Definition and characteristics

The term "balneotherapy" is generally applied to everything relating to spa treatment, including the drinking of waters and the use of hot baths and natural vapor baths, as well as of the various kinds of mud and sand used for hot applications. Balneotherapy refers to the medical use of these spas, as opposed to recreational use. Common minerals found in spa waters are sodium, magnesium, calcium and iron, as well as arsenic, lithium, potassium, manganese, bromine, and iodine. All these may be contained in the peat that is commonly used in preparation of spa waters. Resorts may also add minerals or essential oils to naturally-occurring hot springs. Though balneotherapy commonly refers to mineral baths, the term may also apply to water treatments using regular hot or cold tap water.

Mud-baths are also included in balneotherapy, and the dirt and water used to mix mud baths may also contain minerals which are thought to have beneficial properties.

Pregnancy

Pregnant women's bodies go through lots of daily stresses, so a big day at the spa might seem like the perfect way to relieve them. But it's important to know that while some spa treatments -- especially ones honed by medical and spa professionals -- are alright for pregnant women to luxuriate in, others are strictly off limits.

To kick things off, let's cover some of the treatments that are perfectly safe for expecting mothers -- but with two important caveats. The first, that a mother-to-be should only visit spa professionals who are specifically trained to perform prenatal treatments. The second, that she must be having a normal pregnancy. If there are concerns that the pregnancy is not proceeding exactly as planned, she should consult her doctor before scheduling a spa visit.

Once such conditions are met, it's perfectly safe to enjoy some spa specials. For example, massage is generally green-lighted, although some experts disagree about whether it's wise to receive massages in the first trimester. Again, a certified prenatal massage therapist is a must, and tables with holes in the middle for the belly are dubious and likely best avoided for safety reasons since they don't adequately support the weight of the baby. Instead, a masseuse can perform a massage while the mommy-in-the-making is lying on her side propped up with pillows, or deliver a neck and back massage while she's seated upright. Pregnant women can also enjoy leg and foot massages for aching lower extremities.

Balneotheraphy - Healing with Water

What is thermal water?

Thermal water is identified as a hot water with composition rich in salts, iodine and gases. It emerges from natural thermal springs, spread all over the earth and practically on every continent, even in the oceans. In fact, the groundwater coming from hot springs is heated by geothermal processes and naturally flows to the land surface at a temperature of 70°F (approximately 21°C) or above. Geothermal springs can be found at places where magma is close to the surface, primarily in hotspot and volcanic districts or spreading ridge areas. The origin of many thermal springs can be found in aquifers, which are underground layers of rock and sand that contain water. Thermal water can also originate from artesian wells.



Following an example, the thermal water in the Gastein region (Austria) comes from natural hot springs, between 12,000 and 17,000 years old in the area of the Florentine Hill. It is rich in natrium chloride, emerging from a depth of 1,200 to 1,800m and coming out through solid rock on the surface. Its temperature is between 56°C and 68.8°C and the veryday productivity of the springs is around 800,000 litres of thermal water.

What is actually the process that thermal water goes through? Examinations for the Gastein region show that rain water seeps into the area of Graukogel and Hüttenkogel (approximately 1,800 meters above sea level), after that drops down to a depth of 2,000 meters, warms itself deep underground, and rises again up to about 1,000 meters above sea level. It emerges up in the Badberges area in Bad Gastein, from 17 different springs with a capacity of five million litres per day.

Another example refers to the thermal waters in the Gulf of Suez area, Egypt, Sri Lanka which temperature ranges from 32 to 70°C and are being emitted from springs and shallow artesian wells. According to a chemical study it was proven that the waters are paleometeoric waters from the Nubian sandstone aquifer. After examining the chemical and isotopic compositions of some solutes, the results indicated possible contributions from Tertiary sedimentary aquifer rocks and windblown deposits in the recharge area. There is a suggestion that the waters have been heated by percolation to a depth of several kilometers along the regional geothermal gradient.

