Most people will be aware that using a hot tub can really help with many different health issues, but how many people know why that is. It’s a well known fact that heat can reduce pain. We’ve all held a hot water bottle to our abdomens to take away period pains or tummy ache, but a hot tub can actually take pain relief to another level. It works like this; in usual circumstances when the body is exposed to heat it will try and cool itself down by carrying the heat to the surface via your blood vessels. The cooled blood is then circulated around the rest of your body reducing your temperature. However when using a hot tub the heat is kept at a constant level, so any blood will be circulated deep inside your body at a warmer temperature than usual, so it delivers therapeutic heat where other treatments cannot. Pain relief is experienced because your body is actually focusing on the higher temperature which can have a slightly numbing effect on your central nervous system.
Think about how much weight our joints have to cope with and there’s no wonder we sometimes suffer from aches and pains; even those who aren’t prone to arthritis. Sitting in a hot tub, the buoyancy of the water will effectively reduce the weight of our bodies by about 90% taking away any pressure from our joints. This can be extremely effective in reducing pain and discomfort and is also helped by the heat.
The massage jets, which in many hot tubs can be increased or decreased, can be a great help in relaxing tight, painful muscles. Many have small jets that can provide relief to the muscles in your neck and shoulders and larger jets that can be positioned so they focus on your back, providing an effective treatment for those who suffer from lower back pain.
