| Back to menu Thalassotherapy other reading Alain Jouan is founder and President of Bouvier Hydro Inc. North America and France with offices in Montreal, Paris and factory in Germany.  Alain Jouan is a French-born Hydrotherapy specialist who has spent many years creating and manufacturing Hydrotherapy tubs and showers for European and Asian Thalassotherapy Spa markets.Jouan's family has been producing hydrotherapy equipments since 1906... Bouvier Hydro is available to provide full service for Hydrotherapy concept and equipments.Information : 514. 629. 7092. Fax : 514. 629. 8293. 1. Definition Generalities " Vichy Shower = Rain Shower = Affusion Shower. " The vichy shower is a rain-like spray produced by 5 micro jets fixed to an horizontal rail. The person is lying down on a couch where the water is prayed over the whole body, she is wrapped up in a thin and warm rain. This shower can be associated with a manual massage given by a specialized therapeutist.  Specificity The vichy shower consists of 5 adjustable micro jets which can be switched off, a switchboard fitted with a thermostatic equipment for accurate temperatures and a tap to control pressure variations. In practice . The temperature ranges from 37¡C to 40¡C (97¡F to 104¡F) . The basic pressure is usually set at 3 bars, the pressure on the patient's skin is a few hundred grams (rain-like spray) and reach 1 bar (14 PSI) maximum (needle-like rain). This type of strong jet brings about a percussive shower with a heavy flow, the action of the therapeutist's hand is in this case of outstanding importance, because it's his/her dexterity which will give the shower all its consequence. 2. Why? The effects of the affusion shower result from the combination of: . The rain-like spray and the pressure . The temperature . The actions of the therapeutist's hands in case of manual massage 2.1 The rain-like spray and the pressure These two constants are associated, as a matter of fact the sensations induced on the cutaneous sensibility and the muscular relaxation are dependent on the type of rain produced. We observe two types: R1 - Soft rain with a maximum pressure of 400g.(6 p.s.i.) R2 - Heavy rain with a pressure never exceeding 1 Bar. (14 p.s.i.) R1 The obtained rain brings about an homogeneous pressure over the whole body of the patient. Every drop of warm rain has a superficial anaesthetic effect. This effect is very often at the origin of the cut-out phenomenon of the interfering contractions due to small articular traumatisms (caused by rheumatism or sport). It is the type of rain necessary to apply manual massages, as a matter of fact the therapeutist's hands can help the connective tissue and the totality of the muscles without causing any mechanical pain. R2 The rain obtained is perceived as a group of pin pricks; each prick is a tonic for the cutaneous and vascular planes, initiating as reaction, a muscular relaxation. This type of shower is applicable to healthy vascular and cutaneous tissues. It's the ideal care after practicing a sport. R1 Cutaneous . Sedating . Peeling Vascular Connective . Draining . Suppling Muscular . Suppling . Relaxing In general & psychologically . Relaxing, sedative R2 Cutaneous . Tonifying . Peeling Vascular Connective . Stimulating . Tonifying Muscular . A posteriori relaxing (30 mn rest) In general & psychologically . Tonifying 2.2 Thermic Generalities The human body is an homeotherm, which means that his internal temperature remains constant (37¡C or 98.5¡F). Through different kinds of reactions like cutaneous, cardio-vascular and muscular reactions, the body maintains this thermic constant. The human body is in a state of thermic neutrality when placed motionless in an average temperature environment. The reactions needed to reach a thermic balance are set off as soon as these two constants stop existing. In an hydrous environment, the thermic neutrality is located between (28¡C and 35¡C or 82.5¡F and 95¡F) (Bracket varying from one person to an other). Specificities R1 In the usual practice, the affusion shower is applied at a temperature of (37¡C-38¡C or 98.5¡F-100.5¡F) (impact temperature on the patient's skin), the thermic reactions are interesting and combine with chemical reactions. As a matter of fact, the penetration of meneral elements is stimulated by this circulatory activation. A period of 8 mn minimum is required to obtain a sedative effect. R2 For this shower the lowerst temperatures are recommended (32¡C to 36¡C or 89.5¡F to 97¡F), the thermic effect is of less importance, but is nevertheless in relation with the wanted tonic effect too. THERMIC EFFECTS Temperature: Warm & Lukewarm Vasodilation Relaxation (32¡C to 39¡C or 89.5¡F to 102¡F) Hypertension Tachycardia and Light Weariness Action Reaction Cardio-vascular: Vasoconstriction Relaxation and General Suppling if the body is not covered Temperature Nervous System Practical Conditions Warm & Lukewarm Antalgic against all kinds 5 minutes minimum (32 C to 39 C or 89.5 F to 102 F) of Mechanical Pains 10 minutes maximum Action Reaction Idem Necessary rest 30 minutes  3. HOW Generalities In both types of vichy shower, the patient is lying down on a couch in the most relaxing position. The shower lasts 8 mn minimum: 4 mn lying on one's stomach and 4 mn lying on one's back. Think of the patient's comfort: . Lying down on his/her back: place a comfort pillow in the nape of his/her neck, and a screen to protect the eyes from splashings. . Lying down on his/her stomach: place a comfort pillow under the lumbar region. As far as the hygiene is concerned, a waterproof paper sheet can be unrolled on the treatment couch. Specificity The vichy shower rail is mobile and can easily be pushed aside to install the patient or turn him/her over. The regulation of the temperature is ensured by a thermostatic tap. The regulation of the opening and closing of the jets is ensured according to the prescribing doctor's instructions. The pressure is regulated by turning more or less the tap provided for this purpose. Thalassotherapy other reading © SPA MANAGEMENT |