Balneotherapy program for diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

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1. Sodium chloride baths.
2. Iodine-bromine baths.
3. Radon baths with filler
4. Turpentine baths
5. Sage baths
6. Dry carbon dioxide baths.
7. Charcot shower, circular shower.
8. Underwater shower-massage.
9. Herbal steam therapy in a cedar barrel
10. Antler bath

Hydromassage bath with bischofiteSodium chloride baths

Indications for use:

• rheumatic arthritis;
• rheumatoid arthritis with minimal and moderate process activity, rheumatic arthralgia;
• infectious-allergic polyarthritis;
• diseases of the spine (spondylosis, spondyloarthrosis, spondyloarthritis - ankylosing spondylosis);
• diseases and consequences of traumatic damage to ligaments, tendons, bones;
• deforming osteoarthritis;
• chronic osteomyelitis (gunshot, traumatic, hematogenous) without exacerbation;
• scoliotic disease;
• gouty arthropathy;

Contraindications:

• with trophic ulcers;
• during menstruation;
• with exacerbation of chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• for heart rhythm disturbances;
• with severe heart failure;
• during pregnancy;
• for diabetes;
• with hypothyroidism;
• Autonomic polyneuropathies;
• a period earlier than 1 year after aseptic thrombophlebitis from the moment the temperature normalizes, provided there are no changes in the blood;
• a period earlier than 2-3 months after the end of thrombophlebitis, which occurs with a short-term increase in temperature, without exacerbations;
• thrombophlebitis with a tendency to recur or accompanied by progressive inflammatory changes;
• chronic renal failure stages 2-3.

There are 10-12 procedures per course of treatment, every other day or 2 days in a row, 3 days off.

Iodine-bromine baths

Indications for use:

• inflammatory diseases and consequences of damage to the musculoskeletal system;
• rheumatic and infectious-allergic polyarthritis;
• damage to ligaments, tendons, bones;
• deforming osteoarthritis.

Contraindications:

• thyrotoxicosis grade 1-2;
• pituitary form of obesity;
• gout.

There are 10-12 procedures per course of treatment, every other day or 2 days in a row, 3 days off.

Radon baths

Indications for use:

• diseases of the musculoskeletal system of an inflammatory and degenerative nature;
• arthritis and polyarthritis;
• osteitis, osteomyelitis;
• bone fractures with delayed consolidation;
• osteoarthritis, incl. deforming;
• spondylitis;
• gout.

Contraindications:

• acute inflammatory processes;
• coronary heart disease, angina pectoris 4 FC, with unstable angina, heart failure stage 2, heart rhythm disturbances (atrial fibrillation, polytopic extrasystole);
• leukopenia of any etiology;
• hyperthyroidism;
• poor tolerance to radon mineral water (sweating, shortness of breath, dizziness, etc.);
• professional contacts with ionizing radiation;
• benign tumors.

There are 8-10 procedures per course of treatment, every other day or 2 days in a row, 3 days off.

Composition and beneficial properties of the product

Table salt is 97–99% sodium chloride. The remaining 1–3% includes carbonates, iodides and fluorides. In sea salt, the proportion of the mentioned compound is 85–86%. 14–15% of the substance comes from macro- and microelements:

• iodine,
• calcium,
• silicon,
• bromine,
• potassium,
• iron,
• magnesium.

Only natural salt in the form of transparent white crystals that does not contain dyes or flavors is suitable for treatment.

Procedures can only be performed using salt without dyes or other additives.

Salt therapy has a beneficial effect on joints with problems with them. Procedures with the product have the following effects:

• reduce swelling;
• restore metabolism in bone, cartilage and muscle tissues;
• restore joint mobility;
• relieve pain syndromes;
• remove harmful substances;
• regulate water-salt metabolism and uric acid concentration;
• fight changes and disorders that arise due to the patient’s age and pathologies of the joint cavities;
• produce a softening and absorbable effect on hard tumors;
• relieve muscle strain, which appears not only in diseases of the musculoskeletal system, but also in concomitant pathological conditions.

Having received the doctor’s consent to treat joints with sodium chloride, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the proportions specified in the recipes. An excessively high concentration of the product in question leads to saturation of cells with the active compound and water-salt imbalance.

You can resort to sodium chloride therapy for the following diseases:

• bursitis;
• deforming, psoriatic or rheumatoid arthritis;
• gout;
• arthrosis of the hip joint;
• joint dysplasia;
• polyarthritis.

Salt procedures help with pathologies that occur in the knee and hip joints, and combat ailments affecting the arms and spine.

Salt therapy helps get rid of the most important manifestation of joint ailments - pain.

