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 Mineral water is extremely beneficial for
people - both when it is used externally and internally. The mighty therapeutic
and recovery modality of the mineral waters exist due to sols, carbon dioxide,
sulphurated hydrogen, nitrogen and some quickly disintegrating radionuclides
(e.g. radon) containing in such waters.
Other factors of importance are: the
thermal factor (authentic mineral waters near the spring are usually rather
warm) and the mechanical one (the massaging effect of the bubbles).
Balneotherapy (derived from the Latin word
balneum - the bath-tub or bathing, and from a Greek word therapia - treatment;
which together mean «treatment by bathing») is the use of natural or
artificially prepared mineral waters for preventive measures or treatment of
different illnesses, including cosmetological and restorative purposes.
Balneotherapy includes:
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External use of mineral waters (bathing or
taking showers);
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Use of mineral waters for endocavitary
procedures (gastric, enteral and vaginal washings and lavage).
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Drinking mineral waters with healing
effect.
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Mineral water balneae is an effective way
to increase the phylactic powers of our organism, to train its abilities to
adapt and moreover, mineral waters are of the unequalled help when the complex
therapy of illnesses is carried out. Last years are marked by the increased
interest of cosmetologists towards balneological treatment.
Indications for taking balneae:
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Diseases of the cardiovascular system
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Pathologies of the digestive tract
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Diseases of the central nervous system or
the peripheral nervous system
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Metabolic diseases
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Urological and endocrine diseases, «female»
diseases
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Diseases of locomotor apparatus
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Rehabilitation after different sorts of
surgeries
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Absolute contraindications:
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Recrudescences or an acute stage of some
disease;
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Contagious disease which are easily caught
by other people; parasites
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Pregnancy
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Bleedings or aptitude to them
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Oncological diseases
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Breast pang, paroxysmal dyspnea,
heart-throb rhythm disturbance.
How are the procedures carried out?
These procedures are carried out only under
the care of a physician and in specially equipped establishments placed in the
maximum proximity to the source of mineral water. Rather often such procedures
are combined with the mudtherapy, climatotherapy and diet therapy. The patient
gets into the bath tub of into the pool of prepared water, relaxes and takes a
balneum for a strictly defined time. Usually the course of treatment includes
10-14 times of balneum taking, but there are other options as well.
In the middle of the treatment course
patient often start feeling a slight worsening of their health, which is called
«pathological balneotherapy reaction»: the body temperature goes up a bit, the
blood values are changed, there may be heart hurry or fluctuations in blood
pressure, etc. This is natural and in two or three days all unpleasant effects
disappear without any external assistance.
What sorts of balneae should be chosen?
There are lots of different sorts of them -
everything depends on the specific purposes of treatment. One factor should be
taken into attention: the impact of balneae upon the human organism is so
mighty that it can actually cause serious health problems if the prescription
was wrong. That's why - be very careful and don't run any risks.
The most common sorts of balneae:
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Gaseous balneae (with carbon dioxide,
sulphurated hydrogen, nitrogen)
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Sol balneae (with chloride and sodium; with
iodide-bromine, chloride and sodium)
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Radioactive balneae (radon balneae)
Where?
Balneotherapeutic treatment has its own wide experience and
well-shaped traditions. Surely one should choose a health resort, situated near
the springs of mineral water, and preferably having a long history of its
usage. Some bath-houses were founded in the days of the Roman Empire and even
at those times were used on medical purposes.
Such resorts are in Austria (states of
Styria and Salzburg), Hungary, Germany (Rheinland-Pfalz), Italy (Veneto,
Liguria, Tuscany), Slovenia (Lower Carniola, Savinja), France (Aquitania,
Brittany), Switzerland (Valais, Swiss Riviera).
In addition to the hydrotherapeutic procedures at
the balneological resorts you are offered a wide range of special
health-improvement programs: massages (including the oriental massage techniques
- Thai massage, shiatsu massage, reflexogenic massage), different sorts of
gymnastics, teaching the right way of nutrition, Ayurveda. The traditional
additions to these procedures are the cosmetic programs for the body, carried
out by means of different sorts of equipment. These procedures are: lymph
drainage, anticellulite massage and electrical procedures.
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