Charcot shower: indications, contraindications, procedure

How does the Charcot shower procedure work?

The effectiveness of the method lies in the effect on the body of jets of water, which are supplied under high pressure (from 2 to 4 atmospheres) and have a contrasting temperature (20-40 oC). The procedure is carried out in a special shower room as follows:

The patient should stand at a distance of 3-5 m from the shower chair, behind which is the person conducting the session. If the shower is painful, you need to move away. To enhance the impact, you can stand closer.
Water is directed onto the patient's body, first with a fan, then with a compact jet under pressure.
Next, parts of the body (arms, back, sides, legs) are treated one by one with jets of hot, then cold water.
The body must gradually get used to the load, so in the first sessions only one jet is used. In this case, the water temperature should be 36-40 oC. In subsequent sessions it is gradually reduced, bringing it to 20 °C by the end of the course. On the contrary, the jet pressure increases.
If a Scottish shower is performed, during 1 procedure the water temperature is changed several times: first, the patient is exposed to hot (up to 42 °C) water for 30-40 seconds, and then switched to cold (15-20 °C) for 14-20 seconds .
The shower is directed from head to toe, first to the front surface of the body, then to the side and back surfaces. At the same time, avoid getting water on the head, the area of the spinal column, the genitals, and mammary glands.
Each limb is affected in turn (along the course of large vessels), after which the water is directed to the stomach (clockwise).

At the end of the procedure, the patient is given a fan contrast shower.
The duration of the first sessions of Charcot's shower is 1-2 minutes, then by the end of the course it is gradually increased to 5-7 minutes. It is recommended to carry out the procedure once every 2-3 days. You should not come to Charcot's shower sessions every day, since in this case the load on the body will be excessive. Depending on the indications and tolerability, the course of treatment may consist of several sessions - from 10 to 15. The cycle of procedures can be repeated after 6 months.

The procedure must be carried out by a competent specialist who can objectively assess the condition of the patient’s body and correctly change the jet pressure, adjust the water temperature, and, if necessary, provide medical assistance. Otherwise, the session may lead to negative consequences.

Do you need any preparation for the procedures?

A Charcot shower session does not require any special preparation. You need to take with you:

swimsuit (or swimming trunks);
shower cap;
slates;
towel.

After the procedure, no special skin care is needed. If muscle pain occurs, use painkillers and, if necessary, buy a product to speed up the resorption of bruises.

The benefits and harms of the procedure

A cycle of Charcot's shower sessions has a general strengthening, tonic effect on the body, and also has many other positive effects:

Improves the functioning of blood vessels, the lymphatic system, and increases the number of capillaries. As a result of increased blood flow, internal organs are better supplied with oxygen and nutrients.
Depending on the temperature of the water, the tone of the striated muscles and blood vessels increases or decreases.
The procedure stimulates the functions of the pituitary gland and hypothalamus, in turn this helps to improve the functioning of the endocrine and nervous systems.
The body begins a self-healing process. After several sessions, a person feels cheerful and energetic.
The manifestations of symptoms of inflammation and pain are reduced.
The immune system is activated.
Metabolism accelerates, which promotes weight loss and improves the processes of excretion of cellular metabolic products. We can say that Charcot's shower has a powerful fat-burning effect.

A course of procedures makes the skin fresh, tightened, eliminating signs of cellulite.
During the session, the lymphatic system is activated. As a result, cellular nutrition improves and the processes of removing waste and toxins are stimulated. Regular procedures can help resolve benign tumors.

Is there any harm?

The impact of water jets is often painful and leaves bruises on the body. As a rule, they appear after the first procedures, then disappear after about 2 weeks. Not all patients with increased pain sensitivity can withstand the full course. In this case, it is better to use other hydrotherapy methods.

According to patient reviews, subsequent procedures are less painful than the first.

If you ignore information about contraindications, chronic diseases may worsen. It is very important that the sessions are carried out by a competent specialist, otherwise Charcot’s shower can be harmful to health.

Indications

Charcot's shower is prescribed for the following indications:

disorders of the nervous system;
vegetative-vascular dystonia;
diseases of the digestive system;
joint pathologies;
osteochondrosis and other diseases of the spine;
minor disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular system;
chronic fatigue syndrome;
constant stress;
metabolic disorders;
weakened immunity;
diseases of an allergic nature;
obesity;
cellulite.