Sage baths

Indications for use:

• rheumatic arthritis;
• rheumatoid arthritis with minimal and moderate process activity, rheumatic arthralgia;
• infectious-allergic polyarthritis;
• diseases of the spine (spondylosis, spondyloarthrosis, spondyloarthritis - ankylosing spondylosis);
• diseases and consequences of traumatic damage to ligaments, tendons, bones;
• osteochondrosis
• neurodermatitis.

Contraindications: general for hydrotherapy.

There are 10-12 procedures per course of treatment, every other day or 2 days in a row, 3 days off.

Dry carbon dioxide baths

Indications for use:

• diseases of the musculoskeletal system of an inflammatory and degenerative nature;
• arthritis and polyarthritis;
• osteitis, osteomyelitis;
• bone fractures with delayed consolidation;
• osteoarthritis, incl. deforming;

Contraindications:

• coronary heart disease, angina pectoris 4 FC, with unstable angina or disturbances of heart rhythm and conduction (atrial fibrillation, atrioventricular block of the 3rd degree, extrasystole of high grades);
• mitral heart defects;
• heart failure stage 2-3;
• hyperthyroidism;
• poor tolerance to the therapeutic environment (sweating, dizziness, etc.) when taking baths;
• chronic renal failure stages 2-3.

There are 10-12 procedures per course of treatment, every other day or 2 days in a row, 3 days off.

Charcot shower, circular shower

Indications for use:

• consequences of diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal system.

Contraindications:

• skin diseases (eczema, psoriasis) and fungal diseases;
• IHD, angina pectoris 3-4 FC; heart defects with symptoms of cardiovascular failure;
• urolithiasis, calculous cholecystitis;
• hysteria.

There are 10-12 procedures per course of treatment, every other day or 2 days in a row, 3 days off.

Contraindications

The use of salt requires compliance with certain rules:

• You should not make compresses, lotions, poultices, or applications for infections and acute skin diseases.
• It is forbidden to resort to baths and baths with saline solution if you have thyroid problems or during pregnancy.
• You should not choose recipes whose components may cause allergies.
• It is worth refusing to carry out procedures if there are cancerous tumors in the body.
• People with kidney and cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, can use all the considered treatment methods only on the recommendation of a doctor.

Carrying out procedures is allowed only during the period of exacerbation or remission of the disease. In acute cases of the disease, it is prohibited to treat with salt.

Underwater shower massage

Indications for use:

• rheumatoid arthritis with minimal and moderate process activity, rheumatic arthralgia;
• ankylosing spondylitis (ankylosing spondylitis) with minimal and moderate activity of the process;
• infectious specific polyarthritis, infectious-allergic arthritis;
• deforming osteoarthritis, incl. traumatic;
• spondylosis and osteochondrosis of the spine, osteochondrotic arthritis;
• extra-articular soft tissue diseases;
• chronic osteomyelitis (gunshot, traumatic, hematogenous) without exacerbation;
• scoliotic disease;
• gouty arthropathy;

Contraindications:

• severe pain syndrome in osteochondrosis, spondylosis, causalgic syndrome after injuries to peripheral nerves;
• neuroses accompanied by affective outbursts and obsessive states;
• epilepsy;
• excessive mental or physical fatigue;
• angina pectoris 3-4 FC; paroxysmal forms of atrial fibrillation, tachycardia, AV block of II degree and higher, bundle branch block, grade 2B hypertension;
• combined mitral defects with a predominance of stenosis;
• aortic defects with predominant stenosis; heart valve defects in the stage of decompensation;
• acute and subacute phenomena, accompanied by pronounced general and local inflammatory reactions, inflammatory edema, increased body temperature, ESR;
• skin diseases of infectious, unknown or fungal etiology;
• urolithiasis, calculous cholecystitis;
• thyrotoxicosis, diabetes mellitus in the stage of decompensation.

There are 8-10 procedures per course of treatment, every other day or 2 days in a row, 3 days off.

Methods of using sea and table salt to treat joints at home

Any procedures are carried out only with complex therapy of diseased joints and on the recommendation of a doctor.

