(Photo: Pexels/Ron Lach )
Heat and hydrotherapy offer some health benefits. However, experts warned about hot tub lung.
What Is Hot Tub Lung?
Hot tub lung is a particular type of hypersensitivity pneumonitis brought on by the lung's inflammatory response, or swelling, to liquid or solid airborne droplets tainted by bacteria or other pathogens.
Hot Tub Lung is not an infection even though infectious organisms cause it. Instead, the illness is brought on by the body's response to the bacterium. Some individuals develop it in their respiratory system.
The most prevalent kind of bacteria linked to hot tub lung is "nontuberculous mycobacterium." Mycobacteria is a type of bacteria related to those that cause tuberculosis (TB).
Nontuberculous mycobacterium can result in lung illness but does not cause tuberculosis. Mycobacterium avium is a kind of mycobacterium reported to be nontuberculous. Nontuberculous mycobacteria are commonly found in water and soil.
Only in specific settings, like hot tubs, is it present at high concentrations. Germs in spas and swimming pools can cause hot tub lungs. Infections do not cause hot tub lung, which is not transmissible, meaning it cannot pass from one individual to another.
Hot tub lung symptoms include fever, coughing, and dyspnea. Shortness of breath and cough are the most common symptoms, which occur when exposed to contaminated water.
Hot tub lung was only recently recognized compared to other lung conditions, having been initially reported in 1997. Those who use hot tubs frequently or have weakened immune systems are likelier to be linked to it.
Numerous additional creatures can also thrive in hot-tub equipment. Among them is legionella, the bacteria that can result in Legionnaire's disease, a potentially dangerous infectious disease.
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Benefits of Hot Tubs
Hot tubs offer a number of health benefits if you can avoid the bacteria. Soaking yourself in a hot tub is relaxing and very comforting.
Here are some health benefits from hot tubs.
Stress relief
Among its most evident advantages is the ability of a hot tub to relieve daytime stress. The warm water's calming effects and massage motion may aid stress reduction on a physical, emotional, and mental level.
Muscle relaxation
Tight, tense muscles can be effectively relaxed and soothed by the hot water and massaging action of the hot tub jets. Aches and pains may subside as a result. Taking a hot tub bath before working out can help lower the chance of injury.
Better sleep
According to a study, a hot tub bath may provide enough relaxation to help you fall asleep more soundly. An earlier investigation examined the use of passive body heating to treat sleeplessness in senior citizens. Despite its small size and subjectivity, the study concluded that a hot bath considerably increased the depth and quality of sleep.
Pain relief
Some discomfort can be relieved by soaking in a hot tub, as this relaxes stiff muscles, joints, and tendons. The heat and rubbing motion may help reduce the stiffness and inflammation that cause discomfort if you have arthritis. Water supports your body, relieving joint weight and increasing range of motion and flexibility. A warm bath may also provide some of these benefits.
Weight Loss
In a 2016 study, participants spent an hour in a waist-high hot bath and burned roughly the same calories as a half-hour stroll. While soaking in a hot tub shouldn't replace exercise, it may speed up metabolism, especially for people who find it challenging to work out.
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