Stress management: Balneotherapy

Written by Julie Howell

8/15/2023

photo credit of meden inmed

What exactly is balneotherapy? Good question!

Balneotherapy is a category of hydrotherapy; however, balneotherapy is a little different, as it includes bathing in warm mineral water and can include mud, sand, and/or UV lights. The waters used for balneotherapy vary in temperature (typically 30–40 C/ 86-104 F), mineral, and chemical composition.

Then what are the benefits of balneotherapy, and how does it work?

The scientific breakdown: Balneotherapy influences the immune system and stress response by absorbing biologically active substances through the skin. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is activated in response to various stress factors, including heat, which releases an endorphin called the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) (a peptide with morphine-like analgesic effects), and cortisol, which has anti-inflammatory effects. At the same time, activation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) by stressors such as heat and light stimulates the release of catecholamines (Galvez et al., 2018).

Fernandez-Gonzalez et al. (2021) show that based on patient self-report using a variety of scales, the quality of life for Rheumatoid arthritis patients increased while using balneotherapy as part of their treatment.

While it sounds strange, Balneotherapy has been used to treat chronic skin and musculoskeletal diseases. The warm water immersion increases blood flow to the peripheral muscles, which decreases tension by decreasing neural firing and explains why it’s so helpful in musculoskeletal disease treatment and as a relaxation technique.

References

Fernandez-Gonzalez, M., Fernandez-Lao, C., Martin-Martin, L., Gonzalez-Santos, A., Lopez Garzon, M., Ortiz-Comino, L., & Lozano, M. (2021). Therapeutic Benefits of  Balneotherapy on Quality of Life of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,  18(24). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182413216 

Gálvez, I., Torres-Piles, S., & Ortega-Rincón, E. (2018). Balneotherapy, Immune System, and Stress Response: A Hormetic Strategy?  International Journal of Molecular,19(6),  1687. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms19061687