Salt therapy: Types, Benefits, and Process
2021-12-21 18:05:50
Salt therapy, also known as Halotherapy, is a form of alternative medicine. It is a natural therapy mainly known to treat respiratory problems such as asthma and bronchitis. Salt therapy can also relieve mental illnesses such as anxiety, stress, and depression. This therapy is completely drug-free. The therapy room for salt therapy is given the appearance of a salt cave. The patients are kept in the room for one hour after controlling the climate and temperature of the room.
In this therapy, during breathing, salt particles reach the lungs through the windpipe and treat the patient. Thus, this therapy is very helpful in healing the skin and cleaning the windpipe. Salt therapy is also considered beneficial in treating certain skin-related problems such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis.
Advantages of salt therapy
- Dry salt has a great absorbing capacity and has natural anti-inflammatory as well as antibacterial properties. On inhaling salt, it causes mucus thinning. This facilitates dislodging and expulsion along with pathogens and pollutants.
- Particles of dry salt help in stimulating the body’s natural cilia movement. Cilia help keep our airways clear of dirt and mucus, which makes breathing easy. Salt accelerates this process.
- For the skin, dry salt can regulate the pH level, absorb the skin impurities, and provide a glow. It reduces inflammation and encourages natural exfoliation and regeneration.
- With this therapy, small marks on the skin are removed, and the skin becomes shiny.
- Pregnant women can also take advantage of this therapy.
- After taking the therapy, the patient feels extra energy in the body.
Conditions treated with Halotherapy
Halotherapy can help relieve the respiratory, skin, and lifestyle conditions, such as-
- Cold & Flu
- Asthma
- Hay Fever
- Sleep & Snoring
- bronchitis, sinusitis
- Cures infections
- Skin diseases such as tonsillitis, or fibroids
- Mental problems such as anxiety, stress and depression
- Eczema & Psoriasis
Types of salt therapy
There are two types of salt therapy –
Dry Salt Therapy –
During dry salt therapy, patients are kept in a man-made salt cave to control the temperature. In this salt room, a device called halogener serves to grind the salt. Due to which micro particles of salt are spread in the air it destroys bacteria.
Therefore, the salt particles inside the body by breathing gives relief from all kinds of infections. It is said that the microparticles of salt present in the atmosphere reduce inflammation by going inside the breath and cleaning the windpipe. Besides, they also help to dilute the mucus and absorb toxins present in the body. These salt particles are also considered beneficial for the skin, as the salt used in this therapy is naturally antibacterial.
Wet Salt Therapy –
Wet Salt Therapy uses salt and water. Therapists perform wet salt therapy in two ways-
- Gargle with salt and water.
- Bathing with salt water.
Method of salt therapy
During salt therapy, the therapist asks the patient to wear comfortable clothes such as light shirts, sleeveless T-shirts, and shorts to get the maximum benefit of salt therapy through the skin. The patient sits in a salt cave for about 45 minutes. The lights in the room are dim. The Halo Generator machine controls the salt particles of the room based on the patient’s illness.
The humidity and temperature (18–22 ° C) in the therapy room is similar to that of a marine location. While giving therapy, patients should inhale only 16mg of salt in an hour’s session.
SIDE-EFFECTS OF SALT THERAPY
Salt therapy has no known severe side effects. Since they do the therapy in a wellness clinic or spa, without professional medical staff.
- Halotherapy might irritate the airwaves in asthmatic people.
- This can further worsen coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
- Some people also get headaches during halotherapy.