Halotherapy (“halos” in Greek means salt) is a modern treatment method that represents a combination of patient stay in a salt room where, at the same time, using a halogenerator, systematically inserts a dry aerosol of the natural stone salt inhaled by the patient, creating an atmosphere with a high concentration of salts and negative ions , which has a beneficial effect on human health.

Halotherapy is a new branch of speleotherapy, a method that is based on the dosed stay of patients in a specific microclimate of a salt cave. Speleotherapy (from the Greek word spelos – cave) has been practiced for hundreds of years in salt mines in eastern Europe. The medicinal effect of salt was known to medieval priests, who treated patients in salt caves to expose them to their specific microclimate. In order to enhance this effect, they crushed stalactites and created salty dust that the patients inhaled. It was the beginning of the so-called speleotherapy. In Europe, salt therapy became popular in the 19th century when, in 1843, Polish physician Feliks Bošovski was the first to assume that air saturated with salt particles acts therapeutically, and strongly. He noted that miners in salt mines do not suffer from lung diseases. On the basis of this observation, his successor, M. Poljakovski, established the first so-called Spa Clinical Lung Disease Hospital in Velicka near Krakow in Poland, which is still working today. The power of salt treatment was also spotted at the end of the Second World War in Germany when people in salt mines sought shelter from the bombing and after that, many asthmatics felt better or healed. After this discovery many sanatoriums for asthmatics in natural caves or salt mines have been opened.

Today, speleotherapy is widely known as an effective alternative treatment method. In some countries such as Austria, Poland, Romania, Armenia, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus there are speleotherapeutic clinics based on natural caves underground. All these clinics apply the cave air saturated with rock salt particles in the treatment of lung diseases. Although the efficacy of speleotherapy has been scientifically proven, this method has limitations, so it has evolved until today’s halotherapy (the name derives from the Greek word halo which means salt). One of the first attempts at modern halotherapy – to build an artificial salt cave was to cover the walls of the room with salt blocks, however, studies have shown that coated walls do not create a sufficient healing atmosphere. The main therapeutic factor of salt rooms is the microclimate with dry aerosol sodium chloride at a certain humidity and temperature. Such skillfully built salt caves are called salt rooms or salt chambers, which are especially modern in design today. A Salt Room is the imitation of a natural salt cave – a cave with its medicinal microclimate. Using modern technology, dry aerosol is created by a special device – a halogenerator that breathes it into a salt room.

Halotherapy has the following positive effects on the human organism:

Increases airway ventilation: causes bronchodilation (wider breathing pathways), causes a mucoquinetic effect (stimulates the ciliary mucous membrane and reduces the viscosity of the secretions), improves expectation (coughing); stimulates the elimination of toxins and allergens; has a bactericidal effect (destroying bacteria and fungi); it also has antialiasing effect and anti-allergic effect.

• An anti-inflammatory effect on the mucosa of the Eustachian tube (reduces the mucous membrane) allows better drainage of the inflammatory secretion, as well as aeration of the middle ear.
• An anti-inflammatory and bactericidal effect, improves microcirculation, stimulates the elimination of toxins through the skin, regulates the pH of the skin.
• Anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect (reduces inflammation and pain).
• It leads to the normalization and stabilization of the neurovegetative endocrine system.
• It has an anti-stress, slightly sedative and relaxing effect; It reduces fatigue and mood.
• It stimulates the regeneration of the acid-base balance of the organism, regulates blood sugar by promoting the metabolism of water, carbohydrates and proteins.
• It stimulates the immune system of the organism.

Characteristics of aerosols:

• High constant relative air humidity 40 – 60%
• Low constant air temperature 18 – 24 ° C
• High concentrations of calcium and magnesium
• High speed ionisation of air and electronegative charge
• Sterile space – absence of bacteria, mold, fungus

Stone salt crystals as natural air ionizers improve air quality because they produce negative ions in nature only at sea, along the waterfalls and after the storm, and microparticle concentration is much higher than at sea or in salt caves. Ionized air has a positive effect on the human body, leads to psycho-physical balance, and helps with concentration and work ability. In the contaminated air there is always a surplus of positive ions, for example, in Belgrade there are about 50% of positive ions, which creates nervousness and aggression in people. Therefore, these negative ions affect the nervous system positively. Micro particles of dry aerosol negatively ionize the air and saturate it with precious elements (Fe, Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn, Se, Li …) penetrating deep into bronchi, bronchioles and alveoli.

Role of elements present in salt:

Sodium – affects the functionality of the heart and the optimal blood pressure, improves the condition of the skin. Sodium ion plays an important role in the transport of glucose and amino acids.

Potassium – reduces blood pressure, prevents heart disease, improves skin function, has diuretic effect, and helps to cleanse the body from toxins. Potassium ions are essential in the metabolism of glucose, protein synthesis and in the activation of many enzymes.

Magnesium – an element that releases the body from stress, relieves asthma attacks, reduces nerve tension, relieves cramps.

Calcium – represents the base of the skeletal system, it is necessary for the growth and health of bones and teeth, strengthens the body’s resistance, possesses antiallergic properties, necessary for blood clotting, reduces the risk of heart disease. Iron is an essential element of hemoglobin protein, which is the most important component of red blood cells, erythrocyte and serves as a carrier of oxygen from the lungs to all tissues, prevents anemia, stimulates muscle performance, improves concentration, reduces susceptibility to infections.

Iodine – responsible for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland that regulates our metabolism, growth, development and weight.

Lithium – prevention of sclerosis, heart disease and diabetes.

Selenium – antioxidant, protects cells and tissues from damage caused by free radicals, strengthens the immune system, protects against aging of the skin.

Copper – improves metabolism, helps to create hemoglobin in the blood, facilitates iron absorption.

Manganese – acts as an antioxidant, protects against damage caused by free radicals from the diet.

Zinc – participates in numerous body processes such as bone growth and development.

Salt as a cure

Salt is a vital substance for the survival of all living beings, especially humans, because it regulates the content of the fluid in the body. Water must reach the cell in order to cleanse and withdraw toxic waste generated by metabolic processes. The larger part of the water is left outside the cell and balances the amount of fluid. Health depends from this balance of water in the cell and outside.

• Salt stabilizes the heart rate most effectively.
• It is extremely important for regulating blood pressure along with water.
• It is important for ejection of excess acid from the body cells, especially from the brain.
• Life-important for regulating blood sugar levels, necessary in diabetes.
• It is necessary for the nervous cells and their communication and information processing, the work of cells – from conception to death.
• It is extremely important for cleansing the lungs from the secretion, especially in asthma and cystic fibrosis, as well as for clearing the sinus inflammation.
• It is a strong natural antihistamine – an anti-allergic medicine.
• It is reliably known to have an essential role in the prevention of cramping muscles.
• Its role in maintaining the strength of the bone structure is irreplaceable. Osteoporosis is predominantly the result of a lack of water and salt in the body.
• Salt is necessary for regulating natural sleep. It is a natural hypnotic.
• It is vital to maintain sexuality and libido.
• The role of salt in the prevention of varicose veins and the expansion of capillaries on the legs is also important.