Detoxification is the natural or artificially removal of harmful substances from the body. Removal of toxins from our systems is through perspiration, urine, gas, and feces by the liver, skin, lungs, kidneys, and gastrointestinal system. However, some people employ alternative medicine for detoxication to enhance their health or lose weight. Patients with kidney damage must undergo dialysis, an invasive procedure that removes impurities from their blood. Other than that, there is no need for detoxification since the body can clean itself. One of the ways people detoxify is through hydrotherapy, where the use of water is crucial.
Hydrotherapy is the use of water for the alleviation of pain and treatment. In addition, our bodies metabolize food to make adenosine triphosphate while releasing toxins such as urea and carbon dioxide. Water is a vehicle to eliminate toxins through moisture in the lungs, urine through kidneys, and feces through the digestive system. Research from Ellapen et al. (2018) showed that individuals suffering from spinal cord injury significantly improved in underwater posture kinematics, thermoregulatory responses, cardiorespiratory, and spasticity. When the heart is working well, kidneys too will be able to do ultrafiltration, which is essential in eliminating urea and maintaining acid-base balance. The gaseous exchange is efficient when the lungs work well, removing toxic chemicals through exhaled gases.
Detoxification is done naturally in healthy individuals, and there is no need for alternative medicine such as hydrotherapy. However, individuals with spinal cord injury need hydrotherapy to stimulate cardiovascular and respiratory systems, which is essential in eliminating toxins through the lungs and kidneys as gases and urine, respectively. Government and non-governmental organizations should support and invest more in hydrotherapy research to realize its full potential.
Reference
Ellapen, T. J., Hammill, H. V., Swanepoel, M., & Strydom, G. L. (2018). The benefits of hydrotherapy to patients with spinal cord injuries. African Journal of Disability, 7. Web.