History of Speleotherapy

In recent decades people searching for cures from a wide variety of health conditions started turning to nature. One of these natural methods, known as speleotherapy, is based on the effects of staying in salt mines or caves on people’s health.

The history of speleotherapy can be tracked down from ancient times. Historical records contain information on the treatment in salt mines since the IV - V centuries BC. Salt caves attracted the attention of clerics in ancient Greece.

The ancient Indian epic poem "Ramayama" written in the II century AD, tells how the soldiers, exhausted by chasing the kidnappers of children, took refuge in a salt cavern. Breathing the air of the salt cave, the warriors surprisingly quickly regained their strength and overtook the enemy.

Since the XIX century speleotherapy has began to spread in Europe. Special contribution to the development of the speleotherapy method of treatment has been made by scientists H. Kessler and T. Horvath. In 1843 Polish physician Felix Bochkovsky was the first to suggest that specific therapeutic effects on patients occur in the salt mines of Solotvyno (Transcarpathia). He was the first to discover and research the Solotvino phenomenon. Scientist noticed that the people working at salt mines, despite harsh labour conditions and poor nutrition, do not suffer from colds and lung diseases and are distinguished from others by good physical health, unique calmness and a strong physique. Decades have gone by and currently Solotvino is famous with its well-known speleotherapy medical center. In Soviet times to get a referral for treatment in the Solotvyno speleotherapy medical center was almost impossible, due to the amazing results the treatments produced.

A renowned scholar, doctor of medical sciences I.P. Neumyvakin stressed that the microclimate of different speleocenters significantly varies depending on the different concentration of salt aerosol and the chemical composition of salts applied. This is why the effectiveness of treatment can vastly differ depending on the speleocenter.

Admitting that any speleocenter treatment is useful, it has to be mentioned that the world's largest Hospital dedicated to allergy research in the Ukraine has proven to be the most effective. That is why the speleocenter "Harmony" uses Solotvino salt minerals. Each crystal of Solotvino salt contains practically the entire set of microelements required by the human body. Based on the therapeutic effects of speleotherapy, a unique method of healing - halotherapy has been developed.

Speleotherapy / halotherapy is a scientifically proven method for the treatment of respiratory and related health conditions. The name of the latter method is derived from the Greek word "halos" - salt. Halotherapy is used to treat respiratory and other diseases by artificially reproducing the microclimate of salt caves. Such a controlled microclimate is created by spraying salt aerosol by a halogenerator in a special room with the walls and floor covered by layers of salt sometimes called a salt cave.
The halogenerator produces and maintains the required level of natural concentration of salt microparticles and creates similar conditions to those existing in a salt mine. Clinical studies show that the halogenerator salt grinding process negatively charges salt microparticles which serves as an additional therapeutic factor. Multiple studies of Respiratory Clinical Research Center in St. Petersburg allow made us come to the conclusion that the salt aerosol serves as the primary curative factor in artificial salt caves. At the same time aerosol composition depends on salt minerals dispersed by a halogenerator.

Halotherapy has received official recognition in many countries including Austria, Germany, Finland, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, the Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Switzerland to mention a few.

Due to the high clinical effectiveness of the SPELEOTHERAPY and HALOTHERAPY methods, you can meet enthusiasts of these unique techniques affect human health everywhere Europe.