What treatment involves alternating cold and hot water immersion?

The treatment that involves alternating cold and hot water immersion is known as a contrast bath. This therapeutic technique is utilized for various purposes, including reducing muscle soreness, improving circulation, and promoting recovery after intense physical activity. The pairing of cold and hot water induces vascular changes in the body. The cold water immersion constricts blood vessels, reducing blood flow and swelling, while the hot water immersion dilates blood vessels, increasing blood flow and aiding in the removal of metabolic waste products. This alternating process can help enhance the healing process and alleviate pain or discomfort in injured areas.

While heat therapy and cryotherapy are focused on utilizing either heat or cold in isolation for therapeutic benefits, they do not employ the alternating strategy that defines a contrast bath. Hydrotherapy broadly refers to the use of water for therapeutic purposes but does not specifically imply the alternating immersion technique used in contrast baths.