an integral part of bone salts, promoting growth and maintaining the health of bones. However, if a person ingests too much fluoride, it will also cause a kind of harm to the human body, mainly dental fluorosis (also known as mottled enamel teeth, volcanic disease), increased bone mineral density or osteoporosis, bone deformation and other diseases.
The human body fluoride 80% to 90% from the daily intake of food and water. Customary tea drinkers, daily from the tea can be ingested 1 ~ 3mg of fluorine. Often use fluorine water bath on psoriasis efficacy is good, but also help to dispel fatigue, after the disease is cured, and rheumatism, nerve paralysis, neuralgia, and other diseases have a certain medical, health care role.
4. The role of trace radioactivity
The hot mineral water contains radium (Ra266), radon (Rn222). Radium (Ra266) and radon after metamorphosis (Rn222) are radioactive elements, which radiates weak total beta rays with biological effects. In mineral spring therapy, when the content of radon gas in 1L of hot mineral water is more than 3 becquerel (Bq), it is called radioactive radon water. Radioactive radon has an affinity to radiation, and human cells are very sensitive to trace radioactivity. International research has proved that the effect of radon and its decomposition radiation can make structural changes in body tissues. It can promote vasoconstriction and dilatation, promote blood circulation, regulate heart rhythm and blood pressure, promote the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and nitrogen, regulate the endocrine system, inhibit the central nervous system, have a sedative effect, regulate the function of the nervous system, and improve the function of the sympathetic bath parasympathetic nerve of the vegetative nervous system.
In short, with the side effects of drugs and drug-borne diseases to the medical treatment of all kinds of trouble, the development of non-toxic side effects and has a wide range of clinical efficacy of the environmental water therapy, is in line with the human more and more strong "return to nature" wish, will certainly be the community's widespread concern and welcome, and therefore can bring a wide range of social and economic benefits. The social and economic benefits can be widely brought about.