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Author Topic: Cool post from Doc's site  (Read 4179 times)

Gomboman

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Cool post from Doc's site
« on: December 28, 2005, 02:03:56 am »
I saw this post on Doc's site.  For those of you who haven't read this here you go.  It was written by Bob Lowry.

http://www.rhtubs.com/cgi-bin/bbs/config.pl?noframes;read=82853

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Found this, interesting reading on this subject.

I wrote a paper some years ago about soaking and what happens in "hot" water. This combined with input from other source established some guidelines that were eventually adopted by the NSPI (now APSP).

Guidelines are:

104 degrees 15 minutes
102 degrees 30 minutes
100 degrees 1-2 hours
98 all day

The good feeling of sitting in warm water has been known for centuries. With the introduction of spas and hot tubs, Americans rediscovered that great feeling. But what makes it feel so good?

Two hundred years ago, a doctor in Bath, England, (of all places) recorded the effects of warm-water immersion on one James Crewk. Crewk suffered from dropsy, jaundice, palsy, rheumatism and back pain.

Dropsy today is called congestive heart failure, and fluid retention is common to this condition. Cirrhosis of the liver is associated with jaundice and back pain. In short, Crewk was a drunk with a bad heart. The records show that when he was immersed in warm water, the swelling in Crewk?s legs was reduced, and he excreted more fluid than he drank.

Oddly enough, there is not much documented medical or scientific literature to be found on warm-water immersion. However, in the early years of America?s manned space program, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) became concerned about astronauts because of the illness and dizziness they suffered during relatively short periods in space.

A loss in salts and minerals (electrolytes) can cause this condition, and the agency realized that before longer space travel could be considered, a solution had to be found. Warm-water immersion (soaking in a spa or hot tub) was selected for the NASA experiments because you only weigh 10 percent of your body weight in water, and that was as dose as they could come to simulating the weightlessness of space here on earth.

The electrolyte changes, they discovered were triggered by hormones, and NASA has found a means to control hormones. But their work was helpful in finding out why we feel so good while soaking in warm water.

The experiments showed the following results:

Kidney function ? AL 95 degrees Fahrenheit, within a half hour, the kidney had put out twice as much urine as under normal, non-soaking conditions. At a temperature of 97 degrees F, the output of the kidneys dropped below normal. All of these changes are produced by hormones. The explanation is that the hormone responds first to the weightlessness but when the water temperature is higher than the skin temperature (about 95 degrees F), the process is reversed ? the body needs the electrolytes for sweating, so it saves them.

Bodily fluid level ? Within a half hour, the blood had diluted by 20 percent. This means that the bodily fluid (plasma) level had increased by 20 percent. This additional fluid came from body tissue.

Stress ? The stress hormones are adrenaline and noradrenalin. A high stress level produces more of these hormones. But the increase in plasma level brought about by the soaking caused the hormones to become diluted. And the rapid dilution of the stress hormones can lead to less stress.

Heart function ? There are bands of muscle surrounding the veins and arteries in your body. The effect of weightlessness is to relax these surrounding muscles, which allows the veins and arteries to increase in diameter. The end result is that blood can flow through your body more easily. The experiments showed that increasing temperature causes direct increase in blood flow, There is a 35-percent increase at about 91 degrees F, a 60-percent increase at 95 degrees F and a 100-percent increase at 98.6? F. During this increase in flow, the pulse rate does not change. The heart is pumping more blood without having to work any harder.

So, what are the advantages of soaking?
? The loss of salts and minerals (electrolytes) may help kidney disorders, gout, hypertension and cirrhosis.

? The increase in bodily fluid (plasma) level helps remove inflammation from joints and helps heal muscle injuries and fractures. II also helps reduce stress by lowering hormone levels.

? Increasing blood flow without increasing heart rate is less work for the heart, which may also help congestive heart failure. Muscle and tissue repair faster with increased blood flow. The body?s detoxifying system works faster with increased blood flow.

What about the flip side?

There are some disadvantages to soaking, but most of them are quite simple and can be avoided with common sense.

? Don?t drown. This includes keeping unsupervised children away and watching closely for hair entanglement.
? Sanitize regularly, and use other chemicals as directed to keep the spa or hot tub clean, sparkling and safe.
? Water temperature is important, Avoid prolonged exposure to water hotter than 100 degrees F. Never heat water to more than 104 degrees F

Understanding the physiology behind all this is one thing, but what makes soaking in hot water so enjoyable? My guess is that the millions of tiny bubbles breaking all over your body feels neat ? and that?s about as scientific as you really have to get.


