To improve health, for preventive purposes, as well as for the treatment of certain diseases, experienced doctors often recommend that their patients undergo a procedure called “halotherapy”. What is it, try to understand this article.
What is halotherapy?
Halotherapy is a treatment method that does not involve the use of medications, but is based on the use of an artificially created microclimate that is similar in its basic parameters to the conditions of salt speleological hospitals located underground. Today, this method of therapy is successfully used in almost the whole world, not only for the treatment of a variety of ailments, but also for preventive purposes.
A brief excursion into history
Since ancient times, salt caves have been very popular. Even the monks who lived in the Middle Ages visited them in order to cure respiratory diseases. Thus, a new direction, known today as “speleotherapy”, appeared and gradually developed in medicine. In European countries, they learned about him only in the 19th century, when one very famous Polish therapist, whose name is Felix Bochkovsky, guided by his own observations, concluded that miners working in salt mines never suffer from asthma. A little later, in 1959, the world's first salt hospital was opened in the Velichko mine. A year later, a whole independent speleotherapy department began to function. At first, the doctors ’reports only aroused grins and distrust among officials, but there were more and more cured people, and it was no longer possible to dispute the obvious fact. In speleotherapy, very small particles of salt known as salt aerosol fight against ailments.
Since the number of people who want to experience the effect of “miraculous” air was constantly growing, the salt hospitals simply stopped coping with the ever-increasing flow of patients. To resolve the situation in any way, the experts decided to create similar caves, which, however, would differ in the nature of the microclimate. In the designed caves, it was planned to create it artificially. Thus, in 1984, the first halochamber was constructed in the USSR, which laid the foundation for a fundamentally new direction in modern medicine called halotherapy. What it is, it became known everywhere and did not require additional clarification.
The mechanism of action of halotherapy
First of all, it should be noted that salt rooms are constructed in order to recreate the microclimate that prevails in speleological hospitals located underground. The walls of the room are covered with special salt materials, which, interacting with salt spray, ensure the maintenance of the necessary temperature and hypobacterial indicators, as well as an appropriate level of humidity. Due to this, the immune system is not overloaded, the histamine in the blood returns to normal, the external respiration system begins to function normally. Soundproofing of the room prevents the penetration of extraneous sounds into it. During the sessions, calm, soothing music is included, which contributes to the relaxation of the whole organism. The air in the salt rooms is 10 times cleaner than the street. This is the merit of crystalline rock salt, which is a natural ionizer. Negatively charged ions in the air help improve overall health and are used to treat a huge number of diseases.
What to choose: halotherapy or speleotherapy?
Today, an increasing number of people familiar with the methods of treatment in natural salt mines are interested in what benefits, in turn, have halotherapy. What is this and is this medical field really an excellent alternative to speleotherapy? Judge for yourself:
- Significantly reduced age restrictions.
- In order to undergo treatment with halotherapy, you do not need to leave the country to the location of the salt mines.
- Significant time savings, since a one-hour halotherapy session is equivalent to an average of 6 hours in a salt hospital.
- The cost of treatment is an order of magnitude lower.
It should be noted that from the point of view of efficiency, halochambers are in no way inferior to natural salt caves.
In what cases is it recommended to undergo halotherapy?
Every sane person is interested in the question of whether halotherapy can harm his health. Indications and contraindications, of course, exist, as for any other medical procedure. Consider first the main indications for the use of this non-drug treatment method. These include:
- prevention of various colds: acute respiratory viral infections, acute respiratory infections, pneumonia, bronchitis of varying severity;
- treatment of chronic sinusitis, frontal sinusitis and chronic inflammatory processes;
- strengthening immunity;
- a predisposition to the manifestation of allergic reactions to food and medicine;
- treatment of skin diseases: psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema, acne, as well as purulent manifestations in various areas of the skin;
- treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular system and neurotic conditions;
- removal of psychoemotional stress, etc.
People who want to improve their health should seriously consider trying a treatment such as halotherapy. Indications for using this method were presented above. However, in fairness, it should be noted that this is not a complete list, and for more and more detailed information, you can contact a specialist at any time.
When is halotherapy contraindicated?
Unfortunately, many consider such a procedure as halotherapy to be very harmless. Indications and contraindications for its use are often ignored. Human negligence, however, is fraught with consequences, and good intentions can ultimately lead to a disastrous result. In order not to be in an unpleasant situation, one should take into account the fact that not everyone benefits from halotherapy. Contraindications cannot be ignored, and if the doctor does not recommend the use of this treatment method, it is better to listen and not risk your health in vain.