The procedures will also be useful during the rehabilitation period.

Hydrotherapy

Indications for hydrotherapy procedures

For the first time, the positive effects of cold water wraps were noted in the treatment of liver diseases in Ancient Rome.
Since then, the range of diseases for which water procedures are indicated has expanded significantly. Doctors recommend hydrotherapy for:

diseases of the central nervous system:
cerebral palsy;
Parkinson's disease;
sclerosis;
dysfunction of neurons, etc.
diseases of the musculoskeletal system:
arthrosis;
osteochondrosis;
partial paralysis;
radiculitis, etc.
chronic fatigue syndrome (burnout syndrome at work);
developmental disorders in children (including stuttering, unreasonable fears);
sports injuries, sprains, fractures;
rehabilitation after surgery.

Hydrotherapy plays a huge role during the patient’s recovery period after suffering serious illnesses or acute conditions, such as stroke, heart attack , vascular prosthetics or bypass surgery, severe fractures (for example, the hip joint).

Advantages and benefits of water procedures

Safety comes first on the list of positive effects of exercise in water on the body. Patients do not experience the fear of falling and are therefore more willing to perform the necessary exercises. Thanks to the physical properties of water, it is much easier for a patient during the rehabilitation period after a stroke or a patient with musculoskeletal disorders to perform certain movements in water that he could not do on land. Regular exercise can improve muscle tone, increase muscle extensibility, and normalize coordination.

Exercises in the pool help improve the functioning of joints without overloading them, normalize blood circulation, reduce the intensity of pain, and relieve muscle spasms.

Types of hydrotherapy treatments

In addition to pool activities, hydrotherapy includes:

contrast baths;
showers of various modifications (the most famous is Charcot’s shower);
treatment with water from thermal springs (baths, showers, wraps);
warm baths with the addition of essential oils (lavender, fir, pine, orange);
baths with infusions and decoctions of herbs (calendula, chamomile, sage, etc.);
underwater shower massage;
Vichy shower, which includes elements of a shower and hydromassage with water jets of varying degrees of intensity;
warm baths with hydromassage.

Contraindications to hydrotherapy may include skin diseases, coronary heart disease during an exacerbation, acute impairment of cerebral or coronary (cardiac) circulation, open wounds, benign and malignant tumors of the skin and internal organs. The possibility of using hydrotherapeutic procedures is determined by the attending physician in each specific case.

Balneotherapy

Contraindications

Charcot's shower procedures have contraindications:

skin diseases;
varicose veins;
weak blood vessels;
severe pathologies of the cardiovascular system;
urolithiasis disease;
malignant neoplasms;
pregnancy;
menstruation;
increase in body temperature.

Sessions are prescribed with caution in the following cases (so-called conditional contraindications):

protrusion;
women's diseases (gynecology);
hypertension;
skin diseases;
ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract;
blood diseases.

If a caesarean section was performed, at least 6 months should pass after this. You can undergo the procedure if there are no postoperative complications. The seam should be free of inflammation. In any case, all patients should first consult a doctor. Then it is recommended to undergo 1 procedure; if everything is in order, you can continue the course.

Adviсe:

immediately tune in to regularity; for a healing effect, the procedure must be carried out daily;
It is better to start in the warm season, in the morning, when you are healthy (in the absence of inflammatory diseases - cystitis, sinusitis, sore throat, runny nose, fever), you should not start during menstruation;
at first you can pour only your feet, and then your whole body;
you should start gradually, first take a comfortable shower with one slight temperature difference (contrast), then increase the temperature difference and duration;
The water should be cold, not tepid. Otherwise, you will simply freeze, but you need to put your body under stress;
pour over the entire body, do not linger in one place, wet your face before the procedure;
a surge of strength and energy, a good mood after a shower is a sign that you did everything right. Important! If you have chills, frozen hands or feet, you are doing something wrong!
Keep in mind that contrast showers should be taken with caution in certain diseases (hypertension, cerebrovascular accident, thrombophlebitis and others).

Consult your doctor!
Be healthy!

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Is it possible to carry out procedures at home?

Currently, plumbing stores sell many accessories for hydromassage at home. Using a special nozzle designed like a Charcot shower, you can conduct a session in your own bathroom. However, it is impossible to achieve the same effect, since the jet power will be less.