Compresses and warming

Universal

• A mixture of 0.5 tsp. fine crystalline salt, 2 egg yolks, 2 tsp. honey is wrapped in a gauze napkin, fixed on the joint and wrapped in a warm thing. The compress is applied at night. In the morning, the poultice is removed, and the remaining mass is removed. This method is especially effective for pain in the shoulder joint.
• Salt, taken in the amount of 30 g, is sprinkled on vegetable cake (beetroot, carrot or cabbage), mix everything, spread the composition on a gauze napkin, folded in 3-4 layers, and fix it on the sore spot. The duration of the procedure is 5 hours. Perform 10 sessions (one per day).
• For aching pain, salt and mustard are combined in a 1:1 ratio (0.5 cups each), distributed over a dry gauze cloth folded in the same way as described in the previous recipe, wrap the disturbing joint with a cloth and secure the compress well, wrapping it in cling film and warm matter. Remove the application after a burning sensation appears.
• Calcinate 1 kg of salt (table or sea), pour it into a canvas bag, pour 30 ml of alcohol-containing propolis tincture over it. Fix the prepared application on the joint and keep it until it cools.

For gout and rheumatoid arthritis

Dry heat improves blood circulation in the affected areas and relieves pain.

The salt should be heated in a frying pan to 70°C, poured into a tight bag and applied to the disturbing joint. If you experience discomfort from a hot compress, place a terry towel under it. To ensure that the heat completely penetrates to the sore spot, the application can be wrapped with cling film, under which a kind of sauna effect will be created.

You need to continue the procedure for 10–40 minutes (depending on the degree of pathology and well-being). Resorption of hardening is achieved by making steam applications twice a day.

To warm up the joints, the salt must first be calcined in a frying pan.

For knee bursitis

• The salt in the bag is heated in the oven to 45°C. The application is applied to the knee joint and held for 10–15 minutes. After completing the procedure, rub the sore spot with fir oil. 3-4 such sessions are carried out per day.
• Salt crystals are added to the healing clay (ratio - 1:1), the resulting mixture is heated in a water bath. A warm mass is applied to the disturbing joint and the corresponding area of ​​the leg is wrapped in gauze. The optimal duration of the procedure is 15 minutes.

For polyarthritis

Sore joints are warmed up as follows: cover the desired area with paper soaked in fir oil, place a bag of hot salt on top and secure everything with a bandage. Keep the compress for no more than 20–30 minutes (to avoid getting burned).

Dressings and lotions

If the recipe involves the use of napkins, then to achieve the best therapeutic effect you should choose cotton or linen ones.

Universal

For lotions, prepare a 10% saline solution, for which you take 100 g of salt per 1 liter of water. Napkins are soaked in the liquid, folded in several layers and ironed with a hot iron. Then they are lightly squeezed and applied to the disturbing joint. To ensure that the application fits tightly to the sore spot, it is secured with a tight bandage. The film is not used for salt lotions.

The procedure is completed after the napkins have completely dried. The application is applied once a day. Course duration is 7–10 days. If there is no improvement during this time, then additional procedures will be needed for another 10–20 days. The break between courses is 30 days.

For severe pain, prepare a saturated solution: 500 g of salt is diluted in 1 liter of hot water. The duration of the session in this case is 5 minutes. With longer exposure, burning and other uncomfortable sensations appear.

For arthritis (including deforming)

• A tablespoon of salt is dissolved in 200 ml of milk, heated to 45–55°C. The mixture is cooled, before going to bed, a napkin folded in 3-4 layers is moistened with it, squeezed a little and applied to the joint. After 20 minutes, the lotion is removed, the sore spot is wiped and wrapped in woolen cloth. You should be treated this way for 14 days, then take a break for a week and repeat the course.
• Place 1 tablespoon of chopped woodlice grass in a glass of boiling water, let it brew for half an hour, and filter the liquid. Stir 2 tablespoons of salt into the infusion. Then a woolen cloth is dipped into the solution, soaked for 5–10 minutes and wrapped around the sore joint. The procedure is completed when the lotion has cooled.

Arthritis deformans cannot be completely cured. Joints suffer from irreversible age-related changes. Salt procedures only alleviate the condition of this disease.

You can dissolve salt not only in water, but also in milk

For gout

Prepare a stiff dough from flour and water, add salt to it (1:1 ratio), mix everything, form a flat cake and secure it on the sore joint, wrapping the disturbing area in cling film and wrapping it in a warm thing. Treat with this method until the condition improves.

Rubbing for joint pain

With pure salt

If the patient does not have the conditions to take a bath, then salt rubdowns can be performed. To do this, dissolve 0.5 kg of salt (edible or sea) in 1 liter of water. A sheet is soaked in warm liquid, the disturbing joint is covered with it, and the painful area is massaged with your hands (on top of the fabric).

The procedure is carried out until a feeling of warmth appears. After completing all manipulations, the treatment area is washed with water at a comfortable temperature and rubbed with a towel.

To enhance the therapeutic effect, after all actions, a honey compress is applied to the joint. For this purpose, take 25 g of beekeeping product and the same amount of salt, mix the ingredients, apply the mixture to a napkin and wrap it around the joint. After this, the sore spot is wrapped in a warm scarf and the compress is left overnight.

