Barbara Huber
DemoPraxis Barbara Huber
- 5.0(2)
- Chur
- Languages: de · en
HydrotherapyNaturopathyTraditional European Medicine (TEM)
- Price
- CHF 60–140
Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy is the targeted use of water at different temperatures and in different forms: affusions, partial and full baths, contrast baths, washes, steam and exercise in warm water. Warmth relaxes and improves blood flow, while short cold stimuli activate the circulation. It is used in physiotherapy, rehabilitation clinics and naturopathy.
- therapists
- 2
- session length
- 20–45 min
Therascout does not diagnose. Have new, severe or persistent complaints checked by a doctor first. In an emergency: 144
Origin and approach
Water treatments have been known since ancient times; in the 19th century they were popularised by Vincenz Priessnitz and Sebastian Kneipp, among others. The idea is that temperature stimuli trigger responses in the blood vessels, nervous system and muscles, and buoyancy in water takes the load off the joints. For exercise in warm water and baths in osteoarthritis and back pain there are signs of short-term relief, but the studies are often small.
What a session is like
Length: 20–45 min- First, the therapist checks your complaints as well as your heart, circulation and blood pressure.
- Depending on the goal, a treatment follows, such as a partial bath, an affusion, a contrast bath or exercises in a therapy pool.
- Afterwards, you rest, warmly covered.
- You often get instructions for simple treatments at home.
Hydrotherapy: what is it used for?
- Back and joint pain, for example with osteoarthritis, especially with exercise in warm water.
- Muscle tension.
- Stress and relaxation; this use is based mainly on experience.
- Stimulating the circulation, traditionally.
How well is the effect supported?
Complaints for which this method is commonly used, sorted by the state of research. The rating shows how well the effect is supported, not whether it will help you.
What do the dots mean?How to read the rating
- Established
- recommended in guidelines, well studied
- Partly supported
- effect shown in studies, with limitations
- Limited evidence
- few or weak studies
- Hardly studied
- used, but hardly or not studied
The rating covers the research, not the therapist.
- Partly supported
Joint pain
Exercise in water slightly improves pain and function in the short term. The evidence is of moderate quality.
Therapists: Hydrotherapy
Costs and health insurance
- Basic insurance
- only with doctors who hold the relevant certificate.
- Supplementary insurance
- often 50–80% with EMR- or ASCA-recognised therapists, often up to an annual maximum.
- Your insurer
- Each profile shows which insurers recognise the therapist.
- Practice prices
- See prices in each practice profile.
Good to know
- Cold and hot stimuli put a strain on the heart and circulation: with heart disease, high blood pressure or vein problems, check with a doctor first which treatments are suitable.
- Hydrotherapy is not done with fever, acute infections or open wounds.
- The effect depends on regular use; often a series of 6 to 12 treatments is planned.
Training and recognition in Switzerland
Hydrotherapy is part of the training of physiotherapists, medical massage therapists with a federal certificate and naturopaths in Traditional European Medicine. As part of physiotherapy prescribed by a doctor, basic insurance covers it; otherwise supplementary insurance contributes depending on the policy, usually only with EMR or ASCA registration.