EFFECT OF HOT IMMERSION BATH ON CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE - A CASE STUDY
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Abstract
Chronic kidney disease is a progressive disorder characterized by a gradual decline in renal function, and complementary therapies have increasingly been explored as adjuncts to conventional management. The present case study was conducted to evaluate the effect of a hot immersion bath on renal function in a patient with stage 2 chronic kidney disease. A 42-year-old male with complaints of right flank pain, burning micturition, and increased urinary frequency received a hot immersion bath for 20 minutes daily for seven consecutive days in addition to prescribed conventional medications. Renal function was assessed before and after the intervention using the estimated glomerular filtration rate. The baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate was 75 mL/min/1.73 m² and increased to 83 mL/min/1.73 m² following completion of the intervention, indicating an improvement in renal filtration function. No adverse events were reported during the treatment period. The findings suggested that a hot immersion bath may have a beneficial effect on renal function when used as an adjunct to conventional treatment in patients with early-stage chronic kidney disease. However, as this observation was derived from a single case with a short intervention period, further well-designed clinical studies involving larger sample sizes and longer follow-up are required to establish the efficacy, safety, and long-term therapeutic benefits of this intervention.
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Dr. Shivangi, Dr. Abhijith k.B, Dr. Nair Dhiren Ajit, & Dr. Mohanakrishnan B. (2026). EFFECT OF HOT IMMERSION BATH ON CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE - A CASE STUDY. IJRDO-Journal of Applied Science, 12(4), 08-14. https://doi.org/10.69980/as.v12i4.6809
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References
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16.Lee, G. B., Charn, T. C., Chew, Z. H., & Ng, T. P. (2004). Complementary and alternative medicine use in patients with chronic diseases in primary care is associated with perceived quality of care and cultural beliefs. Family practice, 21(6), 654–660. https://doi.org/10.1093/fampra/cmh613
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18.Mortada E. M. (2024). Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Current Medical Practice. Cureus, 16(1), e52041. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.52041
19.Nair PMK, Silwal K, Keswani J, Kriplani S, Khan V, Maheshwari A, Shah MA, Jyoti N, Rao V, Sreedhar C, Bhalavat KD, Mohanan R, Subha M J, Gupta R, Sharma H, Tewani GR. Management of polyneuropathy using yoga and naturopathic medicine in India: recommendations for future research and clinical practice. Front Pain Res (Lausanne). 2023 Oct 25;4:1264450. doi: 10.3389/fpain.2023.1264450. PMID: 37954066; PMCID: PMC10634222.
20.Fleming SA, Gutknecht NC. Naturopathy and the primary care practice. Prim Care. 2010 Mar;37(1):119-36. doi: 10.1016/j.pop.2009.09.002. PMID: 20189002; PMCID: PMC2883816.
21.Yersin, B., Burnier, M., & Magnenat, P. (1995). Improvement of renal failure with repeated head-out water immersions in patients with hepatorenal syndrome associated with alcoholic hepatitis. American journal of nephrology, 15(3), 260–265. https://doi.org/10.1159/000168843
22.Güler, S., Şahan, S., Ülker, T., & Sipahioğlu, M. H. (2024). The effect of footbath applied to patients receiving hemodialysis treatment on comfort, fatigue, and dialysis symptoms: A randomized controlled study. Therapeutic apheresis and dialysis : official peer-reviewed journal of the International Society for Apheresis, the Japanese Society for Apheresis, the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy, 28(1), 23–33. https://doi.org/10.1111/1744-9987.14043
23.KELLOGG JH. Rational Hydrotherapy: a Manual of the Physiological and Therateutic Effeots of Hydriatic Procedures and the Technique of Their Application in the Treatment of Disease. Vol. 124, The American Journal of the Medical Sciences. 1902ed. p. 529.
24.Yersin, B., Burnier, M., & Magnenat, P. (1995). Improvement of renal failure with repeated head-out water immersions in patients with hepatorenal syndrome associated with alcoholic hepatitis. American journal of nephrology, 15(3), 260–265. https://doi.org/10.1159/000168843
25.Inker, L. A., Astor, B. C., Fox, C. H., Isakova, T., Lash, J. P., Peralta, C. A., Kurella Tamura, M., & Feldman, H. I. (2014). KDOQI US commentary on the 2012 KDIGO clinical practice guideline for the evaluation and management of CKD. American journal of kidney diseases : the official journal of the National Kidney Foundation, 63(5), 713–735. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.ajkd.2014.01.416
26.Schou M, Gabrielsen A, Bruun NE, Skøtt P, Pump B, Dige-Petersen H, Frandsen E, Bie P, Warberg J, Christensen NJ, Norsk P: Angiotensin II attenuates the natriuresis of water immersion in humans. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol, 2002, 283: R187-96.
27.Valenti G, Fraszl W, Addabbo F, Tamma G, Procino G, Satta E, Cirillo M, De Santo NG, Drummer C, Bellini L, Kowoll R, Schlemmer M, Vogler S, Kirsch KA, Svelto M, Gunga HC: Water immersion is associated with an increase in aquaporin-2 excretion in healthy volunteers. Biochim Biophys Acta, 2006, 1758:1111-6.