With olive oil

100 ml of unrefined oil is combined with finely crystalline iodized salt, taken in an amount of 5 g. The mixture is heated in the palms, applied to the sore spot and massaged with light rubbing movements. Excess product is removed with a napkin. The optimal course duration is 10–15 procedures.

With pork fat

• Fine crystalline salt (1 tbsp) is added to pork fat (100 g). The mass is heated in the palms and lubricated with it on the disturbing joints. Rub the product in until it is completely absorbed. If such procedures provide significant relief, they are performed for as long as possible.
• Add 20 g of fir oil and 30 g of coarse salt to 200 g of pork fat. Use the resulting product to rub the affected areas according to the same principle as described in the previous recipe.

  
  Pork fat is suitable for preparing salt ointment for joint pain

With ointments based on honey and mustard

• 200 g of honey mixed with 1 tbsp. l. salt, as well as radish juice and vodka, taken 100 ml each. Rub the prepared ointment on the joints of the hands. The procedure is done 2 times a day. Treatment is continued until the remedy runs out.
• Dry mustard is combined with salt, for which you take 1 tbsp. l. each ingredient. A small portion of kerosene is added to the composition so that the mass acquires the consistency of gruel. The resulting ointment is rubbed into sore joints.
• Mix 100 g of mustard powder and 200 g of salt into the paraffin. The creamy paste is kept warm overnight. Subsequently, the prepared mass is rubbed on the areas of concern before going to bed. In the morning, the skin treated with ointment is cleansed. If the procedure causes swelling, the mixture is first applied to the problem areas until it is absorbed, and then bandaged to form a bandage.

“Pickled” mittens

For arthritis and radiculitis

Add 1 tbsp to 200 ml of water. l. salt. The resulting liquid is used to soak woolen items - mittens, socks, scarves, pieces of fabric. Salted items are used for dry and wet compresses.

For gout

• Socks and mittens made of wool, soaked in a concentrated solution of salt, help to get rid of the pain syndrome, which in case of gout especially exhausts a person at night. Things are soaked for 30 minutes in a saturated solution prepared from 500 ml of water and 50 g of salt, wrung out, and put on hands and feet before going to bed.
• Add 100 g of sodium chloride and 50 g of chamomile to 500 ml of water, boil everything for half an hour. The resulting product is filtered, socks and mittens are dipped into the liquid. The clothes are lightly wrung out, put on the arms and legs, wrapped in film and woolen cloth, and then put to bed.

Shirt soaked in saline solution

To prepare a highly concentrated solution, take 1 liter of water, in which 5–7 tbsp are diluted. l. salt. The shirt is soaked in the liquid, wrung out, put on before bed, wrapped warmly and falling asleep. In the morning, the item is removed and the body is wiped with a dry towel, removing any remaining salt crystals. Then they change into clean clothes.

You can use this method for pain in the spine and arms.

Baths

The easiest way to get rid of joint pain is to immerse yourself for half an hour in a bath with a salt solution, for the preparation of which you take 1 tablespoon. sodium chloride per 1 liter of water. But there are other procedures that can help alleviate the condition.

With mustard and soda (for arthrosis of the hands and feet)

Baths with warm or hot saline solution (36–46°C) restore blood circulation in the extremities, relieve pain and eliminate swelling.

• Mix 300–500 g of sodium chloride in 10 liters of water. To enhance the therapeutic effect, mustard is added to the liquid. Hands or feet are dipped into the solution and massaged vigorously.
• The legs are steamed in a basin filled with hot water with the addition of 30 g of soda and the same amount of salt. The limbs are kneaded and rubbed, massaging the heels, fingers and feet entirely. After the procedure, do not wipe your feet, put on woolen socks and go to bed.

  
  Mustard is a common ingredient in joint pain treatments.

Coniferous-salt (for children suffering from hip dysplasia)

1 cup of sea salt (if the baby is under 1 year old, then this amount should be halved) is poured into 10 liters of warm water, and ¼ cup of liquid pine needle extract is added. Fill the bath with the medicinal composition and place the child in the water so that it reaches chest level. Then the baby is helped to perform therapeutic exercises and given a massage. The procedure must be continued until the liquid cools. After this, the child is washed with clean water, without touching the legs, so that the pine-salt solution dries naturally.

The bath has a tonic effect, so the procedure is performed at 17:00–19:00, otherwise the baby will not be able to fall asleep on time. Sessions are held every other day. The duration of the course is determined by a pediatrician. It usually lasts until relief is obvious.

