Comparative study on immediate effect of hot and cold arm bath with foot bath on autonomic variables among healthy individuals

COMPARATIVE STUDY ON IMMEDIATE EFFECT OF HOT AND COLD ARM BATH WITH FOOT BATH ON AUTONOMIC VARIABLES AMONG   HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS.

Hydrotherapy is a type of naturopathy that involves using water in a variety of states, pressures, temperatures, and applications for therapeutic purposes. Immersion baths, underwater massages, foot and arm baths, sitz baths, and whirlpool baths (Jacuzzis) were the hydrotherapeutic procedures that received the greatest research attention.Cold water Immersion (CWI) causes the body to undergo considerable physiological and biochemical changes, including a rise in heart rate and blood pressure.In contrast, during 30 minutes of head-out WI (38.41± 0.04°C), an increase in HR and a drop in SBP and DBP were seen .

Neural factors, as well as others like temperature, hormones, etc., govern cardiovascular functioning. The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), which is primarily responsible for maintaining and regulating cardiac functions like systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) and heart rate, is one of them (HR).

The effect of water temperature (WT) on HRV was examined in few earlier research. According to the short-term estimate of HRV time-domain analysis, hydrostatic pressure and cold-induced peripheral vasoconstriction during CWI are also thought to help restore cardiac parasympathetic activation. The impact of water immersion temperature on variability in heart rate.WI significantly alters how the autonomic nerve system functions. Heart rate variability(HRV) was examined in relation to three different water temperatures (33°C, 36°C, and 39°C). Each water temperature had distinct impacts on Core Body Temperature (CBT), Peripheral Temperature (PT), and HRV during Water Immersion(WI). For therapeutic purposes, the water’s temperature is essential .A crucial connection exists between cognitive function, HRV, and prefrontal brain function, and it has significant effects on both physical and mental health.Healthy human heart rate (HR) is regulated by physical, emotional, and cognitive activity, and heart rate variability (HRV) refers to the physiological oscillations that cause varying beat-to-beat variations in HR. The most accurate and accessible indices of autonomic control and vagal activity may be HR and HRV.However, despite the widespread use of Hot arm and foot bath and cold arm and foot baths, the precise physiological reactions of hot arm and foot bath have been studied  and precise physiological reactions of cold have not been studied.This is the first comparative study on immediate effect of hot and cold arm bath with foot bath on autonomic variables among healthy individuals conducted to better understand the underlying physiological mechanisms. Few studies have been conducted on numerous naturopathic treatment techniques to investigate their physiological effects. Before using them as therapeutic agents, it is essential to understand the underlying mechanisms. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the comparative study on immediate effect of hot and cold arm bath with foot bath on autonomic variables among healthy individuals.   OBJECTIVE:

To study Comparative study on immediate effect of hot and cold arm bath with foot bath on autonomic variables among healthy individuals.

To assessthe blood pressure.

To assess the Heart rate variability.

Method

Group 1: Intervention group -Subjects will receive Hot arm and foot bath for 15 to 20 minutes.

Group 2: control group- subjects will receive cold arm and foot bath for 15 to 20 minutes.

Pre assessment 5 minutes priorto the intervention and Post assessments will be done immediately within5 min after the intervention. The data collectedwill be tabulated and analyzedusing appropriate statistical methods.