Balneotherapy

Balneotherapy includes practices and methods using medically and legally recognized mineral-medicinal waters, muds and natural gases from natural springs for therapeutic purposes. One of the most widely used method in balneotherapy is bathing with thermal mineral water. In the course of the years, scientific community has produced an increasing number of evidences that this practice is an effective method for treating signs and symptoms of several pathologies such as rheumatic, cardiovascular and dermatological diseases...

BACKGROUND: Patients with inherited ichthyosis suffer from scaling due to mutations affecting the epidermal barrier. Symptomatic treatment with ointments, bathing and mechanical scale removal can alleviate the disease, but therapy is time and cost intensive. OBJECTIVES: We investigated costs, time and disease burden of ichthyoses. The study addresses difficulties of the healthcare situation for patients with ichthyoses and reveals potential improvements. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We developed a questionnaire addressing time and financial effort for the treatment...

BACKGROUND: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a prevalent and debilitating condition, leading to significant challenges to both patients and the governmental healthcare system. Non-pharmacologic interventions have received increasing attention as potential strategies to alleviate chronic low back pain and improve patient outcomes. The aim of this systematic review was to comprehensively assess the changes in blood inflammatory biomarkers after non-pharmacologic interventions for CLBP patients, thus trying to understand the complex interactions between non-pharmacologic interventions and inflammatory biomarker changes in CLBP...

The aim of this prospective observational study was to evaluate the efficacy of a cycle of sulfate-arsenical-ferruginous mud bath therapy on pain, function, and sleep quality in patients with chronic low-back pain (CLBP). One hundred twenty-three patients treated at Levico Spa Center (Italy) with 12 daily local mud packs and generalized thermal baths were included in this experience. General medical assessments were performed before starting the therapy, at the end of the treatment, and 3 months later...

OBJECTIVES: A scoping review was selected to explore what non-pharmacological and non-invasive pain management interventions are available for individuals from Turkish-speaking ethnic groups with chronic pain and what represents the most appropriate intervention. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Adults with non-malignant chronic pain from Turkish-speaking ethnic groups residing in or outside of Turkey. All non-pharmacological and non-invasive pain management interventions were considered...

Balneotherapy has demonstrated clinical efficacy in the management of pathologies involving low-grade inflammation and stress. In rheumatic conditions such as osteoarthritis (OA), this therapy presents anti-inflammatory properties and potential to improve psychological well-being. Although the neurohormones serotonin and dopamine are known to be involved in these processes, surprisingly they have not been studied in this context. The objective was to evaluate the effect of a cycle of balneotherapy with peloids (pelotherapy) on circulating serotonin and dopamine concentrations in a group of aged individuals with OA, after comparing their basal state to that of an age-matched control group...

Spa therapy consists of multiple techniques based on the healing effects of water, including hydrotherapy, balneotherapy, and mud therapy, often combined with therapeutic exercises, massage, or physical therapy. Balneotherapy is a clinically effective complementary approach in the treatment of low-grade inflammation- and stress-related pathologies, especially rheumatic conditions due to its anti-inflammatory properties. The main objective of this investigation was to conduct a systematic review analyzing the available evidence on the effect of spa therapy on serotonin and dopamine function...

Chronic pain is a non-motor symptom affecting from 60 to 80% of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). PD patients can suffer from different types of pain, either specific or not specific of the disease, and depending on various pathophysiological mechanisms (nociceptive, nociplastic or neuropathic), which can be present at any stage of the disease. Non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs) are essential to complement routine care interventions in PD pain management. Moreover, in the literature, it has been shown that 42% of PD patients are already using complementary therapies...

Spa therapy is a medical treatment based on the use of natural mineral water. In France, spa therapy is delivered in spa care facilities (SCF) involving the intervention of several actors (stakeholders). Spa doctors are key stakeholders as they prescribe the treatments, follow spa patients and assess spa therapy with scientific studies. This study aimed to analyze the spa doctors' relationships in order to highlight their role in transferring information to other stakeholders, particularly to spa managers. For that purpose, we used the social network analysis (SNA) method by means of snowball data collection...

INTRODUCTION: The problem of detecting legionella after a case of legionellosis from the source of environmental contamination has been known since a long time ago. Legionella is a bacterium present in various natural and artificial habitats and especially in surface fresh waters. It is found in greater concentration in warm waters, at temperatures between 20 °C and 42 °C. The greatest risk factor for humans is represented by the presence of Legionella in water distribution systems in hospitals, medical equipment (e...

