Traditional Hydrotherapy

from Hydrothermic Remedies...

Any cold applications makes pleurisy worse

Treatment:

• Heavy Fomentation to chest, well down under arms, 20min, repeat 3x, then finish with a warm Shower. NO COLD
• Heating Compress to chest, cover with long-sleeved shirt, at night
• If patient does not respond, especially elderly, search for underlying pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, tuberculosis or cancer.

Contraindications:

• Hot and Cold Lung Compress

from Dr JH Kellogg's Prescriptions...

Acute Pleurisy

General Method:

• Improve resistance by Graduated Tonic Cold 2-3x a day
• Leg Bath if extremities are cold
• Water Drinking and Aseptic Diet

Problems:

• Pleural Inflammation
• Pleuritic Pain
• Pleural Exudate

Chronic Pleurisy

General Method:

• Neutral Tub Bath at night 3x a week, 20-30min
• Graduated Tonic Cold daily
• Fomentations to chest 3x a day or Revulsive Douche or Revulsive Compress with protected Heating Compress in interval
• Aseptic Diet
• Calisthenics to expand chest and prevent adhesions

Problems:

Tubercular Pleurisy

from Dr JH Kellogg's Hydriatic Techniques...

Problems:

• Active Chest Congestion
• Pleuritic Pain

Acute Pleurisy

• Vascular Antiphlogistics
  • stage I Wet Sheet Pack
• Inflammation Fever

Chronic Pleurisy

see Passive Chest Congestion

With adhesions

• Percussion
• Local Eliminative

Contra-indications

• Shallow Bath

from Dr GK Abbott's Prescriptions...

Empyema of the pleura is only treated surgically

In:

• Typhoid Fever

Problems:

• Active Chest Congestion
• Valvular Heart Disease
• Visceral Congestion in early stages

Acute Stage: at first indication

Depletion by heat alone:

• large, very hot Fomentations over chest - no cold between may need up to 5 changes until pain completely relieved. If only one side must cover spine to sternum
  • with Hot Foot Bath
  • finish with Cold Mitten Friction to all but inflamed area after the first treatment
  • followed by Half Chest Pack over area only or if patient is thin or weak Dry Pack to chest.
  • both reinforced with Hot Water Bottle to chest outside pack

After 3 treatments:

• treatment as above in morning with...
• Scotch Compress (cold remaining until warm) then next
  • Fomentation in the afternoon

After acute stage (and pain) is passed:

• begin by heating with Hot Foot Bath or Fomentations to chest then
  • Scotch Douche or Alternate Douche (spray) to chest over area without percussion then
  • Alternate Douche (percussion) to feet and legs

In convalescence:

• Alternate Douche to back, front and sides of chest WITHOUT percussion or pressure or following massage (any vibration, even in a car, can cause recurrence)
• with - Alternate Foot Douche or Alternate Foot Bath

For diaphragmatic pleurisy:

• Fomentations from nipples to navel and down sides of chest
• followed by Heating Compress to same area

Contra-indications

• Cold treatments over the chest until acute stage is past (2-3 days) because local retrostasis increases congestion and can prolong the inflammation for weeks
• Cold Mitten Friction over the inflamed area
• Cold Towel Rub
• Cold Sponge