Bathing children in a pine-salt solution is carried out only during complex therapy with simultaneous therapeutic exercises and massage.

Dry baths (for arthrosis of the limbs)

• Birch ash and wheat bran are mixed in a 1:1 ratio. The prepared mass is combined with salt in a ratio of 2:1. The composition is heated to 50–60°C and transferred to a container so that when the limbs are immersed in it, the mixture completely covers the areas with sore joints. The procedure is performed 1-2 times a week, keeping the feet or hands in the bath until the composition has cooled.
• Salt and river sand are mixed in a 1:1 ratio, everything is heated to 40–50°C. Fill the container with the mass and lower the limbs into it as described in the previous recipe. The procedure lasts until the composition has completely cooled. The duration of treatment depends on the patient's condition.

The same mixture of salt and river sand can be used 3-4 times.

Sore limbs can be immersed in salt formulations intended for local baths

Tincture recipe for external and internal use

To 100 ml of vodka add 125 ml of radish juice, a glass of honey, 25 g of salt. Rub the resulting mixture onto the joints, then drink 50 ml of the product and go to bed.

Antler baths

Pantotherapy is represented by the following procedures, which are performed in stages:

• Phytopreparation. Stay in a cedar container (“cedar barrel”) with a set of Altai medicinal herbs. This is a unique method of influencing the human body with herbal steam from collections of medicinal herbs and deer antlers. “Cedar barrel” improves blood circulation, is useful for chronic colds and stress, strengthens the immune system, and helps to lose weight. The procedure takes 15 minutes.
• Taking an antler bath. In fact, treatment with antler baths is nothing more than a balneological procedure with a powerful restorative effect. While taking such a bath, all the substances that have accumulated in the young deer horns penetrate into the body. The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes.

Indications for use:

• diseases of the cardiovascular system (varicose veins, angina, ischemic heart disease, hypertension not higher than the first stage, hypotension, vascular insufficiency);
• diseases of the nervous system (neuroses, vegetative-vascular dystonia);
• diseases of the musculoskeletal system (osteoarthrosis, osteochondrosis, conditions after extensive muscle and bone inflammation, post-traumatic disorders and disorders, sciatica, etc.);
• dysfunctions of the genitourinary system (gynecological pathologies in women, infertility in both sexes, prostatitis, menopausal and postmenopausal conditions);
• diseases of the respiratory system (chronic bronchitis and bronchial asthma, frequently recurring acute respiratory viral infections and acute respiratory infections);
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (ulcers and gastritis beyond the acute stage, functional disorders of the intestines, including chronic constipation and diarrhea);
• dermatological diseases (eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, neurodermatitis);
• reduced immunity and suppression of the body's protective functions;
• general weakness and high fatigue, susceptibility to stress and chronic fatigue, depression;
• recovery period after injuries and serious illnesses;
• radiation sickness;
• poisoning with toxins and heavy metals;
• rehabilitation after chemotherapy and radiation therapy;
• metabolic disorders and obesity;
• alcohol and nicotine intoxication.

Contraindications for pantotherapy:

• benign and malignant neoplasms;
• severe liver and kidney diseases;
• high blood pressure;
• acute inflammatory processes;
• active stage of tuberculosis;
• pregnancy;
• heart rhythm disturbances (atrial fibrillation, heart failure);
• individual intolerance to the components used during the procedure.

How to take a salt bath

In order for the procedure to bring maximum benefit, you must follow simple rules. Before the procedure, take a warm shower and, if necessary, cleanse your body with a scrub to remove dead skin particles and open the pores for the free penetration of minerals.

• If you are taking a bath in a course, the water temperature for the first procedures should be about 36°C. Then gradually raise it to 38–39°C and, by the end of the course, reduce it again to 36°C.
• If you take salt baths as needed, for example to relieve stress after a long flight or to improve the condition of your skin before an important event, choose a temperature that is comfortable for you.
• If you want a morning energizing bath that will energize you throughout the day, the water temperature can be lowered to 30°C or lower.
• Do not eat 1.5 hours before the bath, but drink a glass of water 15 minutes before the bath, which will cover the loss of fluid in the body.
• How long to take a bath with salt: adults - 20-30 minutes, children under 12 years old - 5-15 minutes.
• The amount of water should be such that it reaches only the heart line. In the process, you can drench your shoulders and plunge your head in several times.
• After the bath, do not wash off the salt, just pat your skin dry with a towel and put on soft, loose clothing. The “salt cloak” should remain on the body for 1.5–2 hours. Spend this time in a relaxed state - drink a cup of herbal tea, freshly squeezed juice or water with lemon. Lie in bed with a book, watch a movie.
• Now you can rinse off in a warm shower to wash off any remaining salt and sweat. Don't forget to apply moisturizing milk, cream or lotion to your body.