28.Pechter, U., Ots, M., Mesikepp, S., Zilmer, K., Kullissaar, T., Vihalemm, T., Zilmer, M., & Maaroos, J. (2003). Beneficial effects of water-based exercise in patients with chronic kidney disease. International journal of rehabilitation research. Internationale Zeitschrift fur Rehabilitations fors chung. Revue internationale de recherches de readaptation, 26(2), 153–156. https://doi.org/10.1097/00004356-200306000-00013
29.B, M., Barakoti, A., Prasad, A., Arora, R., Narayanan, R., & Das Adhikary, A. (2026). Hydrotherapy for overweight and obesity: A systematic review of anthropometric and lipid outcomes. Cureus, 18(8), e115048. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.115048
2.Maringhini, S., & Zoccali, C. (2024). Chronic Kidney Disease Progression—A Challenge. Biomedicines, 12(10), 2203. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12102203
3.Behning, C., Schultheiss, U. T., Nadal, J., Meiselbach, H., Schönherr, S., Forer, L., Schaeffner, E., Krane, V., Schneider, M. P., Schmid, M., Kronenberg, F., Köttgen, A., Eckardt, K. U., Kotsis, F., & GCKD study investigators (2025). Heterogeneity of Estimated GFR Slopes According to Etiology, Estimated GFR and Urinary Albumin-to-Creatinine Ratio in a Large Cohort of Patients With CKD. Kidney international reports, 11(2), 103696. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ekir.2025.11.021
4.Horie R, Endo Y, Doi K. Estimated glomerular filtration rate may be an independent predictor for clinical outcomes regardless of acute kidney injury complication in the emergency department. PLoS One. 2021 Oct 14;16(10):e0258665. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258665. PMID: 34648576; PMCID: PMC8516290.
5.Cavalier, E., Zima, T., Datta, P., Makris, K., Schaeffner, E., Langlois, M., Plebani, M., Delanaye, P., & EFLM Task Group on Chronic Kidney Disease (2024). Recommendations for European laboratories based on the KDIGO 2024 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of Chronic Kidney Disease. Clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine, 63(3), 525–534. https://doi.org/10.1515/cclm-2024-1082
6.Jadoul, M., Aoun, M., & Masimango Imani, M. (2024). The major global burden of chronic kidney disease. The Lancet. Global health, 12(3), e342–e343. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(24)00050-0
7.Guo, J., Liu, Z., Wang, P., Wu, H., Fan, K., Jin, J., Zheng, L., Liu, Z., Xie, R., & Li, C. (2025). Global, regional, and national burden inequality of chronic kidney disease, 1990-2021: a systematic analysis for the global burden of disease study 2021. Frontiers in medicine, 11, 1501175. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2024.1501175
8.Talukdar, R., Ajayan, R., Gupta, S., Biswas, S., Parveen, M., Sadhukhan, D., Sinha, A. P., & Parameswaran, S. (2025). Chronic Kidney Disease Prevalence in India: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis From Community-Based Representative Evidence Between 2011 to 2023. Nephrology (Carlton, Vic.), 30(1), e14420. https://doi.org/10.1111/nep.14420
9.Inker, L. A., Astor, B. C., Fox, C. H., Isakova, T., Lash, J. P., Peralta, C. A., Kurella Tamura, M., & Feldman, H. I. (2014). KDOQI US commentary on the 2012 KDIGO clinical practice guideline for the evaluation and management of CKD. American journal of kidney diseases : the official journal of the National Kidney Foundation, 63(5), 713–735. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.ajkd.2014.01.416
10.Webster, A. C., Nagler, E. V., Morton, R. L., & Masson, P. (2017). Chronic Kidney Disease. Lancet (London, England), 389(10075), 1238–1252. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)32064-5
11.Wühl E, Schaefer F. Therapeutic strategies to slow chronic kidney disease progression. Pediatr Nephrol. 2008 May;23(5):705-16. doi: 10.1007/s00467-008-0789-y. Epub 2008 Mar 12. PMID: 18335252; PMCID: PMC2275772.
12.Drawz PE, Rosenberg ME. Slowing progression of chronic kidney disease. Kidney Int Suppl (2011). 2013 Dec;3(4):372-376. doi: 10.1038/kisup.2013.80. PMID: 25019022; PMCID: PMC4089661.
13.Ortiz A, Arreola Guerra JM, Chan JCN, Jha V, Kramer H, Nicholas SB, Pavkov ME, Wanner C, Wong LP, Cheung M, King JM, Grams ME, Jadoul M, Tuttle KR; Conference Participants. Preventing chronic kidney disease and maintaining kidney health: conclusions from a Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Controversies Conference. Kidney Int. 2025 Oct;108(4):555-571. doi: 10.1016/j.kint.2025.04.005. Epub 2025 Jun 19. PMID: 40536455; PMCID: PMC12646115.
14.Swan SK, Bennett WM. Drug dosing guidelines in patients with renal failure. West J Med. 1992 Jun;156(6):633-8. PMID: 1615656; PMCID: PMC1003352.
