COLD PACKS & BATHS
This involves using a cloth to retain more moisture for a longer time. The primary purpose of these kinds of wet applications is to accelerate blood flow. Blood circulation, when accelerated, also throws away the toxic matter from the body.
ORDINARY
An ordinary wet pack can be used successfully in every acute suffering, such as aches, pain, stress, wounds, bruises, scalds, burns, etc. The use of a clay pack is only a kind of wet pack. In long-standing disease conditions like Arthritis, this ordinary pack may not be very effective. Arthritis is a chronic disease; the tone of the parts, namely the bone, ligaments, tendons, muscles, and nerves in and around the affected joints, will be stiff and weak. Accelerating blood flow in such part will entail tremendous effort on the person’s internal vital power. That is the reason for the non-effectiveness of such a pack on a person with Arthritis.
STIMULATING WET PACK
In chronically ill patients, there will be a weakness in their vital powers. It is also possible that suppressive drug treatment would have been resorted to. In such cases, ordinary wet packs may not be very effective. On the other hand, a stimulating wet pack will be very effective. Though the cloth is made wet in this pack, very little moisture is allowed to be retained. The wet cloth is thoroughly wrung out.
Further, the pack is tied a little closer to the skin, a little tight. Unlike an ordinary wet pack, which is kept for a short duration, a stimulating wet pack is kept longer, say for hours. One can use a woollen muffler over the wet cloth to be more effective.
TUB BATHS
The tub in water cure is for the twin purpose of relaxation and healing. Various kinds of baths are suggested using the tub.
The spinal bath is very effective in reactivating the thermo dynamic principle in our body. During illness, the heat distribution in our body gets disturbed due to toxic accumulation in various parts. Because of such accumulations, the blood flow is upset. The toxic matter gets further accumulated. This anomaly is set right by the spinal bath. Blood flow is reactivated by— (i) the dilatation of blood vessels and (ii) the inherent tendency of the body for heat transfer. As a bonus, even the heart is rested. An open heart will bestow only health for every follower of natural hygiene. The spinal bathtub is a lifelong boon. One can enjoy a spinal bath in bearable cold water any time of the day, i.e. before work, after work, before eating, before sleep, and after waking up. It relaxes if taken before sleep, activates and drives away the hangover of sleep if taken after waking up. In short, a spinal bath helps every bather to achieve excellence in their pursuit.
SHALLOW HIP-BATH
The spinal bathtub can also be used for this bath. Sitting comfortably in shallow water (bearably cold) and massaging the lower abdomen clockwise with the palm or a small piece of cloth dipped in cold water is called the shallow hip bath. The objective of the ordinary wet pack and shallow hip bath are the same, i.e. to relieve pelvic congestion. Cold friction is the added advantage. Only a tiny quantity is used in the shallow hip to avoid the buoyancy of water when used in large quantities.
FOMENTATIONS—HOT AND COLD
At acute discomforts, an alternate application of hot and cold is resorted to for relief. This is done with two small containers of hot water and cold water. Use two pieces of cloth. Putting these cloths alternately on the affected parts induces dispersion of the toxic accumulation from that region. Swellings, cramps, sprains, catches etc., respond very well to this alternate hot and cold fomentation. Even in cases of asthma, this is applied on the back of the sufferer with better results. On many occasions, we have observed a noticeable reduction in wheezing.