Balneotherapy

Balneotherapy (Latin: balneum "bath") is a method of treating diseases by bathing, a traditional medicine technique usually practiced at spas.[1] While it is considered distinct from hydrotherapy,[2] there are some overlaps in practice and in underlying principles. Balneotherapy may involve hot or cold water, massage through moving water, relaxation, or stimulation. Many mineral waters at spas are rich in particular minerals such as silica, sulfur, selenium, and radium. Medicinal clays are also widely used, a practice known as 'fangotherapy'.

Balneotherapy
Bath in Zetaquira - Boyacá - Colombia
MeSHD001452
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Alternative and pseudo‑medicine
Bath in Zetaquira - Boyacá - Colombia
Traditional medicine

Definition and characteristics
The statue of "A man breaking a walking crutch" in the spa town Piešťany (Slovakia) - an eloquent symbol of balneotherapy.

"Balneotherapy" is the practice of immersing a subject in mineral water or mineral-laden mud; it is part of the traditional medicine of many cultures and originated in hot springs, cold water springs, or other sources of such water, like the Dead Sea.[3]

Presumed effect on diseases
Treatment bath at a spa in Hot Springs, Arkansas, United States

Balneotherapy may be recommended for a wide range of illnesses, including arthritis,[4] skin conditions and fibromyalgia.[5] Balneotherapy should be discussed in advance with a physician before beginning treatment, since a number of conditions, like heart disease and pregnancy, can result in a serious adverse effect.

Scientific studies into the effectiveness of balneotherapy do not show that balneotherapy is effective for treating rheumatoid arthritis.[6] There is also no evidence indicating a more effective type of bath,[6] or to indicate that bathing is more effective than exercise, relaxation therapy, or mudpacks.[6] Most of the studies on balneotherapy have methodological flaws and are not reliable.[7][6] A 2009 review of all published clinical evidence concluded that existing research is not sufficiently strong to draw firm conclusions about the efficacy of balneotherapy.[8]

"Balneophototherapy" combines salt bathing (balneotherapy) and exposure to ultraviolet B-light (UVB) as a potential treatment for severe, chronic plaque psoriasis. A Cochrane review found low-quality evidence that salt bathing combined with UVB may relieve psoriasis severity compared to UVB treatment only.[9]

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See also

References
  1. Angus Stevenson, ed. (2007). "Definition of balneo therapy". Shorter Oxford English Dictionary. 1: A-M (6th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 180. ISBN 978-0-19-920687-2.
  2. "Balneotherapeutics". The Encyclopædia Britannica (1911). III. New York. pp. 284–285 (300–301 in electronic page field). Retrieved 16 July 2011.
  3. Matz, H; Orion, E; Wolf, R (2003). "Balneotherapy in dermatology". Dermatologic therapy. 16 (2): 132–40. doi:10.1046/j.1529-8019.2003.01622.x. PMID 12919115.
  4. Sukenik S; Flusser, D; Codish, S; Abu-Shakra, M (1999). "Balneotherapy at the Dead Sea area for knee osteoarthritis". IMAJ. 1 (2): 83–85. PMID 10731301.
  5. Deniz Evcik; Kizilay, B; Gökçen, E (June 2002). "The effects of balneotherapy on fibromyalgia patients". Rheumatology International. 22 (2): 56–59. doi:10.1007/s00296-002-0189-8. PMID 12070676.
  6. Verhagen, Arianne P.; Bierma-Zeinstra, Sita M. A.; Boers, Maarten; Cardoso, Jefferson R.; Lambeck, Johan; de Bie, Rob; de Vet, Henrica C. W. (11 April 2015). "Balneotherapy (or spa therapy) for rheumatoid arthritis". The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (4): CD000518. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD000518.pub2. ISSN 1469-493X. PMC 7045434. PMID 25862243.
  7. Verhagen AP; De Vet, HC; De Bie, RA; Kessels, AG; Boers, M; Knipschild, PG (October 1997). "Taking baths: the efficacy of balneotherapy in patients with arthritis. A systematic review". J Rheumatol. 24 (10): 1964–71. PMID 9330940.
  8. Falagas ME; et al. (2009). "The therapeutic effect of balneotherapy: Evaluation of the evidence from randomized controlled trials". International Journal of Clinical Practice. 63 (7): 1068–84. doi:10.1111/j.1742-1241.2009.02062.x. PMID 19570124.
  9. Peinemann F, Harari M, Peternel S, Chan T, Chan D, Labeit AM, Gambichler T. (May 2020). "Indoor salt water baths followed by artificial ultraviolet B light for chronic plaque psoriasis". The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2020 (5): CD011941. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD011941.pub2. PMC 7199317. PMID 32368795.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

Further reading
  • Nathaniel Altman, Healing springs: the ultimate guide to taking the waters : from hidden springs to the world's greatest spas. Inner Traditions / Bear & Company, 2000. ISBN 0-89281-836-0
  • Dian Dincin Buchman, The complete book of water healing. 2nd ed., McGraw-Hill Professional, 2001. ISBN 0-658-01378-5
  • Jane Crebbin-Bailey, John W. Harcup, John Harrington, The Spa Book: The Official Guide to Spa Therapy. Publisher: Cengage Learning EMEA, 2005. ISBN 1-86152-917-1
  • Esti Dvorjetski, Leisure, pleasure, and healing: spa culture and medicine in ancient eastern Mediterranean., E. J. Brill, 2007 (illustrated). ISBN 90-04-15681-X
  • Carola Koenig, Specialized Hydro-, Balneo-and Medicinal Bath Therapy. Publisher: iUniverse, 2005. ISBN 0-595-36508-6
  • Anne Williams, Spa bodywork: a guide for massage therapists. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2006. ISBN 0-7817-5578-6
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