15.Prajapati A, Ganguly B. Appropriateness of drug dose and frequency in patients with renal dysfunction in a tertiary care hospital: A cross-sectional study. J Pharm Bioallied Sci. 2013 Apr;5(2):136-40. doi: 10.4103/0975-7406.111829. PMID: 23833519; PMCID: PMC3697192.
16.Lee, G. B., Charn, T. C., Chew, Z. H., & Ng, T. P. (2004). Complementary and alternative medicine use in patients with chronic diseases in primary care is associated with perceived quality of care and cultural beliefs. Family practice, 21(6), 654–660. https://doi.org/10.1093/fampra/cmh613
17.Chen W, Fitzgerald JM, Rousseau R, Lynd LD, Tan WC, Sadatsafavi M. Complementary and alternative asthma treatments and their association with asthma control: a population-based study. BMJ Open. 2013 Sep 4;3(9):e003360. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2013-003360. PMID: 24005131; PMCID: PMC3773646.
18.Mortada E. M. (2024). Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Current Medical Practice. Cureus, 16(1), e52041. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.52041
19.Nair PMK, Silwal K, Keswani J, Kriplani S, Khan V, Maheshwari A, Shah MA, Jyoti N, Rao V, Sreedhar C, Bhalavat KD, Mohanan R, Subha M J, Gupta R, Sharma H, Tewani GR. Management of polyneuropathy using yoga and naturopathic medicine in India: recommendations for future research and clinical practice. Front Pain Res (Lausanne). 2023 Oct 25;4:1264450. doi: 10.3389/fpain.2023.1264450. PMID: 37954066; PMCID: PMC10634222.
20.Fleming SA, Gutknecht NC. Naturopathy and the primary care practice. Prim Care. 2010 Mar;37(1):119-36. doi: 10.1016/j.pop.2009.09.002. PMID: 20189002; PMCID: PMC2883816.
21.Yersin, B., Burnier, M., & Magnenat, P. (1995). Improvement of renal failure with repeated head-out water immersions in patients with hepatorenal syndrome associated with alcoholic hepatitis. American journal of nephrology, 15(3), 260–265. https://doi.org/10.1159/000168843
22.Güler, S., Şahan, S., Ülker, T., & Sipahioğlu, M. H. (2024). The effect of footbath applied to patients receiving hemodialysis treatment on comfort, fatigue, and dialysis symptoms: A randomized controlled study. Therapeutic apheresis and dialysis : official peer-reviewed journal of the International Society for Apheresis, the Japanese Society for Apheresis, the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy, 28(1), 23–33. https://doi.org/10.1111/1744-9987.14043
23.KELLOGG JH. Rational Hydrotherapy: a Manual of the Physiological and Therateutic Effeots of Hydriatic Procedures and the Technique of Their Application in the Treatment of Disease. Vol. 124, The American Journal of the Medical Sciences. 1902ed. p. 529.
24.Yersin, B., Burnier, M., & Magnenat, P. (1995). Improvement of renal failure with repeated head-out water immersions in patients with hepatorenal syndrome associated with alcoholic hepatitis. American journal of nephrology, 15(3), 260–265. https://doi.org/10.1159/000168843
25.Inker, L. A., Astor, B. C., Fox, C. H., Isakova, T., Lash, J. P., Peralta, C. A., Kurella Tamura, M., & Feldman, H. I. (2014). KDOQI US commentary on the 2012 KDIGO clinical practice guideline for the evaluation and management of CKD. American journal of kidney diseases : the official journal of the National Kidney Foundation, 63(5), 713–735. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.ajkd.2014.01.416
26.Schou M, Gabrielsen A, Bruun NE, Skøtt P, Pump B, Dige-Petersen H, Frandsen E, Bie P, Warberg J, Christensen NJ, Norsk P: Angiotensin II attenuates the natriuresis of water immersion in humans. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol, 2002, 283: R187-96.
27.Valenti G, Fraszl W, Addabbo F, Tamma G, Procino G, Satta E, Cirillo M, De Santo NG, Drummer C, Bellini L, Kowoll R, Schlemmer M, Vogler S, Kirsch KA, Svelto M, Gunga HC: Water immersion is associated with an increase in aquaporin-2 excretion in healthy volunteers. Biochim Biophys Acta, 2006, 1758:1111-6.
28.Pechter, U., Ots, M., Mesikepp, S., Zilmer, K., Kullissaar, T., Vihalemm, T., Zilmer, M., & Maaroos, J. (2003). Beneficial effects of water-based exercise in patients with chronic kidney disease. International journal of rehabilitation research. Internationale Zeitschrift fur Rehabilitations fors chung. Revue internationale de recherches de readaptation, 26(2), 153–156. https://doi.org/10.1097/00004356-200306000-00013
29.B, M., Barakoti, A., Prasad, A., Arora, R., Narayanan, R., & Das Adhikary, A. (2026). Hydrotherapy for overweight and obesity: A systematic review of anthropometric and lipid outcomes. Cureus, 18(8), e115048. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.115048