A doctor holds a sign with the words COPD

Study on Kneipp's upper waterfall for COPD

Katrin Goedsche et al.

June 2007

Healing & thermal therapy

Kneipp therapy

Respiratory system / Asthma

The controlled study at FSU Jena investigated the effect of hydrotherapeutic treatments according to Kneipp on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). To this end, 20 test subjects with COPD were given three cold upper-body showers and two cold upper-body washes per week.

Lung function with blood gas levels, blood count, interleukins, lymphocytes, peak expiratory flow (PEF), quality of life and respiratory tract infections were measured ten weeks before treatment, immediately before, after the ten weeks of therapy and three months after completion.

The data showed that pH, PEF, lymphocyte count and interferon-gamma levels increased over the course of the study, while intracellular IL-4 expression decreased. The frequency of infections was reduced after completion of the therapy and the quality of life was assessed as good in all patients.

The study thus proved thatserial cold water stimulation according to Kneipp can have a positive effect on patients with COPD.

The most important information on the study at a glance

Indications: Chronic obstructive bronchitis
Institution: Institute for Physiotherapy, FSU Jena University Hospital, Germany
Title: Study on Kneipp's upper casts for chronic obstructive bronchitis
Brief description: The study shows that Kneipp treatments improve lung function and quality of life in COPD patients and reduce infections.
Original title: Repeated cold water stimulations (hydrotherapy according to Kneipp) in patients with COPD
Link to the study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17596696/