Among the main limitations, it should be noted:
- individual intolerance to the salted aerosol itself;
- active tuberculosis;
- any malignant neoplasm;
- complications after certain diseases, manifested in the form of suppuration;
- all kinds of bleeding, regardless of their location;
- pregnancy;
- some sexually transmitted diseases;
- various mental illnesses.
Contraindications also apply to people who are addicted to alcohol and drugs.
The use of halotherapy in pediatrics
Any pediatrician or pediatric pulmonologist will confirm that children, due to their age, catch colds much more often than adults. Everything would be fine, but it would seem that an ordinary cold sometimes turns into a chronic form of bronchopulmonary pathology, and once a healthy child can become an invalid at once. The life of a huge number of children would lose its beauty if the medical methods of treating bronchial diseases were not improved today. However, to achieve complete success, there is still a long way to go. This is due to the fact that currently existing drugs are not always as effective as they would like.
That is why there is an urgent need for the search and improvement of new non-drug methods of treatment. One such method is halotherapy. What is this, every parent should know, because prolonged treatment of a child with drugs significantly weakens his immunity.
Due to the high efficiency of this method of treatment and prevention of various diseases, the absence of any serious side effects, as well as the ability to dose the concentration of sodium chloride and throughout the procedure to continuously monitor the condition of the child, halotherapy has received approval from a huge number of highly qualified pediatricians. It is increasingly prescribed for children and adolescents, often suffering from SARS, hay fever, suffering from ENT pathologies, etc. Halotherapy for children is actively used by medical and preventive and sanitary-resort institutions located throughout Russia.
The use of halotherapy in dermatology and cosmetology
Despite the fact that currently the market for cosmetic services offers a huge assortment of products designed to maintain youth and beauty, an impressive number of women continue to trust only nature. For reasons of safety for health and the absence of side effects, they are increasingly choosing what is known as halotherapy. Indications for use apply not only to the treatment of a particular kind of disease. The procedure can also be actively used in cosmetology and dermatology. Due to the specific formation process, dry fine aerosol has a certain charge and high surface energy. As a result, it is able to penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin, thereby increasing its immune function, as well as providing an anti-inflammatory, bacteriostatic and anti-aging effect. Microcrystals restore the pH of the skin, helps to intensify the regeneration processes, improve the condition of the hair and activate their growth.
Halotherapy at home - myth or reality?
Due to its busyness, not everyone can afford to visit the halochamber for a long time. One halotherapy session lasts 30-45 minutes, and at least 10 procedures are required to complete the full course. Therefore, some people are interested in the question of whether it is possible to carry out the procedure at home, in their free time, and whether this will give the desired result. It is difficult to answer unequivocally, since although the procedure can be carried out within the walls of the house, the effectiveness of its use will be an order of magnitude lower.
So, in order to increase immunity and regularly carry out the prevention of diseases of the respiratory system, without visiting specialized institutions, you should only purchase one of the many salt lamps offered on the market today . They are made of salt crystals, and a light bulb is placed inside, which after turning on the device heats the stone, as a result of which the air is saturated with salt ions.
Of course, even a speleocamera can be equipped at home, but not everyone can afford it. Moreover, in addition to the substantial costs, an impressive size premises and the help of highly qualified specialists will be required.
Is it possible to undergo halotherapy in Moscow?
More and more often, residents of the capital have a desire to experience the amazing effect that halotherapy is famous for. Moscow is a metropolis where almost any whim can be satisfied, and treatment in salt rooms is no exception. So, the network of salt caves "Halo Plus" offers its services, which has earned very good reviews from visitors. Practice has shown that once having visited a session, a person is no longer able to deny himself the pleasure of regularly visiting salt rooms. And this is not surprising, because health can not be bought, and the disease is better to prevent than to treat later. Halotherapy is ideal for the prevention of many diseases. The price of one session varies from 350 to 500 rubles, and the effect is simply stunning. Plus, you can visit the salt rooms with the whole family, without age restrictions.
Halotherapy: reviews of doctors and patients
Each person has the right to decide for himself what is best for him. The same applies to the procedure, which is known to the public as halotherapy. Reviews about it are mostly positive, and only a few express their negative opinions. However, it would be reasonable to note that this negative is mainly expressed by those patients who decided to go to the session, ignoring the existing contraindications. Naturally, under such circumstances, the procedure will not only not have a positive effect on the general state of health, but may even harm it. Doctors, as well as the overwhelming number of patients, argue that halotherapy is an excellent method of non-drug control of certain diseases and just a good way to relieve fatigue, stress and prolonged depression.