And the area of the bathroom will not allow you to maintain the required distance between the body and the taps. The water pressure will also not meet the standards. However, such a procedure at home will still be useful. It will have an excellent tonic effect, especially in the morning, and will give a boost of energy.

You can purchase a nozzle that provides water pressure up to 4 atmospheres. This indicator will be enough to perform a body massage. The hydromassage nozzle is fixed in place of a regular shower.

An alternative option is a contrast shower.

Create your own hydrotherapy at home

At home, you can use a cold shower. Start showering at a comfortable temperature. Slowly cool the water for five minutes until the temperature reaches 20 degrees, or until it becomes too cold to bear. Stay under a cold shower for 2-3 minutes. Some enthusiasts use the "all at once" method, saying that sudden immersion in cold water produces a greater effect.

Do what works for you. Try cold showers for a few weeks, even if you can only stand it for 30 seconds. Perhaps this will cheer you up.

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Which is better: Charcot shower or underwater hydromassage

An equally effective water procedure is underwater hydromassage. The patient is placed in a special bathroom 2 m long and 1 m wide, which is equipped with a pump and a flexible hose with a nozzle. The water temperature is 30-37 oC.

You can add sea salt, a decoction of medicinal herbs, and aroma oil to the bath.

The patient should first simply lie in the water for 5-7 minutes. Then the specialist begins the massage using a flexible hose through which water comes out under a pressure of 1-4 atmospheres. The massage therapist uses a jet of water to target all problem areas of the patient.

Underwater hydromassage is effective for excess weight, cellulite, and swelling.

The duration of the procedure is 15-35 minutes, the frequency is every day or every other day. The recommended course is 10-20 baths, after six months it can be repeated.

Compared to Charcot's shower, underwater hydromassage has a more gentle effect on the body and has fewer contraindications. These include:

urolithiasis disease;
vein diseases;
severe hypertension;
exacerbation of cardiovascular diseases;
cerebrovascular accidents;
pustular skin diseases;
malignant neoplasms;
pregnancy.

The patient does not experience any painful sensations during the sessions, but the cost of the course will be higher. Charcot's shower is more affordable and more effective from a cosmetological point of view, although it gives the patient discomfort during the session. For maximum results, you can combine both methods.

Contrast shower as a remedy for VSD

About a month has passed since the first manifestations of VSD and the first panic attacks. During this time, I underwent an examination, slowly treated the hiatal hernia, put the gastrointestinal tract in order, began an attack on the VSD (took Sonapax, Eglonil and Grandaxin), but there was no noticeable improvement. There was still a lump in my throat, chest pain, dizziness and other misfortunes. There were no severe panic attacks, but the borderline state sometimes set in. In general, the unequal battle continued, with no end in sight.

And then one day, after I was seized with insomnia for several days, my attending physician said: “That’s it! Stop babying, it's time to take effective measures! You need a contrast shower.”

Honestly, I didn’t even know how to react to these words: this decision seemed too frivolous to me. I thought it would be about some strong drug or a referral to a specialized clinic, no less. And then there's the shower...

I, of course, heard about the usefulness of a contrast shower and maybe once before I even tried to take it, although I doubt that I have ever succeeded. But I didn’t really know what effect it had on the body and what benefits this procedure brought.

But this “state of not standing” (I’m talking about VSD, nothing more) really got me so sick that I was ready to use any opportunity and try any procedure just to make it feel better. Shower so shower!

I remember how somewhat surprised I was when the doctor told me that I needed to change the water (hot and cold) at least three times, but I shrugged my shoulders and trudged home to start water procedures.

It was quite an attraction, let me tell you! It’s cruel, as they like to say now! Being doused with hot water was still “back and forth,” but when streams of cold water fell on the body, it was something! Moreover, I immediately chose the toughest option: hot water “at the limit of patience”, cold water - the tap is all the way. When I tried to count out loud under streams of cold water, at first it looked like a convulsive gasping for air and indistinct, abrupt sounds-moans. I remember that at first it was enough for me to count to twenty at best, at a fast pace, of course. In general, this is not the right approach, but I didn’t think about it at the time. I just wanted to get rid of my suffering. And little by little my usual downtrodden and painful state began to “lighten and become clearer.” At first this was noticeable for some time after taking a contrast shower, then I noticed that my general condition became a little better. I showered twice a day and changed the water temperature three times. I got used to it very quickly, gradually I began to like it, then even some kind of addiction appeared. I think this kind of addiction is not the worst, it can be allowed to develop without harm to health

And now I will focus on how to properly take a contrast shower. The first rule is that the procedure always begins with dousing with hot water, and the procedure always ends with a cold shower. After finishing the procedure, I highly recommend rubbing yourself with a towel!

