Cold water therapy

 Cold water therapy at “Swasthayu wellness Nature cure centre, Kashi under “Yamini Innovations, Varanasi-221005, (www.yaminiinnovationsllp.com)

Cold-water therapy (CWT) or cold-water immersion (CWI) are commonly used terms in sports medicine, spa, naturopathy, and physiotherapy. Normally, water maintained at around 11 to 15°C) is used for 10 to 15 min in form of a brisk shower, ice bath, outdoor swimming, etc. It is both curatives to treat certain diseases and a preventive to delay the aging biochemistry and pathology. It acts by inducing the synthesis of “Heat shock Proteins”. “Anti-oxidant factors” and by stimulating the immune system. All of them collectively strengthen the body to fight against the process of age-related disease, which may be NCDs (non-communicable chronic diseases), traumatic injuries, or the tendency of recurring infections. Basically, it improves the body's circulation and activity of blood cells. Recently it is being used to reduce obesity/over-weight, which acts by inducing the function and mass of “brown fat”, which is responsible to produce heat and not the energy i.e. ATP, the energy coin.  This phenomenon is helpful in reducing obesity, by decreasing the mass of white fat, responsible for obesity. In sports medicine, it is frequently used after heavy exercise to reduce muscle soreness, for short period CWI. The cold-water fomentation or clod-water is used in acute injury, and chronic joint pain, to reduce swelling and pain, attributed to blood vessel constriction and reduced blood flow in the injured location. Some indications are available in the literature that cold water immersion is equivalent to inducing those physiological and biochemical changes in the body, which are reported after practicing meditation or deep-breathing in the context of reduction of mental stress, depression, and anxiety.  Medically advised and regulated CWI help in training the vagus nerve, a part of the parasympathetic nervous system, and finally develops a habit to face strenuous situations. It also activates the sympathetic nervous system, increases the level of beta-endorphin and noradrenaline in blood. It also increases the synaptic release of noradrenaline in the brain, by carrying cold sensations from the high density of cold receptors, found on the skin. These high electrical impulses from peripheral nerve endings in the skin, to the brain, might be inducing an anti-depressive effect, which needs to be experimentally proved, though a clear reduction in depressive symptoms has been observed clinically. The CWI is reported to be beneficial for neuromuscular recovery 24 hours following team sports, bits optimization in different conditions, and for different types of people (Having different constitutions based on tridosh theory of Ayurveda i.e. vatic, pittaj and kaphaj predominance), is the need of the hour for research in terms of athletic performance, body temperature and cardiovascular changes. The CWI protocols are different for person to person, which may be classified as per depth, duration, and temperature.    

Contraindication: patients with heart disease and blood pressure are not allowed to try this therapy.

Caution: This therapy must be in presence of a qualified doctor and in a place having all emergency medicines for the management of cardiovascular imbalances. After coming out of the cold-water emersion bath, start warming up for 10 minutes. Sit in a warm place and drink sweet-worm beverages.

(Prof Yamini Bhusan Tripathi), PhD Biochemistry

Former, Head, Dept of Medicinal Chemistry and Former Dean, Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, India, yamini30@gmail.com