Balneotherapy

Definition and characteristics

"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.

Presumed effect on diseases

Balneotherapy may be recommended for various illnesses, including arthritis, skin conditions and fibromyalgia.{{cite journal|author=Deniz Evcik|title=The effects of balneotherapy on fibromyalgia patients|journal=Rheumatology International|volume=22|issue=2|pages=56–59|date=June 2002|doi=10.1007/s00296-002-0189-8|pmid=12070676|last2=Kizilay|first2=B|last3=Gökçen

Scientific studies into the effectiveness of balneotherapy do not show that balneotherapy is effective for treating rheumatoid arthritis. There is also no evidence indicating a more effective type of bath, or that bathing is more effective than exercise, relaxation therapy, or mudpacks. Most of the studies on balneotherapy have methodological flaws and are not reliable. 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.

"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.

A 2018 systematic review concluded that "balneotherapy and spa therapy may be considered useful interventions for managing stress conditions".

Crenotherapy

The crenotherapy (from the Greek krene, "source") is closely related to the balneotherapy:

1. Some sources equate it with balneotherapy, with the term "crenotherapy" most used in France and "balneotherapy" in Germany;
2. Some researchers suggest that crenotherapy is a branch of hydrotherapy that deals with mineral waters, divide it into internal and external, with balneotherapy being part of the external branch of the crenotherapy.

Generally, crenotherapy is associated with the use of natural mineral waters as a medicine, including the trace levels of substances. Drinking of mineral water is sometimes called hydropinotherapy (from the Greek hydro, "water" and pino, "drink").

References

Sources

References

1. (2007). "[[Shorter Oxford English Dictionary]]". Oxford University Press.
2. (1995). "Thermalism in the ancient world". Med Secoli.
3. (2003). "Balneotherapy in dermatology.". Dermatologic Therapy.
4. Sukenik S. (1999). "Balneotherapy at the Dead Sea area for knee osteoarthritis". IMAJ.
5. (2015-04-11). "Balneotherapy (or spa therapy) for rheumatoid arthritis". The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
6. Verhagen AP. (October 1997). "Taking baths: the efficacy of balneotherapy in patients with arthritis. A systematic review". J Rheumatol.
7. Falagas ME. (2009). "The therapeutic effect of balneotherapy: Evaluation of the evidence from randomized controlled trials". International Journal of Clinical Practice.
8. (May 2020). "Indoor salt water baths followed by artificial ultraviolet B light for chronic plaque psoriasis". The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
9. (2018). "Effects of balneotherapy and spa therapy on levels of cortisol as a stress biomarker: a systematic review". International Journal of Biometeorology.