7 Fast Facts About Halotherapy
There’s lot to enjoy in halotherapy salt rooms. From the ambient lighting to the soothing music, and of course— the salt itself. However, behind every experience is a treasure chest of knowledge related to what’s being enjoyed. Take your experience further and feast on these bite-sized fast facts about halotherapy!
1. Halotherapy goes by other names.
Halotherapy is comprised of the ancient Greek word “halo” (salt), as well as a Latinized version of the Greek word “therapeuein” (to treat medically). You may also have heard it commonly referred to “salt therapy”. However, since there are other types of salt therapies out there, “dry salt therapy” is the most accurate description since halotherapy uses dry salt particles to benefit the respiratory system and skin.
2. Halotherapy is a descendent of speleotherapy.
Before humankind was able to design microclimates to create halotherapy clinics, speleotherapy was the go-to. Like halotherapy, speleotherapy features the use of salty air to benefit the skin and lungs. Speleotherapy involved breathing in the air of natural salt caves and mines. It was the inspiration for the creation of halotherapy clinics, which aim to mimic and maximize speleotherapy-type benefits.
3. Halotherapy’s roots can be traced to an Eastern European legend.
According to legend, Saint Kinga, the patron saint of salt miners, was to marry Duke Bolesław of Poland. She did not want a dowry of jewels for her marriage, but requested a wealth of salt rock from her father instead. Her father brought her to Hungarian mine in Maramureș, but Saint Kinga did not know how such a large mine could be moved from there to Poland. She prayed that the mine could be moved to her new home and threw her engagement ring into the mine. When back in her new home of Poland, she had miners dig near Wieliczka and they were able to find salt rock. Saint Kinga asked for some of the salt rock to be chipped off, broken in two, and given to her. Upon doing so, she found her engagement ring embedded within the salt. This signified that her prayers were heard and the Hungarian mine had miraculously moved to Poland.
This legend describes the establishment of the Wieliczka Salt Mine. which, hundreds of years later, would become an object of study regarding salt air, leading to the establishment of halotherapy clinics.
4. Halotherapy rooms mimic salt caves through machinery.
Ever wonder how the salt aerosol in a salt room is created? Most salt rooms have a machine called a halogenerator. Halogenerators heat and grind pharmaceutical salt into precise microparticles. These microparticles are then dispersed into the salt room to be absorbed deep into the respirator system or under the surface layers of the skin.
5. The air in a salt room is squeaky clean.
Salt rooms mimic salt caves, which are known to lack bacteria and sicknesses in the air. One reason behind this is due to salt’s anti-microbial effects. By absorbing water out of the bodies of microbes, salty air doesn’t allow them to thrive. Another reason is due to the negative charges on the salt particles. These charges end up connecting to contaminants and dragging them down to settle.
6. Halotherapy can help with respiratory issues.
There have been many studies on the benefits of halotherapy. One interesting category of benefits is that which deals with respiratory problems. Ranging from sinus infections to asthma, halotherapy has helped alleviate the symptoms of these issues and more.
7. Halotherapy can also help with skin and depression!
Not only does halotherapy help out with respiratory problems, but it can help with other things as well. If you have eczema, the anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties of salt have been shown to help clear flare ups. Furthermore, if you’re feeling down, the negative ion charge associated with dry salt aerosol can have an anti-depressive effect. Most rooms also have a soothing aesthetic to help with relaxation.
Still curious about halotherapy? Book at EPIC Services to try it out for yourself!
Article by: Jonathan A. Watson