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Cool post from Doc's site
« on: December 28, 2005, 02:03:56 am »

bob5820

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Re: Cool post from Doc's site
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2005, 08:10:58 am »
Interesting read. However it leaves me wondering why only 15 minutes at 104, 30 at 102 etc. What are the side effects of prolonged exposure at these heats. Granted after about 15 - 20 minutes at 102 -103 I'm about ready to call it quits anyway, but it would be interesting to know why these are the maximum times. Is this why the pumps on my tub shut off after 20 minutes.

drewstar

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Re: Cool post from Doc's site
« Reply #2 on: December 28, 2005, 08:42:24 am »
The other thing I would add is to suggest folks compare thier tub's thermometer against another thermometer.  I've heard of tubs being off by several degrees. You may think your water is only 100 degrees, but could find out it's 10,  or vice versa.  
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cappykat

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Re: Cool post from Doc's site
« Reply #3 on: December 28, 2005, 09:29:58 am »
Very interesting read.  Thanks gomboman!    
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Snowbird

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Re: Cool post from Doc's site
« Reply #4 on: December 28, 2005, 02:22:14 pm »
Good article.  Who knew all that happens to make us feel so good.

Checking the spa temp is a good idea.  It would be expensive to keep a tub at an exact temperature 100% of the time.  The equipment and electric costs would be prohibitive.

There has to be an allowable fluctuation to keep costs reasonable.  I am told Jacuzzi uses 1½°.

Theoretically, if I set my tub at 100° it should read 98° before the heater comes on. But I have never seen it below 99°.

So, if I want consistent 100° I need to set it at 101°.

Add this fluctuation allowance to an inaccurate thermometer and the margin for error is pretty big. :o
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HotTubMan

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Re: Cool post from Doc's site
« Reply #5 on: December 28, 2005, 03:31:03 pm »
Quote
Interesting read. However it leaves me wondering why only 15 minutes at 104, 30 at 102 etc. What are the side effects of prolonged exposure at these heats. Granted after about 15 - 20 minutes at 102 -103 I'm about ready to call it quits anyway, but it would be interesting to know why these are the maximum times. Is this why the pumps on my tub shut off after 20 minutes.


A possible side effect of excessive heat is hyperthermia:
http://www.wramc.amedd.army.mil/education/hyperthe.htm

Keep in mind that those temperature/time guildlines are jusr that, guildlines. You and I are not built the same nor do we have the same tolerances.

I can handle driving 70MPH in a 55, but 55 is what the powers at be have decided is a safe guildline for the masses.

It wasn't that long ago that most tubs could be set to 108 or higher.

My cousin (a tub dealer) had ordered a new board from Balboa so that his tub could go to 108. They made him sign a boat-load of waivers, but sold it to him.

So while 15 minutes at 104 is the guildline, some can only handle 5 minutes and others can handle 25 or more. Your body will tell you what you like.
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st18901

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Re: Cool post from Doc's site
« Reply #6 on: December 29, 2005, 09:44:19 pm »
I found this article when I was restoring my hot tub.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/library/1980_March_April/Build_a_Hot_Tub_



It really is a hoot. The best part is from the "temperature" section.

(here's a cut and paste in case you're feeling to lazy to go to the link.)

TEMPERATURES:   Most tubs are kept at temperatures ranging from a   tepid 100° to   a   sizzling 115°F   (a dial-type photographer's darkroom thermometer is   handy   for   taking comfort readings). We've found the best temperature for social soaks to be   between 105° and 107°, while 110° to 115° will   penetrate clear to the   bone.



:o
« Last Edit: December 29, 2005, 09:46:53 pm by st18901 »

windsurfdog

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Re: Cool post from Doc's site
« Reply #7 on: December 31, 2005, 08:37:31 am »
Quote
I found this article when I was restoring my hot tub.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/library/1980_March_April/Build_a_Hot_Tub_


It really is a hoot. The best part is from the "temperature" section.

(here's a cut and paste in case you're feeling to lazy to go to the link.)

 TEMPERATURES:   Most tubs are kept at temperatures ranging from a   tepid 100° to   a   sizzling 115°F   (a dial-type photographer's darkroom thermometer is   handy   for   taking comfort readings). We've found the best temperature for social soaks to be   between 105° and 107°, while 110° to 115° will   penetrate clear to the   bone.



 :o


LOL.......this brings on visions of Buggs Bunny in a caldron with Elmer Fudd slicing vegetables.....
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Hot Tub Forum

Re: Cool post from Doc's site
« Reply #7 on: December 31, 2005, 08:37:31 am »

 

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