How often can you take a salt bath? To achieve a stable result, the course includes 10–15 procedures, which are carried out every other day. You can repeat it after two to three months.

Taking baths with natural salt is not only beneficial for adults; experts also recommend bathing children in a salt bath.

How much salt do you need for one bath?

Standard dosages are usually indicated on the packaging. On average, 500 g is enough for one bath to achieve a general strengthening and calming effect. This concentration is enough to reduce muscle pain, eliminate swelling, prevent vascular diseases, and improve skin health for psoriasis, eczema and atopic dermatitis.

Increase the concentration to 2-4 kg per bath if you want to speed up metabolism, quickly cure a cough or prevent the development of an incipient cold. The same baths are indicated for rheumatism, pathologies of the spine and joints - in the salt solution the body completely relaxes due to the absence of stress.

Higher concentrations are used when organizing floating, when there is up to 10 kg of salt per bath. Due to the increased load on the heart, a sharp increase in blood circulation and lymph flow, the procedure is carried out under the supervision of a medical professional. It's better not to do it at home.

What can you add to a salt bath?

• Lavender - essential oil, extract or petals. It has a relaxing and calming effect, helps cope with stress and irritability, and normalizes sleep. Peppermint, valerian and St. John's wort act similarly.
• Nettle extract perfectly tones and improves blood circulation.
• Tea tree essential oil acts as an antiseptic, restores skin after sunburn, relieves burning and redness after multiple insect bites.
• Essential oil of eucalyptus or fir is an excellent remedy for the prevention and treatment of acute respiratory infections and diseases of the upper respiratory tract. When you breathe in the fumes of a saline solution mixed with phytoncides, you disinfect the bronchi and lungs.
• A mixture of juniper and geranium essential oils added to a bath with Epsom salts will clear the skin of redness, irritation, and acne.
• Orange essential oil enhances the lifting effect of a salt bath and allows you to quickly get rid of cellulite.
• Tea rose petals with essential oils of grapefruit and bergamot will help moisturize the skin and give it a delicate sensual aroma.
• Oak bark decoction is a proven remedy for excessive sweating, ideal for hot summer days.
• Neroli, patchouli, geranium, ylang-ylang, and nutmeg oils are suitable as an aphrodisiac.

Choose the herbal extract, infusion or essential oil that suits you. If you are using the product for the first time, check if you have any allergies. To do this, apply a small amount of product to a small area of ​​skin, such as the crook of your elbow or wrist. Is your skin red, itchy, or small pimples appearing on it? This remedy is not suitable for you.

Sometimes a situation may arise when there is no allergy to individual products, but there is an allergy to their combination. This indicates an overabundance of certain ingredients. Therefore, to begin with, we recommend taking a bath only with salt and gradually adding additional products to it, so that it is immediately clear what exactly caused the negative reaction of the body. If you are using essential oil, start with 6 drops and gradually work up to 10, but no more.

Whirlpool bath with bischofite

Indications for use:

• disorders of the nervous system;
• cardiovascular diseases beyond the acute stage;
• diseases of the musculoskeletal system (including diseases of the spine);
• arthritis and arthrosis;
• depression;
• metabolic disease;
• chronic insomnia;
• hypertension 1.2 degrees;
• overwork;
• post-traumatic asthenic syndrome;
• pain in the back, joints, cervical spine;
• arterial hypertension;
• prevention of diseases of the female and male reproductive system.

Contraindications:

• skin inflammations and infections;
• acute stage of diseases;
• tumors;
• thrombophlebitis;
• ischemia grade 2–3;
• fungus;
• tuberculosis;
• hypertension 3 degrees.

Balneotherapy in the treatment of diseases of the spine and joints

Balneotherapy is classified as a branch of alternative medicine or one of the areas of naturopathy, which involves treatment with mineral water.

Despite its alternative nature, hydrotherapy is widely used in classical medicine for physiotherapeutic procedures. This can include various showers, bathing, dousing, wraps, baths, washing, as well as inhalations, oral administration, irrigation, intestinal lavage and other procedures related to water. In the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system and joints, mineral water is used mainly externally.

Unlike conventional hydrotherapy, balneotherapy uses mineral water, often of natural origin or thermal water. Mineral waters are considered to be waters that contain a high concentration of mineral (less often organic) chemical elements or gases and have some physical properties. Thermal – medicinal waters, the temperature of which ranges from 37°C to 42°C.

