Soak up the health: medicinal baths in Belarusian health resorts

Did you know that taking a bath can also improve your health? Of course, it is not about the usual having soak in a tub. It is more about balneotherapy, which the health resorts of Belarus are famous for. The effectiveness of hydrotherapy has long been proven, especially if you take baths with various additives. So, today VETLIVA will tell you how Cleopatra kept her youth, why oil can heal, and why you need to swim in mineral water. Stay with us!

Baths in health resorts

• Cleopatra's Bath
• Radon baths
• Mineral baths
• Coniferous pearl baths
• Antler baths
• Bischofite baths
• Turpentine baths
• Carbonic baths

Cleopatra's milk bath

Queen Cleopatra became a legend during her lifetime. Her contemporaries argued that no one could compare her charisma and greatness. And many recipes that helped her to stay young are available to us now. Rumor has it that Cleopatra's only one bath consumed as much milk as 700 donkeys gave!

So what is the secret of Cleopatra's milk baths? The queen knew how to help her dry skin:

• lactic acid helps to stimulate blood circulation and acts as gentle peeling;

• vitamin B makes skin smooth and silky;

• vitamin E softens it and further regeneration.

And let's not forget about honey: this delicacy is useful not only when taken internally, but also when applied externally. Combined with milk, it helps to moisturize skin and maintain its miraculous effect after taking a bath.

Radon baths

Many therapeutic baths have no analogs. For example, radon baths, which can be taken in health resorts with their sources of radon waters. What benefits do you receive?

The positive effect is achieved through exposure to active radon. During its decay, it emits radio emission, which is absorbed by water molecules and deposited on the human body. But don't worry: after exposure, you won't glow in the dark. For a full course, which consists of 8-10 procedures, a patient absorbs only about 1.2 millisievert (they measure the dose of radiation). And this is only 0.4 mSv more than with a single passage of fluorography. At the same time, radon baths help:

• improve the quality of sleep,
• calm the nervous system,
• normalize metabolism,
• restore the functions of the genitourinary system, etc.

An interesting fact from VETLIVA: it was not in vain that we mentioned at the beginning the healing properties of "black gold". We told about special Naftalan oil, which is produced in the only field in the world in Azerbaijan. Baths with naftalan are considered one of the most unusual procedures that you can try in the health resorts of Belarus.

Mineral baths

Did you know that mineral water is good for more than just ingestion? There are health resorts in Belarus, where you will be offered ... to swim in it! And if you are tormented by vague doubts about the advisability of such a procedure, then now we will tell you why and who needs it.

Benefits of bathing in mineral water

Almost all types of balneotherapy are primarily about getting rid of stress. For example, floating, which is the most real concentration of relaxation and ridding of stress. Mineral baths have the same miraculous effect. Lying in water at a comfortable temperature, you enjoy peace and regeneration of nerve cells. In the meantime, the pain from the extremities disappears. This procedure also helps those who are recovering from injuries. Mineral baths are useful for people suffering from metabolic disorders, skin problems, depression. To cut a long story short, mineral baths are a lifesaver in dealing with stress and problems that it causes.

Pearl baths

Those who do not like a jacuzzi simply have not yet enjoyed the relaxation and hydromassage in it. But there are also more useful analogs, for example, pearl-coniferous baths. After all, they not only very much resemble a jacuzzi in the principle of action, but are also extremely useful due to special additives. The combination of exposure to air and water with pine extract allows you to achieve the following results:

• improvement of blood circulation and lymph flow,

• relaxation of muscles after stress and heavy physical exertion,

• relieving back pain,

• raising the general tone of the body, etc.

In particular, the coniferous pearl bath is highly recommended for patients with problems of the musculoskeletal system, circulatory system, central nervous system, sleep disorders, and various inflammatory processes. However, there are also contraindications, so it will be necessary to consult a doctor before undergoing the procedure!

An interesting fact from VETLIVA: coniferous pearl baths got their name from the air bubbles that the compressor pumps into the bath through the grate. They shimmer brightly in the light and resemble small pearls.

Antler baths

Antlers are horns of young maral deer when they are still covered with delicate skin and short fluff. In spring, the horns grow extremely quickly and can add several centimeters a day! They are considered a powerful biostimulant that strengthens the immune system and helps fight cardiovascular disease.

