Are warm, cold water good for health?
Dear Dr. Donya,
I am a regular reader of your article in The Jakarta Post. I want to ask you two questions:
1. I would like to know the advantages of taking a whirlpool in warm water, about 40 degrees Celsius. How long should one stay in the water? Next to the warm whirlpool, there is often a pool of cold water. Should we use the whirlpool first and then go into the cold pool, because that way we will have plenty of sweat afterwards? We need to know the correct way to use the whirlpool as well as the health benefits of taking a whirlpool.
2. If I have high blood pressure which I control by taking medicine every morning, am I allowed to become a blood donor, at least every three months? Some doctors say people with high blood pressure should not donate blood while others say the opposite, saying that with less blood in the body my heart is more relaxed and pumps less, which is good for me.
-- Benny
Dear Benny,
They are very interesting questions.
Sources of heat and cold, such as a hot bath and hot or cold compresses, can soothe sore and inflamed muscles. Hot water helps loosen tight muscles, so the result may relieve pain in joints or muscles. How long should you soak? I suggest 20 minutes maximum due to hydration and heat issues.
If you have an injury, use a cold treatment for up to 20 minutes. Use ice for as long as spasms persist. I do not recommend changing temperature very quickly by going from too hot to too cold.
For the blood pressure, the fact is that a stronger heart can pump more blood with less effort, and the less your heart has to work the less force or pressure that is exerted on your arteries.
For hypertension and blood donations, they are a few points that have to be considered. For example, what do you mean by "control" and how many medications do you take to control your blood pressure? And do you have any heart problems or heart enlargement.
I would say if your blood pressure is under 140/90 and you have no heart problems in terms of enlargement, and your blood pressure is under control with one or two medications then you should be able to donate blood.
-- Dr. Donya