Articles about Speleotherapy and Halotherapy
Abstracts from articles available in NBCI database (National Center for Biotechnology Information)
National Library of Medicine & National Institutes of Health
Clinical significance of cytological characteristics of bronchial inflammation in obstructive pulmonary diseases
AIM: To evaluate a clinical role of cytological characteristics of induced sputum (IS) and bronchial lavage (BL) in patients with different forms of bronchial asthma (BA) or chronic obstructive bronchitis (COB).
MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 128 BA patients (53 males and 75 females) at the age of 17 to 70 years (mean age 51.3 +/- 8.4 years) and 53 COB patients (32 males and 21 females) at the age 17 to 70 years. The material for the cytological examination was BL obtained by fibrobronchoscopy and IS obtained after 20-min halotherapy.
RESULTS: Percentages of eosinophils, neutrophils, lymphocytes and alveolar macrophages in IS and BL have the same trends and a highly significant correlation coefficient by all the studied cells both in BA and COB patients.
CONCLUSION: It was found possible to use IS cytology for evaluation of air way inflammation in BA and COB patients.
Halotherapy–a new treatment of bacterial vaginosis
The analysis was made of clinical efficacy, some mechanisms of a therapeutic action and techniques of halotherapy used for the first time in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis. High efficacy, long-term aftereffect and advantages of halotherapy vs drug therapy are shown.
The efficacy of speleotherapy in atopic dermatitis in children
After proper clinical and immunological examinations 112 children with atopic dermatitis underwent immunocorrective speleotherapy in a chamber with artificial microclimate created with the use of natrium chloride spraying. During the treatment positive trends were observed in the patients‘ dermatological status and immune homeostasis. A complete 6-24-month response was reported in 58%, partial in 20%, no response in 6.9% of patients. The method is recommended for treatment of atopic dermatitis.
The efficacy of speleotherapy in salt mines in children with bronchial asthma based on the data from immediate and late observations
Speleotherapy was conducted in 216 children with bronchial asthma treated in conditions of salt mines situated near the town of Nakhichevan. The assessment of clinical, immunological and functional parameters showed that the best results had been achieved in atopic asthma running a light or moderate course. Speleotherapy courses noticeably diminished broncho-obstructive syndrome, improved pulmonary ventilation. The improvement proved stable in the majority of the patients. It is recommended to include speleotherapy in salt mines into combined rehabilitation treatment of pediatric asthmatics.
Speleotherapy: a special kind of climatotherapy, its role in respiratory rehabilitation
Speleotherapy, the use of the climate of caves, is an accepted but not widely known therapeutic measure in the treatment of chronic obstructive airway diseases. This study summarizes the therapeutic experiences of more than 4000 patients who were treated in a 10-year period in a hospital-cave complex in Tapolca, Hungary. A sharp and long-lasting clinical improvement and a significant recovery from airway obstruction could be observed in the overwhelming majority of patients. It is established that the microclimate of some caves can beneficially affect these disorders, but the cave should be considered as an optimal environment for complex respiratory rehabilitation
Halotherapy in combined non-puncture therapy of patients with acute purulent maxillary sinusitis
Halotherapy was applied for non-puncture treatment of 45 patients with acute purulent maxillary sinusitis. The response was evaluated by changes in clinico-immunological, cytological, x-ray and bacteriological parameters. Halotherapy was found effective in the treatment of acute purulent maxillary sinusitis without puncture.
Efficacy of therapeutic use of ultrasound and sinusoidal modulated currents combed with halotherapy in patient with occupational toxic-dust bronchitis
Immunological and cardiorespiratory characteristics were studied in 88 alloy industry workers with occupational toxic-dust bronchitis who received the following therapy: sinusoidal modulated currents (SMC), ultrasound (US) on the chest, halotherapy (HT) (52 patients, group 1); SMC + HT (10 patients, group 2); US + HT (15 patients, group 3); HT (11 patients, group 4). The patients did also therapeutic exercise and were massaged (chest). It was found that device physiotherapy (SMC, US) in combination with HT raise the treatment efficacy to 86.5%. This combined treatment is recommended both for treatment and prevention of obstructive syndrome in toxic-dust bronchitis.