INTRODUCTION: Psoriasis is a systemic immune-mediated disease primarily manifesting as skin redness and inflammation. Balneotherapy proved to be a successful non-pharmacological option to reduce the skin areas affected by the disease, but the specific mechanisms underlying this effect have not been elucidated yet. Here we test the hypothesis that the effect of thermal treatments on psoriatic lesions could be partially mediated by changes in the resident microbial population, i.e., the microbiome...

Natural products (water, plants, and minerals) have been studied for diverse applications in health and disease. Since there has been a growing interest in the introduction of thermal water as a clinical complementary approach in the treatment of low-grade inflammation and stress-related conditions, this review focuses on the oldest spa in the world: Nitrodi's spring. Substantial studies in the 1960s showed that both the internal and external use of Nitrodi's water yielded several benefits in physiological processes and in treating certain disorders, mainly allergic and autoimmune inflammatory conditions...

BACKGROUND: Non-specific chronic low back pain (NSCLBP) refers to a complex condition that involves structural, biomechanical, cognitive, psychological, social, and lifestyle issues. First-line therapies include physical therapy and exercise, as well as psychological follow-up and pain medication. AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a 6-week center-based program using a multi-axis motorized platform (HUBER) connected with force sensors, that allows the patients to execute isometric exercises on the spine flexion-to-extension ratio at 60 and 120°/s, pain, trunk flexibility, and disability...

UNLABELLED: The search for new rational ways to improve the effectiveness of treatment and rehabilitation measures of patients with true eczema continues to be one of the pressing issues in modern clinical dermatology. OBJECTIVE: The comparative analysis of influence of different variants of SCL: balneotherapy and balneotherapy combined with magnetic laser therapy on the dermatological status, IL-4 and IL-13 level, psycho-emotional state and QOL evaluation in patients with true eczema...

BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic disease associated with a severe impact on quality of life. However, unfortunately, there are no evidence-based guidelines for the non-surgical management of this disease. While recognising the gap between scientific evidence and clinical practice, this position statement aims to present recommendations for the non-surgical management of knee OA, considering the available evidence and the clinical knowledge of experienced surgeons. The overall goal is to offer an evidenced-based expert opinion, aiding clinicians in the management of knee OA while considering the condition, values, needs and preferences of individual patients...

The pathogenesis of sarcopenia is multifactorial, including changes in the endocrine system. Easy-to-perform screening tests can guide the diagnosis of sarcopenia and the rehabilitation therapeutic conduct, which can act on many physiopathological links. This study was conducted over a period of 5 months, from April to August 2022, and included 84 patients hospitalized for a period of 10 days in the Balneal and Rehabilitation Sanatorium Techirghiol for complex physiotherapy, which included balneotherapy. In dynamics, both at admission and discharge, specific screening tests for sarcopenia (SARC-F questionnaire, grip strength, testing muscle strength at the level of the quadriceps, sit-to-stand tests (the time required for five consecutive rises and the number of rises performed in 30 s)) and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain were performed...

Thermal springs are the sites where the water temperature lies above ambient temperature. They are widely used for power generation, hot water spas, balneotherapy, agriculture, laundering, and aquaculture. In Nepal, many thermal springs are reported but scientific understanding on water quality and hydrogeochemistry of the springs is very limited. In this study, a total of 28 physico-chemical parameters were measured in water samples collected from 12 thermal springs from Gandaki Province, Nepal. Correlation matrix and multivariate statistical analysis such as principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis were used to understand the water quality and hydrogeochemistry of the hot water springs...

Frailty is not limited to the elderly, as patients with rheumatic diseases can also experience this condition. The present scoping review aimed to investigate the possibility of using the health resort setting as an alternative location for managing rheumatic patients with frailty. The research resulted in finding several in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies, resulting in evidence supporting the effectiveness of spa treatments in reducing pain, improving function, and managing comorbidity in rheumatic diseases...

Hypertension (high blood pressure) is one of the most common health conditions. When your blood pressure is high for a long term, it can cause health problems, such as heart disease. In addition to the main methods of treatment, there are various methods of adjuvant therapy, one of the most common of which is hydrotherapy. In this review study, we examined the effects of hydrotherapy, balneotherapy, and spa therapy on blood pressure. We searched the PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, and Science Direct databases until April 2022 using related keywords...

Lymphedema is a chronic and progressive disorder of the lymphatic system that impairs the return of lymphatic fluid. Breast cancer treatment can cause breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL), with axillary lymph node dissection and regional lymph node radiation being established risk factors. BCRL can cause severe morbidity, disability, and reduced quality of life. Early detection and treatment are essential to prevent the disease from progressing and causing complications. According to the International Society of Lymphology, complex decongestive therapy (CDT) is the most effective conservative treatment for lymphedema...