Of course, the benefits of mineral waters and hydrotherapy in general in the treatment of diseases of the spine and skeleton have long been proven. With the correct selection of the chemical components of water, a favorable climate, adequate physical activity, appropriate regimen and diet, the recovery of patients is much more intense and faster.

At the same time, balneotherapy, like mud therapy, for example, requires constant medical supervision. Gases, salts, chemical elements and other components of mineral waters can irritate the skin, stimulate or calm the central nervous system, increase lymph flow and blood circulation, and, therefore, increase the load on the heart. Therefore, to avoid unwanted reactions or exacerbation of the condition, short breaks may be taken during the course of hydrotherapy.

Thermal hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy, unlike other types of treatment, is characterized by simplicity, accessibility to the general public (it is offered not only by sanatoriums and resorts, but also by many regular medical institutions), safety and the absence of side effects.

Depending on the temperature, water procedures and activities are divided into:

• cold or cryoprocedures, the temperature of which is below 20°C;
• cool (temperature range 21-33oC);
• indifferent (34-36oC);
• warm (37-39oC);
• hot (over 40°C).

Warm and hot hydrotherapy is useful for gout, various arthrosis, gastroenterological diseases, chronic inflammatory processes, in the post-traumatic period for the speedy restoration of soft tissues, elimination of contractures and for the development of joints. Cold procedures relieve swelling and inflammation, activate metabolic processes and the immune system, and tone regulatory systems.

Hydrotherapy is usually represented by:

• showers (Charcot, circular, ascending, Scottish, underwater massage, etc.);
• baths (radon, turpentine, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen, etc.);
• wraps, applications, rubdowns, douses, etc.

The duration and type of water procedures are determined by the attending physician individually for each patient, based on the location, degree and type of skeletal damage, age, and general health. As a rule, the course consists of 10-15 daily procedures; if necessary, a break of 1-2 days can be taken for better adaptation of the body to balneotherapy.

External use of mineral waters

The physiological and therapeutic effects of balneotherapy in the treatment of spinal diseases are based on a combination of factors:

• thermal (temperature) effect of water on the body;
• mechanical impact (pressure, underwater flows, waves);
• chemical composition of mineral waters.

Temperature changes in water when taking external baths have a much greater impact on the human body than fluctuations in air temperature. For example, it is much easier for a person to tolerate being in cold air than in a bathroom of the same temperature.

Cold baths, when immersed in them, initially irritate the blood vessels and nerves located in the skin, and the greater the difference between the patient’s body temperature and the water, the greater the irritation. This “shock” entails oversaturation of internal organs with blood, increased pressure in the walls of arterial vessels (their narrowing and tone), increased heart rate, increased metabolism and an automatic increase in body temperature.

After some time, a reverse reaction occurs: the vessels located in the skin dilate, blood flow to them increases, the heart rate calms down and becomes less frequent, metabolic processes slow down, and the internal body temperature gradually decreases.

During cold baths, the nervous system is toned and refreshed, the skin, muscles and ligaments are strengthened. Cryoprocedures can be used as a powerful antipyretic, as a means of activating blood circulation, restoring tissue sensitivity and the passage of nerve impulses along nerve fibers.

Warm and hot water procedures help relax tissues, dilate blood vessels in the skin, fill them with blood, body temperature rises, and the speed of metabolic processes increases. Pulse, heart contractions, breathing increase, blood pressure decreases, the nervous system becomes irritated and excited. Thermal effects have a relaxing, analgesic and anticonvulsant effect, promote the removal of toxins from the body in case of gout, rheumatoid arthritis, scrofula, inflammatory exudates, etc.

The mechanical effect of water during hydrotherapy is often combined with temperature influence. Mechanical indicators depend on the type of procedures (filling a bath or pool, the presence of waves or underwater hydromassage), on the strength and pressure of the water, and on the pattern of its movement. Thus, the therapeutic effect is achieved due to the movement of water or the patient in it, the resumption of the movement of water flows, the direction and height of the fall of the jets, constant contact with the skin or dosed exposure.

The pressure of the water column causes the tone of the chest and abdominal muscles, and the activation of the internal organs. The skin and the vessels located in them also experience pressure, blood is forced out of them, blood pressure rises, and the work of the heart increases.

The chemical effect of mineral waters is mainly through the skin and inhalation, and only volatile substances and gases are absorbed in full. Non-volatile compounds, salts, iodine, radon, hydrogen sulfide and other elements saturate the skin and then spread throughout the body.

Many studies have been carried out on the electrical charge of mineral medicinal waters, but there is no reliable information about the usefulness of such procedures in the treatment of osteochondrosis and other skeletal diseases.