Effectiveness of halotherapy of chronic bronchitis patients
The chemoluminescence test in 49 patients with lingering inflammatory chronic bronchitis has revealed inhibition of generation of active oxygen forms in the whole blood, intensification of lipid peroxidation in the serum, depression of local immunity. Administration of halotherapy to the above patients results in correction of disturbances of free-radical oxidation, improves local immunity and clinical course of the disease.
The scientific validation and outlook for the practical use of halo-aerosol therapy
The paper describes a new medical technique–halo-aerosol therapy, the main acting factor of which is dry highly dispersed aerosol of sodium chloride in natural concentration. Halo-aerosol therapy represents a new trend in aerosol medicine. It includes two methods: halotherapy and halo-inhalation. Biophysical and pathophysiological foundations of the new method, how it can be realized are outlined. Clinical reasons are provided for application of halo-aerosol therapy for prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of patients with respiratory diseases. Characteristics and differences of the two halo-aerosol therapy variants are analyzed.
Halotherapy in the combined treatment of chronic bronchitis patients
Halotherapy proved to be a highly effective method in a complex sanatorium treatment of patients with chronic bronchitis. Its use promotes more rapid liquidation of clinical manifestations of disease, improves indices of vent function of lungs, especially those values that characterize bronchial conduction (volume of forced exhalations per second, index Tiffno), increases tolerance to physical load, normalizes indices of reduced immunity and leads to increasing the effectiveness of patient treatment in sanatorium.
The use of an artificial microclimate chamber in the treatment of patients with chronic obstructive lung diseases
Halotherapy was used for sanatorium rehabilitation in 29 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (chronic bronchitis and asthma). Significant positive effects of this method resulted in the improvement of the flow-volume parameters curve of lung function and in hypotensive effects on blood pressure. Halotherapy is recommended for use in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases with hypertension or coronary heart disease.
The use of halotherapy for the rehabilitation of patients with acute bronchitis and a protracted and recurrent course
Halotherapy was used for rehabilitation in 25 patients with acute bronchitis of long-standing and recurrent types. The main therapeutic action was ensured by aerodispersed medium saturated with dry highly dispersed sodium chloride aerosol, the required mass concentration being maintained in the range of 1 to 5 mg/m3. Therapy efficacy was controlled through assessment of clinical, functional, immunological and microbiological findings. Metabolic activity values were taken into consideration as well. Positive dynamics of the function indices in the clinical picture resulted from elimination of pathogenic agents, control of slowly running inflammatory lesions and stimulation of some immune system factors. Favourable changes in metabolic activity were present: normalization of serotonin excretion, marked decrease of unbalance in lipid peroxidation-antioxidant system.
The dynamics of the persistence characteristics of staphylococci under the action of the microclimate of a speleotherapy mine
A decrease in the persistence characteristics of staphylococci under the influence of microclimate in a spelean pit has been demonstrated under experimental conditions. Clinical investigations have confirmed the capacity of speleotherapy to decrease the microbial contamination of the upper respiratory tract and to inhibit the persistence properties of staphylococcal microflora in children with respiratory allergosis, which seems to be the basis of the positive effect achieved by treatment with microclimate in a spelean pit.
Effect of the microclimate of salt mines on T- and B-lymphocyte function in bronchial asthma patients
A study of 55 patients with bronchial asthma revealed a reduction of the relative number of T-lymphocytes and their IgA content. The changes were most pronounced in patients during the phase of unstable remission of the disease. Disorders of the T- and B-system of lymphocytes were associated with an increased number of cortisol-resistant lymphocytes. After a course of speleotherapy one could observe an increase of the number of T-lymphocytes and their functional activity, normalization of the number of B-lymphocytes, increase of the level of IgA, reduction of the IgM content and of the relative content of cortisol-resistant lymphocytes fraction
