ABSTRACT
One of the methods of external treatment is herbal bathing. We studied the usefulness of herbal bathing by investigating the physiological and biochemical changes that occurred during whole-body herbal bathing.<br>Eleven healthy adult males (36±9 years old) were subjected to two types of bathing, herbal bathing and plain water bathing, at an interval of four or more days at random sequence after giving written informed consents. Physiological and biochemical changes were monitored 10min before bathing, 10min during herbal bathing in the sitting position, and up to 60min after bathing.<br>The results showed that the skin temperature of the face (forehead) and hands decreased at a slower rate, fluctuations of the blood pressure were smaller, and the peripheral vascular resistance decreased more faster in herbal bathing than in plain water bathing. These results suggest that herbal bathing is more effective in maintaining peripheral skin temperature, stimulates peripheral circulations, and suppresses excessive fluctuations of blood pressure better than in plain water bathing. Analysis of the autonomic nervous activity by ECG R-R variability showed that the parasympathetic tone was more predominant in the herbal bathing than in plain water bathing, supporting the result showing a larger relaxing effect in herbal bathing. Although there was no significant difference between herbal bathing and plain water bathing in terms of changes in the total blood volume of the Musculus Trapezius, the increase in the total blood volume of the forehead was greater in herbal bathing than in plain water bathing. These results suggested that the herbal bathing might be able to increase the blood volume of the frontal lobe.<br>These differences of the physiological changes between herbal bathing and plain water bathing indicated that the herbal bathing may stimulate the circulation in the frontal lobe as well as the skeletal muscles. These results supported the health-promoting effects of herbal bathing.
ABSTRACT
Balneotherapy includes several modalities of treatments and wellness programs, such as physiological and pharmacological effects of hot spring bathing and aqua-exercise, relaxing and biorhythm adjusting effects of staying in the urban climates and educational instruction for healthier life style. We examined health promoting effects of the comprehensive balneotherapy as a whole by the randomized controlled study. 89 women, who had no medical care, and were aged 40-65 years (mean +/- SD age: 59.0 +/- 8.0 years), volunteered for this investigation. Subjects were assigned at random to three groups; group 1 was the control group without any intervention; group 2 with exercise for 60min and educational guidance; group 3 with exercise for 30min and balneotherapy including aquaexercise for 30min and bathing in hot spring for 30min in addition to educational guidance. Each group followed the prescribed program twice a week for 3 months. There was no significant difference in age, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, heart rate, %FAT, diet/exercise custom and psychological conditions among the three groups. Before and after the program, the physiological, biochemical and psychological measurements were performed: body weight, blood pressure, heart rate, physical strength using ergometer, serum lipids, liver function and questionnaires with profile of mood state (POMS) and self relating depression scale (SDS). After excluding 4 subjects who were dropped out because of their convenience, the results were compared. In group 2 (N=28) and 3 (N=28), body weight, BMI, blood pressure and heart rate were significantly decreased and their physical strength and psychological condition were improved significantly (p<0.05). Furthermore only in group 3, serum total cholesterol, atherogenic index and triglyceride were significantly decreased (p<0.05). The difference between these two groups was not due to changing of their diet and estimated energy consumption by daily activities during 3 months. These data suggest the efficacy of balneotherapy with hot spring bathing and aqua-exercise for health promotion.
ABSTRACT
We studied temperature-dependent effects of the footbath on heart rate variability, EEG (F3, F4, P3, P4 of 10/20 international method), cerebral circulation, and subjective comfort, using electrocardiography (ECG), electroencephalography (EEG), near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), transcranial Doppler (TCD) and face scale. Subjects were 14 healthy adult women (32±6 years old) who took 3 types of footbath (10cm below the knee at 38°C, 40°C, and 42°C) and the control sitting position without footbath in a randomized sequence after providing written informed consent. Their ECG, EEG, NIRS on the forehead, and TCD findings for the middle cerebral artery were monitored for 50min including a 30min footbath. Subjective changes were monitored every 5min using the face scale. LF (low frequency; 0.04-0.15Hz) and HF (high frequency; 0.15-0.4Hz) components and Lorenz plots parameters were obtained from ECG R-R variability. EEG power and EEG right-left coherence were also calculated.<br>At 42°C footbath, total hemoglobin (Hb) concentration of the forehead, LF/HF ratio, Pulsatility Index (PI: a marker of intracranial circulation and intracranial pressure obtained from TCD), and parietal β<sub>1</sub> wave power increased significantly. HF power and EEG coherence of θ and α<sub>1</sub> wave of the parietal and frontal leads decreased significantly with decline of comfort. At 40°C, cerebral circulation, LF/HF and PI changed less, but EEG power of the frontal α<sub>1</sub> and α<sub>2</sub>, and parietal β<sub>1</sub> waves increased significantly after the cessation of footbath with simultaneous increase of comfort. At 38°C, transient but significant decrease of PI value after footbath was associated with significant increase of EEG power of the frontal θ and parietal α<sub>2</sub> waves after footbath. Parameters having statistically significant correlation with subjective comfort were HF power, Lorenz plots parameters, EEG power and coherence, and frontal Oxy Hb (r=0.150-0.231, p<0.0001 by Spearman's method). The EEG power of frontal α<sub>1</sub> waves had the largest correlation coefficient with subjective comfort (r=0.231, p<0.0001).<br>It was assumed that temperature-dependent changes of autonomic nervous activity and cerebral circulation caused changes of EEG and comfort during footbath. It was indicated that frontal α<sub>1</sub> wave power of EEG and Lorenz plots parameters obtained from R-R variability may be usable as indices of comfort in hot bathing.
ABSTRACT
Temperature dependent systematic circulatory changes by the pure thermal action were studied by means of footbath, which can neglect hydrostatic pressure and buoyancy. 14 healthy adult females (32±6 yeas old) took footbath at 38, 40, 42°C and control footbath after providing the written informed consent. The experiments started corthe permission of protocol of this experiment by the Ethical Committee of International Research Center for Traditional Medicine. They took footbath after 10 minutes' rest in a sitting position. Each footbath was 30 minutes long, followed by 10 minutes' rest. The same subject participated in the studies four times at the same time of the day before lunch. These experiments were in a random order four days apart each other except during menstruation periods. Their systemic circulatory changes and autonomic nervous balance calculated from FFT analysis of the R-R variability were monitored by the automatic sphygmomanometer, impedance cardiography and ECG, and their cerebral circulatory changes were monitored by the Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) and the Transcranial Doppler (TCD), and skin circulation was measured by the thermographic changes of the face and hand. Their subjective comfort was assessed by the face scale every 5 minutes. The results showed that their cardiac output and blood pressure increased, and tissue blood flow of the M. Trapezius and the skin temperature of both hand and face increased in temperature dependent manner. Simultaneously LF/HF or HF power changed depending on the temperature. Regarding cerebral circulation, total blood volume of the surface of the frontal lobe was suspected to be increased, however, elevation of PI values indicated an increase of the intracranial pressure. The same systemic and autonomic nervous changes of footbath were reported in full body bath. Considering the subjective comfort, the appropriate duration of footbath for healthy persons may be 20-25min at 38°C, 15min at 40°C, 10min at 42°C. Circulatory activation by footbath may support the clinical utility of footbath for the safe care of aged people who may be drawn in bath tub. High PI value at 42°C footbath which means high intracranial pressure may cause the accidents during lethal hot bathing.