Chronic Pain

Visit a health spa for relief from chronic pain

Patients suffering from chronic pain may do well visiting a reputable health spa according to new research. Spa treatment consists of a combination of different therapies customised to the needs of the individual, and given for a period of 3-4 weeks, will help alleviate chronic pain associated with arthritis and rheumatism as well as cardiovascular diseases.

Researchers from a University in Germany examined the therapeutic course of Spa treatment on pain, quality of life, and drug consumption during the therapy on patients suffering with musculoskeletal and/or cardiovascular disease.

Using four spa clinics in Bad W¨orishofen, Southern Bavaria, they monitored 363 patients (248 outpatients, whose average length of therapy was23.3 days), and 115 inpatients, whose average length of therapy was 27.4 days). A standard length of stay in a spa clinic, whether as an inpatient or outpatient is commonly accepted as 3 – 4 weeks.

Custom-tailored combination of therapies consisted of hydrotherapy, kinesiology, phytotherapy, dietetics, and continued specific standard treatment, if necessary. Patients were monitored both before, during and after treatment as well as at a one year follow up.

The researchers found that pain improved significantly during the treatment period and this remained constant throughout the programme. Although it is important to find the correct balance of therapeutic treatments for each individual, positive long-term effects were found to have remained for a complete year following the initial Spa treatments.

The report concludes that receiving a course of treatment at a reputable Health Spa can offer effective and lasting relief for many patients suffering from chronic pain associated with rheumatism, arthritis and heart problems.

Effects of Hydrotherapy, a standardized complex therapy, on pain, quality
of life and use of medicines: cohort study with a one-year follow-up