What Is Halotherapy? Use and Benefits

Exercising, discovering new hobbies or relaxing with meditation are the most common de-stress methods. But have you ever heard of halotherapy before? What is halotherapy?  As Koyuncu Salt, Turkey’s largest salt exporter, we looked into this therapy method for you, which benefits from healing properties of salt.

We are constantly exposed to stress; deadlines in our business life, problems that we cannot solve in our relationships… The global epidemic was added to all of these in 2019, which is still messing up our entire routine.

As a result, we started looking for the most effective ways to get rid of all that stress from our body and mind as we feel more tired both mentally and physically.

What Is Halotherapy?

Today’s regular activities of humans lead to a worsening in air quality, and this air pollution has been causing hundreds of diseases.  

As a cure for these diseases, people began searching for places that mimic an environment without pollution. In this point, artificial salt caves play an important role.  

They serve as a kind of therapy also known as halotherapy - “halos” meaning salt in Greek. It is based on multi-purposed treatment in a controlled air condition that simulates a natural salt cave climate. 

This climate is both refreshing and healing. Furthermore, these healing aspects of natural salt caves and marine climate are scientifically proven.

History of Discovering the Healing Properties of Salt

Using salt caves for healing and therapeutic purposes started as early as 1843. A physician named Felix Boczkowski, who was working in Poland, noticed that miners working at the Wieliczka Salt Mine had better lung and breathing health than the general population.  

Then, he took his patients who suffered from respiratory problems to the salt mines. He observed that the negative ion particles spread by salt rocks helped his patients to breathe easily with great success. 

After this discovery, using salt cave therapy / halotherapy as a collateral treatment to respiratory related diseases became very popular, regardless of criticism and skepticism put forth by medical professionals.  

Today, salt cave therapy is also known as halotherapy. This therapy method is especially popular in Europe as there are thousands of salt caves located throughout the continent. In addition to that, the United States also hosts hundreds of salt caves. 

Before going in detail about halotherapy, let’s discover salt caves and their types, which are crucial topics for understanding halotherapy.

Types of Salt Caves

There are two types of salt caves: Natural and man-made. Natural salt caves are formed by the ebbing of ocean waters millions of years ago. As ocean waters decreased, large deposits of salt took shape.  

These salt deposits went underground through cracks on earth, which were created as a result of strong earthquakes. 

Also, rain waters may create natural salt caves. They penetrate rocks and sature them, carrying salt to the underground. 

Man-made salt caves serve mostly as salt mines. Large deposits of salt discovered underground are main sources of salt production. Salt rocks can be dissolved simply with water, not requiring the presence of acids as opposed to other rock types. 

The man-made salt caves, which are used for halotherapy, are generally covered with panels made of Himalayan sea salt.  

From ceiling to the floor, relaxing hues of Himalayan sea salt’s pink create a calm and probably therapeutic atmosphere. On the other hand, other salt types, such as natural raw salt, are being used, too.

Benefits of Halotherapy

Benefitters of halotherapy claim that halotherapy eases bad respiratory conditions and improves skin health. Inhaling the negative ions spread by salt regenerates inflamed tissues. 

These tissues are generally acidic in anatomical structure and electron deficient. Therefore, the more electron inhaling means the more repairing of inflamed cells. 

Halotherapy creates an aero-diffused environment. The air is saturated with dry sodium chloride aerosols in a proper concentration. The air is the most important factor for this therapy. It is purified of dust and allergens, dried, and kept at a temperature between 18–22 °C.  

The salt in the air is proven to be antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. The air in the salt caves goes through salt walls and carries elements such as iodine, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, copper and selenium. 

Every halotherapy cave is equipped with salt generators also called as halogenerator. They diffuse dry salt aerosol. These generators can be programmed according to patients’ specific needs. They also control and monitor sizes of salt particles and concentration of the salt aerosol. 

Here you can find some significant benefits of halotherapy.

Improving Symptoms of Asthma

The air that halogenerators consists of dry sodium particles. These particles dissolve in lungs and clean the airways.  

Salt particles also dissolve mucus and increase osmolarity, which signifies water permeability, so more water can cross the mucus barriers and cleanse the respiratory system.

Reducing Stress

Halotherapy can contribute to psychological well-being through offering soothing ambiance. Most salt caves have comfortable resting seats. Thick walls covered with salt provide a silent atmosphere.

The lights in the caves are often dimmed. Some caves reflect different colors that are known to be relaxing. The calming interior designs also contribute to reducing anxiety. People find escaping places with halotherapy caves where they can enjoy the therapy peacefully.

Some salt caves offer playing soothing sounds and music. Relaxing ocean wave sounds or inspiring forest noises help create a regenerating therapy session. 

Halotherapy: An Unforgettable Experience

Salt’s benefits to human well-being are immense. As health is the most important thing for us, therapies such as halotherapy are invaluable. Salt caves are offering almost extraterrestrial experiences. Halotherapy, of which benefits are being discovered day by day, is a promising collateral treatment for many diseases. 

To discover top quality salts, visit Koyuncu Salt’s website and browse through many options.

 

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