Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to receive free career info. Find Alternative Medicine Schools Compare Accredited Alternative Medicine Schools Request natural health program info from schools Alternative Medicine Articles Careers in Natural Healing Learn how today is a great time to begin a natural health degree career... Alternative Medicine's Wellness Boom Get a view into the wellness life style and natural health degree opportunities... Five Reasons Why Massage Therapy Careers Are Growing Learn why massage therapists are in demand... More articles...

Natural Health Degree Schools | Natural Healers Career Resource Center

Everyone knows that drinking enough water is an important part of good health, but the therapeutic practice of hydrotherapy goes even farther, encompassing all the various ways that water can be used internally and externally to maintain health, manage stress and treat injuries. Hydrotherapy includes more conventional therapies like hot or cold compresses, steam baths, and humidifiers as well as complementary treatments like sinus rinses or colonic therapy.

Hydrotherapy is a modality that has been used by many cultures throughout history, but even contemporary practitioners are seeing the benefits of hydrotherapy training. Read below to learn more about this buoyant profession and why it is used to treat and prevent a number of medical conditions, making it a more popular career choice than ever before!

Hydrotherapy Career Overview

In a clinical setting, hydrotherapy may consist of water taken internally, via drinking, douches or enemas; or it can involve the external administration of water to an affected area of the body, through ice packs, compresses, wraps, streams of water, or even inhaled water vapor. Immersion—bathing or swimming—is also a popular form of hydrotherapy. Many spa workers specialize in aromatherapy or herbal medicine administered within a hot or cold bath.

Hydrotherapy training is used by naturopathic doctors, massage therapists, estheticians and spa workers, but you'll often find hydrotherapy career options at physical therapy clinics and burn centers, too.

Hydrotherapy Training and Education

What You'll Study in Hydrotherapy School

Hydrotherapy school curriculum addresses topics such as the following:

• History and principles of hydrotherapy
• Techniques such as dry brushing and wraps
• Equipment used in hydrotherapy
• Use of water in various forms and temperatures
• Physiological effects and medical contraindications

Average Length of Study

Individual workshop courses in basic hydrotherapy may take as few as 15 hours. Some approaches may require longer study—basic colonic hydrotherapy training takes 100 hours or more.

Average Tuition

A single course in hydrotherapy or aquatic physical therapy may cost as little as $200 - $600. Colonic hydrotherapy school generally runs between $2,000 and $3,000. A full massage therapy or spa therapy program that includes hydrotherapy training may cost $5,000 or more.

Hydrotherapy Certification

For the most part, practitioners of hydrotherapy are licensed or certified under the umbrella of a vocation such as naturopathy, massage therapy or physical therapy. In these cases, a hydrotherapist would need to follow state law with respect to licensing in their field. Some forms of hydrotherapy training, such as colonic therapy and aquatic therapy, may lead to a specialty certification. The Aquatic Therapy & Rehab Institute (ATRI), for instance, grants Aquatic Therapeutic Exercise Certification to professionals who complete 15 hours of education in the area and pass an exam.

Hydrotherapy Career Outlook

One major reason Americans go to spas is for relaxation and stress relief, and hydrotherapy treatments such as saunas, whirlpools and mineral baths provide such relief. A recent study reported that 55 percent of American spas offer hydrotherapy options, and that translates into career opportunities for spa workers with hydrotherapy training. Fitness and health clinics also offer employment options for physical therapists who practice aquatic therapy.

Hydrotherapy Salary

Massage therapists made an average of $39,780 in May 2009, but specialized knowledge such as hydrotherapy training can make you more marketable and add to your salary—a practitioner might earn as much as $75 to $120 per hour for a single colonic therapy session. Physical therapists earn an average of $76,220, annually.

Is a Hydrotherapy Career Right for You?

Imagine how rewarding it is to be able to administer a hydrotherapy treatment such as a hot mineral bath and be able to immediately see your client's muscles relax, or watch an injured athlete steadily recover from an injury thanks to aquatic exercise. Whether your focus is spa work, health care, physical therapy or naturopathy, hydrotherapy training can be a valuable modality to add to your professional repertoire.

Where can I get training?

Alabama

Cortiva Institute - Florida - Training in Pinellas Park, FL

Arizona

Cortiva Institute - Scottsdale - Scottsdale

Cortiva Institute - Tucson - Tucson

Canada - Nova Scotia

Canadian College of Massage & Hydrotherapy - Halifax - Halifax

Connecticut

Cortiva Institute - Boston - Training in Boston, MA

Delaware

Cortiva Institute - Pennsylvania - Training in King of Prussia, PA

Cortiva Institute - Somerset School of Massage Therapy - Training in Wall Township, NJ

Florida

Sarasota School of Massage Therapy - Bradenton-Sarasota

Florida School of Massage - Gainesville

Cortiva Institute - Florida - Pinellas Park

Georgia

Cortiva Institute - Florida - Training in Pinellas Park, FL

Idaho

Cortiva Institute - Federal Way - Training in Federal Way, WA

Cortiva Institute - Seattle - Training in Seattle, WA

Illinois

Soma Institute - A campus in Chicago

Cortiva Institute - Chicago - Chicago

Cortiva Institute - Crystal Lake/Chicago - Crystal Lake

Cortiva Institute - Woodridge/Chicago - Woodridge

Indiana

Cortiva Institute - Chicago - Training in Chicago, IL

Iowa

Cortiva Institute - Chicago - Training in Chicago, IL

Maine

Cortiva Institute - Boston - Training in Boston, MA

Maryland

Cortiva Institute - Pennsylvania - Training in King of Prussia, PA

Massachusetts

Cortiva Institute - Boston - Watertown

Minnesota

National American University - Roseville

Montana

Cortiva Institute - Federal Way - Training in Federal Way, WA

Cortiva Institute - Seattle - Training in Seattle, WA

Nevada

Cortiva Institute - Scottsdale - Training in Scottsdale, AZ

New Hampshire

Cortiva Institute - Boston - Training in Boston, MA

New Jersey

Cortiva Institute - Hoboken - Hoboken

Cortiva Institute - Somerset School of Massage Therapy - Wall Township

New Mexico

Cortiva Institute - Scottsdale - Training in Scottsdale, AZ

New York

Cortiva Institute - Hoboken - Hoboken, NJ - 8 Minutes from NYC

Onondaga School of Therapeutic Massage - Rochester

Onondaga School of Therapeutic Massage - Syracuse

Oregon

Cortiva Institute - Federal Way - Training in Federal Way, WA

Cortiva Institute - Seattle - Training in Seattle, WA

Pennsylvania

Cortiva Institute - Pennsylvania - King of Prussia

Rhode Island

Cortiva Institute - Boston - Training in Boston, MA

South Carolina

Cortiva Institute - Florida - Training in Pinellas Park, FL

Utah

Cortiva Institute - Scottsdale - Training in Scottsdale, AZ

Vermont

Cortiva Institute - Boston - Training in Boston, MA

Virginia

Virginia School of Massage - Charlottesville - Charlottesville

Washington

Cortiva Institute - Federal Way - Federal Way

Cortiva Institute - Seattle - Seattle

Wisconsin

Cortiva Institute - Chicago - Training in Chicago, IL

Search our directory and find more: Massage Therapy Schools, Acupuncture, Chiropractic, and more.