Types of mineral waters and baths

For a long time, balneologists could not reach agreement regarding individual medicinal mineral waters. Some of them, when environmental conditions change, change their chemical composition and properties, and sometimes form very unstable compounds.

Today, according to the content of salts and gases, mineral waters are divided into alkaline, sodium, iron, sulfur, calcareous, indifferent, iodine-bromine and nitrogen-radon.

Alkaline water contains carbonic acid, sodium carbonate and sodium sulfate as the main elements, and table salt in a smaller amount.

• Internal consumption of carbonated water improves the peristalsis of the stomach and intestines, the secretion of gastric juice and bile, quenches thirst and has a diuretic effect. Low-temperature baths with carbon dioxide water are prescribed for chronic rheumatism, for the treatment of various types of neuralgia, paresis and paralysis of the limbs.
• Alkaline carbon dioxide water has a mild laxative effect, thins and removes mucus from the respiratory tract, activates metabolic processes, and breaks down fats. It is used externally to treat obesity; when warm, it is used to eliminate spasms and inflammation of muscle tissue.
• Alkaline salt water is prescribed to improve appetite and better absorption of nutrients. In the form of baths it helps to activate tissue trophism, with exhaustion of the body and anemia.
• Alkaline Glauber water has a laxative effect, dilutes and removes bile and gallstones, and enhances metabolism. Externally recommended for the treatment of excess weight, arthritis and various arthrosis, gout and diabetes.

Waters containing table salt consist in significant quantities of sodium chloride and also contain calcium, potassium, magnesium, iodine, bromine, lithium and other trace elements. Salt baths irritate the blood vessels and nerves passing through the skin, restore reflex reactions, improve blood circulation, breathing and other physiological functions of the body. By regulating the temperature of the baths, various therapeutic effects are achieved in the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Iron waters are usually prescribed for internal use, since iron is not absorbed through the skin. They are used to improve metabolism, sluggish digestion, dyspepsia, anemia, blood stagnation in the portal vein, etc.

Sulfur mineral waters contain significant quantities of hydrogen sulfide or hydrogen compounds with any metals, and penetrate into the human body through the stomach, breath or skin.

When taken orally, they enhance the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, the secretion of bile, cleanse the portal vein, remove toxins, heavy metals and salts, and improve the activity of the cardiovascular system. Inhalations help in the treatment of respiratory diseases. Externally used to treat rheumatism, osteochondrosis, arthrosis, skin rashes, neuroses and neuralgia. They relieve inflammation and pain well, and stimulate the immune system.

Calcareous or earthy water consists of carbonic or sulphate chalk and gypsum. It neutralizes acids, improves metabolism, and is used in the form of baths for softening and necrosis of bone tissue, osteoporosis, caries, rheumatic pain, inflammation of the joints, and gout.

Artificial or natural indifferent waters have a rather poor chemical composition (mainly sodium carbonate, nitrogen and oxygen predominate). Their main therapeutic aspect is the temperature effect on the patient’s body.

Warm baths are recommended to be taken after debilitating illnesses, prolonged immobilization, diseases of the nervous system, hysteria, headaches, cerebrovascular accidents, muscle weakness or convulsions, paralysis, paresis, and various skin lesions.

Hot water procedures are used to develop joints after injuries, for rheumatism, to eliminate contractures, infiltrates and inflammation of soft tissues and internal organs, to restore damage to the central and peripheral nervous system, to treat sciatic neuralgia, etc.

Iodine and bromine are halogens and are poorly soluble in water, but form quite stable compounds in saline solutions. Therefore, iodine-bromine baths must be combined with salt baths and are indicated for calming the nervous system, treating degenerative diseases and joint damage.

Nitrogen and radon waters are saturated with the corresponding gases and are often combined with underwater hydromassage or resemble a jacuzzi. Indicated to normalize blood circulation and blood pressure, relieve inflammation and pain, muscle spasms, and have a beneficial effect on joints and bones.

Contraindications to balneotherapy

Hydrotherapy with mineral waters of different temperatures is contraindicated in the following cases:

• the presence of tumors of various etiologies in the body, especially in the stage of active growth;
• acute or chronic inflammatory processes;
• after recent heart attacks, strokes or operations on the cardiovascular system;
• heart failure, angina pectoris, hypertension, vascular atherosclerosis, thrombosis, thrombophlebitis of large vessels, especially with trophic skin lesions, etc.;
• active tuberculosis;
• epilepsy and some diseases of the nervous system;
• skin lesions or allergic reaction to components of mineral water;
• poor blood clotting and predisposition to bleeding.

Author: K.M.N., Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences M.A. Bobyr