Balneotherapy in dermatology

History of Balneotherapy

There is lot of historical records that used hot spring to recover many diseases. It was in different environment depending on the geographically, facilities availability and culture of the people in the area. It has been proved with following details.

1. Using water to soothe and heal is an ancient practice. Archaeologists have found remains of bathing rooms in the palace of Knossos that date from 1700 B.C., indicating that the Greeks appreciated the effects of a good, long soak. The Greek physician Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.) also wrote extensively about the healing power of water. He advocated the use of saline baths and regularly immersed his patients in seawater to cure several ailments, including aching muscles and arthritis.

2. Ancient Egyptians embraced water-based therapies just as enthusiastically. Cleopatra (69-30 B.C.) visited the Dead Sea to soak in its mineral-rich waters and may have established pharmaceutical and cosmetic factories near its shores. But it was the Romans who took bathing to a new level of sophistication. At first, Roman baths were small, private and unobtrusive. Then came larger neighborhood baths, which were followed by massive public baths. The Baths of Caracalla represented the pinnacle of the Roman bathing experience. Constructed between A.D. 206 and A.D. 217, the Baths of Caracalla covered 27 acres and could accommodate 1,600 people at a time.

3. Eventually, the Roman Empire collapsed and, with it, interest in balneotherapy. The last Roman baths were abandoned by about A.D. 537. By the time the Black Death swept through Europe in the 1340s, public bathing had all but stopped. In addition to fears associated with disease transmission, the strict moral code of the Roman Catholic Church discouraged people from visiting public watering places.

Benefits of balneotherapy

Accelerating cell activity

Increasing cell oxygenation

Boosting the immune system

Increasing body metabolism

Improving blood circulation

Eliminating toxins

Nourishing vital organs and tissues

Promoting relaxation

Decreasing inflammation

Relieving pain

Skin diseases, including psoriasis and eczema

Mild respiratory diseases

Metabolic diseases, especially gout and diabetes

Autonomic nervous system dysfunction

Gynecological diseases

Gastrointestinal diseases

Circulatory diseases, mostly mild to moderate hypertension

Fibromyalgia

Parkinson's disease

Stress-related diseases

Low back pain

Varicose veins

Osteoarthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis.

What Is the Scientific Evidence for Balneotherapy?

Balneotherapy

Balneotherapy is a natural approach to healing using water. Normally, individuals are immersed into water in tubs or natural bodies of water.

Balneotherapy is a form of physical therapy that has been used for centuries. Mineral-rich hot springs were used in the early days by the Greeks and Romans to treat a variety of ailments.

Different types of water are used to treat particular health conditions. Hot springs are often used to treat illnesses associated with decreased blood flow to the extremities. Mineral baths (mainly consisting of sulfur, sodium, calcium, magnesium, and iron) are especially beneficial when treating skin disorders and sea water can help relieve tense nerves.

Both hot and cold water is used. Generally, hot water is used to soothe and relax and cold water is used to stimulate. Hot water opens pores and helps increase surface circulation. Cold water closes pores and increases blood flow throughout the body. Some practitioners find it beneficial to alternate hot and cold water treatments.

Balneotherapy Hot Spring in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is the wonderful tourism destination in the world that most of beauties are gift of nature. One of most attractive benefited even is the Hot spring place at Madunagala in down south Sri Lanka.

Term of Sri Lankan traditional Medicine Ayurweda is combine with Ayur(Life) weda(Science). Therapy is the broad scientific concept in Ayurweda in difference lines includes Balneotherapy has former root level facilities are coming from ancient historical treatment system such hot spring wells.

Laying in a wide expanse of open country, Madunagala Hot Springs is a wonderful creation of nature in all its natural beauty. Historically, these hot springs flowed into a natural water hole. Recently they have been renovated and attractive stone tanks and basins have been created. Here, the hot water bubbles into the ponds and mixes with cooler water there. Warm water flows smoothly into the surrounding basins where visitors can enjoy the soothing mineral water. Changing rooms, western toilets and small shops with snacks and beverages are close by. Special indigenous ayurvedic drinks such as “Belimal” and “Ranawara” are local treats worth trying.