And now about the water temperature: there is one rule - you should be quite comfortable, but at the same time you should clearly feel the temperature contrast when changing the water. At the beginning of the procedure, the contrast may be minimal, then the temperature difference can be increased. The number of “repetitions” should be at least three, but the rule here is simple – the more, the stronger the effect. Moreover, the effect of a contrast shower depends to a greater extent not on the temperature difference, but on the number of contrast shifts. It is recommended to carry out 5-7 changes in water temperature. It is better to protect your head, especially if you have problems with cerebral circulation, from a contrast shower, keep this in mind.

I took a contrast shower for 6 years. Even when only unpleasant memories remained about VSD. Training vascular tone, strengthening the nervous system and immunity, boosting energy and good mood - can this really harm you?

Only laziness can do harm! Gradually I began to relax and allow myself to skip water procedures. Then I started taking a contrast shower “on occasion”... And then it hit me for the second time! I’m not saying that it happened precisely because I “abandoned” the procedures, but I am more than sure that this circumstance played a significant role in the return of my problems.

So don’t repeat my mistakes, take care of yourself and your health! Don’t be lazy to take a contrast shower and you will be happy

Comments (from archive):

Evgeniy 10/03/2013 Normal! This is how I treat myself! After a year of regular dousing, things got a lot better!

Veronica 10/20/2013 Please tell me, can this method be used for anxiety neurosis?

Doc (Author) 10.21.2013 And with anxiety neurosis it is possible, why not? Contraindications are obvious, diagnostically proven problems with blood vessels and only if the attending physician prohibits it. A contrast shower not only strengthens and tones blood vessels, but also trains the nervous system. Each change in temperature is a kind of mini-stress for the nervous system, and if these mini-stresses are constantly present, then the nervous system begins to adapt to them. Accordingly, a more serious stressful situation will not be tolerated by the body as hard as it was before. Like that

Maya 01/23/2014 Hello, once again! But for the sake of discussion - do you think, when taking a contrast shower, is it important how, let’s say, the water “falls” on the “patient”)))? Namely, my shower is not fixed, therefore, I literally pour water on myself with my own hands, directing streams of water to different parts of the body (well, in principle, it doesn’t work out any other way). Or, correctly, the water should evenly “fall”, so to speak, on the entire body at the same time, as when doused from a bucket or when standing under the shower, at worst. Your opinion, please!!! )))

Doc (Author) 01/23/2014 My opinion is not important! When I started taking a contrast shower, I had the same situation - I had to douse myself while holding a watering can in my hand. Nevertheless, this did not stop me from feeling an improvement and getting used to the procedure to such an extent that one of the main conditions for the renovation in the new apartment was a huge expensive shower head. Now, of course, the conditions are better, but still, standing under the streams of water, I constantly turn around, because that if you just stand under the stream, then the entire main flow falls on your head, which, in general, is wrong. On the contrary, the head should be protected a little from strong contrast, especially if there are problems with the vessels of the brain. So, as you can see, there is not much difference...

Anatoly 05/29/2014 But I still can’t decide, well, I don’t like the cold)))

Vasily 07/06/2014 In addition to showering, exercise helps me a lot. First, warm up, then push-ups, squats and lifting the torso (abs). At the beginning I couldn’t even do ten push-ups, my condition was so bad. From any load, my heart was pounding in my head, my head was spinning, it was just terrible to remember. After a few months of struggling with myself, I felt better. The main thing is not to relax and not give up.

Anna 04/11/2015 I, too, have been suffering from VSD and severe panic attacks as well as osteochondrosis for 11 years! It's horrible!!! I’ll try to walk around the apartment because panic attacks have started to come even when I’m sleeping! I suddenly wake up and I don’t know what’s wrong with me, the feeling of fear of death. I started taking baclosan and it seems to be helping.

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