SALT ROOM THERAPY
Ideal time range that should be spent in salt rooms is between 20 and 40 minutes.
The routine of salt room therapy should be 5 consecutive days, and then once in a month.
You need to be careful about below mentioned issues while starting salt room therapy.
- Do not wear your daily clothes. Otherwise, your clothes can be covered with salt and dust. Disposable and protective clothes are recommended.
- Do not wear shoes.
- Do not use fragrance.
- Salt amount that is used in a 45-minute therapy is one-tenth of the salt amount used in a meal.
- Salt rooms should be prepared for relaxing the customers.
- Music and louche atmosphere should help relaxing the customers.
- You can take salt room therapy with your children.
- Your children can play with the toys that are available in the salt rooms.
Benefits of salt room therapies:
We become aggressive and nervous as a result of the stress we experience in our daily lives and scarcity of negative ions in cities. Hence, our bodies become less resistant to illnesses. However, micro-granulose salt particles we inhale in salt rooms help us to get rid of these bad effects and they enable our body to be more resistant. Besides these positive effects, they are very effective as ancillary therapy in:
- Frequently seen viral infections, cough and chill
- Bronchitis
- Chronic ear-nose-throat disorders
- Allergic chill
- Frequently seen ear infections
- Skin problems due to allergies
- Asthma
- Eczema and dermatitis
- Psoriasis
- Arthralgia and arthritis
Who should not take salt room therapy?
- Patients with inflammations causing fever
- Patients with tuberculosis history
- Patients with cardiac dysfunction
- Patients with cancer history
- Patients with hypertension
HISTORY OF HALOTHERAPY
Halotherapy was first found by Professor P. P. Gorbenko in 1984. In 1990, during Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, halotherapy was developed as protective care and treatment of diseases by Gorbenko and his team under the supervision of Ministry of Health officials. In hydrochloric mines (caves), simple medical effects of underground clinics, high-level yield of ionized aerosol of rock salt weren’t at issue. Gorbenko and his team found out the effect of this salt as a result of 30 years of research.
The first researches were started in 1974 – on Solotvyno Salts to be used as microclimate in Zakapattia Region of Ukraine – for treatments of patients suffering from bronchial asthma and other respiratory tract illnesses. The researches were carried out in underground Ukrainian Allergy Hospital belonging to Ministry of Health of Ukraine. This state hospital was constructed in a mine for allergic patients. This hospital is a four-storey complex with a depth of 286-330 meters. This hospital contains main gallery, medical gallery, 300 beds, air conditioning, technology gallery and rooms for assistants. There are saloons, conference halls, dining halls, laboratory, nurse quarter, rooms and bathrooms for staff in underground parts. Climatic features of the region and natural properties of the underground were considered in the light of researches. In consequence; air temperature was kept at 23-24°C, real humidity level at 20-60% and 0,5-5,0 mg/m3 of sodium chloride aerosol was yielded by imitating optimal microclimate in these underground parts. Particle amount is 5.
In 1975, this allergy hospital – which is 300 meters below the ground – was hosting only 4 patients. In 1976, the state hospital started the treatments of patients. Patients suffering from bronchial asthma received treatment in this complex. Valid and valuable levels of recovery were observed in sufferers of bronchial asthma and other respiratory tract illnesses (rhinitis, sinusitis, chronic bronchitis), and 95-97% of patients recovered.
Halotherapy’s high impact on treatments of allergic and dermatologic diseases (psoriasis, etc.), respiratory tract burns and skin burns, and positive effect on immune system are established.
These information – which are available on website of the institute – extensionally continue. Numbers of patients involved in treatment sessions in salt caves are given. Data on recovery of 95% of patients is also available. Such operations are supported by government in Russia, the cradle of alternative medicine, and are implemented within the body of ministry.
Salt room is a small model of this example. They found favor in Russia and approximately 100 salt rooms are constituted in various regions of Russia.
Salt rooms became famous not only within the borders of Russia, but also in European countries. For example, countries like Switzerland, Estonia, Germany and Finland showed great interest.
Moreover, halogenerator needed for halotherapy is tested in allergy institute of a state university in Lappeenranta, Finland.
Salt rooms in these countries are very popular for sufferers of respiratory tract illnesses. Besides, healthy people can also benefit from protective property of halotherapy.
Health technician of Salt Room in Tallinn, Estonia have mentioned that they haven’t got ill in the last 2 years, the time they have started to work there. Treatment method of salt rooms in Estonia is briefly:
The patient receives 3 therapies in 1 year and each therapy consists of 10 sessions (or between 12 and 25 sessions in total). Each session takes 60 minutes for adults and 20-40 minutes for children. Patients are divided into groups according to treatment regimen determined by doctors.
During a session, a patient sits in a seat and breathes through the nose and mouth as suggested.
Salt rooms and therapeutic effects of salt are told in launching of salt rooms is Estonia as follows:
Salt helps to strengthen immune system in relation to mucosa and destroys fungi and bacteria on mucosa as well. Therefore, children who received treatment in salt room are stronger in terms of health and get sick less.
Salt reduces mucous edema – i.e. snivel, stops sneezing, unblocks blocked nose, reduces or eliminates rhinitis. However, sometimes you may start coughing after you started to take halotherapy. This doesn’t mean that your health is deteriorating. Contrarily, it’s a sign of recovery.
Salt aerosol is also good for your nervous system and it relieves stress. Moreover, salt is beneficial in healing various dermal problems by eliminating bacteria on your skin.
On which diseases are salt rooms effective? Asthma, upper respiratory infections, chronic respiratory diseases, bronchitis, chronic bronchitis and others, psoriasis and some dermatologic diseases.
Actually, the list extends and specific qualities of diseases are all stated in launching.
Let’s describe salt room briefly. The whole surface of a room which is completely wooden is covered with salt. Pharmacologic salt (medical or pharmaceutical) is released in aerosol to the room periodically by means of a generator.
Source: Jouni Hedman MD, Timo Hugg and Tari Haahtela, Helsinki University Hospital, Finland