Don't worry: you won't have to swim with deer antlers in the same bathtub! It is not the horns themselves that are added to the water, but the active substance pantocrine, which they contain. Moreover, they knew about the healing properties of antlers in Asia 2,000 years ago! And their effect is equated by folk healers with the benefits of ginseng.

Antler baths have the following effect:

• improving the quality of sleep and returning vitality, especially after illnesses (it will be relevant for those who passed passed COVID-19);

• strengthening immunity and improving the functioning of body systems;

• improving the condition of patients with atherosclerosis, osteochondrosis, arthrosis, etc.;

• helping with impotence and prostatitis;

• fighting neuroses and peptic ulcer disease;

• strengthening the musculoskeletal system;

• rejuvenation of the skin, slowing down the aging process and consolidating the effect obtained during procedures.

Interesting fact from VETLIVA: just don't worry about handsome horned beauties! Maral horns are harvested in May-June every year. It is impractical to collect them later since they harden and no longer contain so many useful substances. The procedure itself takes place almost instantly: the antlers are cut off, a protective mixture of alum and naphthalene is applied to the cut site so that the wound does not fester and insects do not get into it, and the animal is set free.

Bischofite baths

Bischofite is a natural mineral that occurs near oil reservoirs deep in the ground. It is an ionic complex with a magnesium ion as the main ingredient. The mineral consists of magnesium ions for about 90–96%.

An interesting fact from VETLIVA: bischofite contains even more magnesium ions than Dead Sea salts. It is one of the reasons to soak up the water, flavored with a wonderful mineral!

Bischofite also contains calcium, sodium, and chloride ions. It is similar to rock salt both in appearance and in physical properties, and therefore it dissolves perfectly in the water.

Bischofite baths are widespread and are actively used in the health resorts of Belarus. They have anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-infectious and soothing effects. Bischofite baths increase immunity, and tone the skin, helping it to regain smoothness and elasticity.

Bischofite is indicated for patients with:

• arthritis and arthrosis,
• infected wounds and purulent foci,
• radiculitis and lumbago,
• inflammatory processes of the gynecological system and other problems.

Please note that bischofite actively affects the body, and therefore there are several contraindications that your doctor will certainly warn you about.

Turpentine baths

In 1904, DM. Zalmanov propounded a method of hydrotherapy by adding gum turpentine obtained by heating (distilling) natural coniferous resin with water vapor. Therefore, this substance has nothing in common with the chemical solvent of the same name.

In Belarusian health resorts, they offer to undergo a course of procedures with the addition of several types of turpentine:

1. Baths with a white emulsion are prepared from a water-soluble form of turpentine. They help strengthen blood vessels and improve blood flow, as well as stabilize blood pressure.

2. A yellow emulsion is obtained from a mixture of castor oil, turpentine, and oleic acid. A course of yellow turpentine bath procedures helps to slow down aging at the cellular level, normalize metabolism, cleanse capillaries and normalize blood pressure.

There are also mixed types of turpentine baths. They mean either mixing these ingredients or alternating baths with white and yellow emulsions during procedures.

Dry carbon dioxide bath

We left one of the most unusual types of baths for last. Although it is not inherently hydrotherapy, it refers specifically to therapeutic baths in sanatoriums.

The effect of this type of procedure is based on the effect of carbon dioxide on the body. It vasodilates properties, soothes the heartbeat, speeds up blood flow, and slows down breathing. A dry carbon dioxide bath is one of the most effective ways to prevent thrombosis. It is prescribed precisely in cases where direct contact of water with the patient's body is undesirable.

Dry carbon dioxide baths are indicated for those who are engaged in hard physical labor. The action of carbon dioxide helps to quickly tone muscles and restore physical shape. They are also recommended for older people who need to boost and strengthen their immune system.

Try new in the health resorts of Belarus!

Of course, we have listed far from all types of baths that you can try yourself while relaxing in Belarusian health resorts. These are chestnut baths, which contain chestnut extract, iodine-bromine, sapropel, and other baths. And it is not always necessary to immerse yourself in water with healing substances. If necessary or for medical contraindications, the therapeutic effect can be exerted only on a certain part of the body (local baths) or on half of the body that needs treatment (half-baths). And it is not for mentioning subaqueous irrigation, underwater traction of the spine, and other methods of hydrotherapy.

Are you interested in what else can our resorts offer you? Do not miss the articles in our Blog, where we will continue to tell you about rest and health improvement in Belarus.