Hydrology is the scientific discipline dedicated to investigating the waters of planet Earth . It is a specialty focused on the properties, circulation and distribution of rivers, oceans, etc.
The field of action of hydrology, however, transcends the study of water masses and includes soil humidity , precipitation and other phenomena. Hydrography , on the other hand, is limited to describing the waters found on Earth.
It can be said that hydrology analyzes all the processes involved in the recovery and depletion of water resources. It is also focused on the influence that water exerts on living beings and the environment .
The applications of the knowledge provided by hydrology are numerous. Engineering works linked to water supply, drainage and circulation, for example, are based on hydrological information that allows models to be developed.
In this way, the construction of road infrastructure and protection against floods , among many other tasks carried out by the State, consider the data provided by hydrology. Otherwise, the water could affect roads and homes, to mention two possibilities.
There are various branches of knowledge that are associated with hydrology or that are even considered one of its branches. Potamology , oceanography and even meteorology are some of these areas.
Medical hydrology , finally, focuses on the therapeutic use of water . Through jets, mists and other forms of application, it is possible to prevent and treat various health disorders.
In recent times, medical hydrology has suffered a sharp decline in credibility among the public, given the lack of support it receives from governments and the scientific community in general. One of the main reasons for this phenomenon is that there are not enough scientific studies that can support the results .
However, this does not mean that medical hydrology is a recent fad with no history; On the contrary, the healing properties of water were discovered by humans a long time ago. For example, we can find in Homer's stories that the god Mars bathed to heal his wounds . The ancient Egyptians, on the other hand, gave this element a preventive nature. Macedonian women immersed themselves in water after giving birth to prevent hemorrhages.
Another example is found in a book that Euripides wrote two and a half millennia ago, in which he highlighted the healing properties of the sea. In fact, in the Hippocratic Treatises , around fifty writings attributed to Hippocrates in which the foundations of medicine are established, hydrology for therapeutic purposes is present. Pythagoras, for his part, advised his followers to eat a vegetarian diet and bathe in cold water to keep their bodies strong and healthy.
Returning to its application today, medical hydrology pursues the study of different types of water, such as drinking water, marine water and mineral-medicinal water, as well as its effects on our body in reference to health. It is considered a therapeutic agent and for a long time it enjoyed great importance within preventive medicine, healthcare, primary care and rehabilitation, among other fields, which is why its defenders consider it a social good .
Broadly speaking, the field of action of medical hydrology is associated with the following concepts: spas , thalassotherapy centers, climatic stations, hydrotherapy centers, rehabilitation centers and hospital centers. It can be used for various purposes, including the treatment of locomotor problems, trauma, rheumatism and neurological conditions.