WHAT IS SALT THERAPY
?
How it Works Service Overview Conditions Treated Common FAQs History
Clinical Results Salt Lamps Salt Pipes Service Pricing Photo Gallery
How it Works
Dry-salt enriched air contains tiny salt particles that are not noticeable and easily inhaled with natural breathing. By sitting in the Salt Room for a prolonged period, low concentrations of salt are delivered to where it is most needed – deep in the lungs, where the salt then dissolves phlegm in the bronchial tubes and kills micro-organisms that cause infections. The phlegm, allergens, bacteria and any small impurities are later coughed up by the patient or leave the body through other natural metabolic ways. The treatment
works to reduce the basis of inflammation by destroying bacteria and strengthening the immune system.
Salt Therapy is 100% natural, drug-free and non-invasive. Although Salt Room Therapy is new to Canada, in many countries in Eastern Europe the therapy is considered a conventional therapy. There is about a 90% success rate with children under the age of 7 in reducing dependence on medication and relieving symptoms. For adults, the success rate is about 70%.
Our therapies can be used as a complementary treatment or as a sole treatment. Salt Room Therapy is suitable for adults and children from the age of 4 months and up. Salt Rooms and Speleotherapy have been widely used with children and the results are so positive and safe that we recommend trying this natural method first if your child is diagnosed with asthma.
Salt Therapy Breathing Centre has gone to great lengths to locally simulate the treatment cave found in the salt mine located in the Ukraine (speleotherapy). The mine in the Ukraine is a hospital called The Ukrainian Allergologic Hospital (UAH) which is a renowned speleotherapeutic clinic. Patients with all forms of bronchial asthma and other chronic nonspecific lung diseases have been treated successfully in the unique microclimate of salt mines for more than 30 years. Annually more than 2000 adults and 1000 children attend
the clinic.
The microclimate in the Salt Room is formed naturally, through the convective diffusion from the salt walls, and combined with the controlled temperature and humidity to simulate that of the cave which creates a hypo-bacterial and allergen-free air environment. As the salt is inhaled while sitting it the room, it travels through the sinuses and respiratory tract absorbing moisture, cleansing, clearing mucus and killing bacteria.
Consult your doctor and ask if it can complement the treatment of your
respiratory condition.
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Service Overview
We have two comfortable Salt Rooms to support your therapy sessions. Each session is 1 hour and you remain in the Salt Room for the entire time. We have comfortable chairs for you to sit in and read, or listen to your music (using your earphones). One of our rooms is for adults to provide a more serene environment for relaxation. The second room is built like a playroom, complete with toys and books, so that the children can enjoy the session without being aware that they are receiving a treatment. One parent can enjoy the treatment with their children under 9 years, as adult supervision is required. Salt Room Therapy is suitable for adults and children from the age of 4 months and up.
There is no need to wear anything specific. All forms of clothing are suitable and you will be provided with booties to go over your shoes.
In most countries it is recommend that parents first try natural methods of treating asthma and respiratory conditions with their children before starting to use medications. Hormone (corticosteroids or ICS) inhalation medication can cause serious and dangerous side-effects in childhood.
A standard treatment program consists of 2 treatments per week for the first several weeks followed by treatment once a week for several weeks. However, each person is different and we work with you to develop a treatment program specific to your conditions. We book appointments and accept walk-ins depending on available space.
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Conditions Treated
- Asthma
- Croup
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- Bronchitis and Chronic Bronchitis
- Chronic cough
- Allergies
- Sinusitis and Rhinitis
- Ear Infections
- Emphysema
- Snoring
- Lung disease
- Nasal/vocal cord polyps
- Enhance sports performance for athletes
- Improve breathing for ex-smokers
The sterile, pure and dry-salt aerosol of the Salt Room Therapy penetrates into the bronchi and kills bacteria and viruses. Based on clinical studies, inhaled salty air has the ability to kill bacteria and increase mucociliary clearance, thereby reducing inflammation in the whole respiratory tract, absorbing edema from the mucosa lining the airway passages and restoring the respiratory tract. A study published in 1996 showed that inhaled saline aerosol increases mucociliary clearance in asthmatic and healthy subjects (Daviskas E. et al, Inhalation of hypertonic saline aerosol enhances mucociliary clearance in asthmatic and healthy subjects, Eur Respir J, 1996, 9, 725–732– Saline Inhalation in Asthma)
Croup is a breathing difficulty that causes an inflammation of the upper airways including swelling of the vocal cords. The sterile, pure and dry-salt aerosol of the Salt Room Therapy penetrates into the upper airways and bronchi. The anti septic nature of the salt is able to kill bacteria and viruses and also increase mucociliary clearance, thereby reducing inflammation in the whole respiratory tract, including the upper airways. Salt is a natural anti inflammatory and therefore is able to reduce and clear airway swelling.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Inhalation of salt aerosol is clinically proven to cleanse the respiratory system and speed up the elimination of toxins. The salt particles are able to penetrate into the bronchial tree. Dry saline aerosol works as a “bronchial brush” for the airways.
Salt has bactericidal effects, cleansing microbial flora of the respiratory tract, slowing down bacterial growth and increasing resistance to respiratory tract diseases. Salt aerosol is a well known decongestant; it reduces inflammation widening of the airway passages, restoring the normal transport of mucous secretion and free blockages in the bronchi and bronchioles leading to rapid elimination of the residual tar and foreign allergens. It also has a hyposensitizing effect: the body becomes less sensitive to a substance that produces an allergic reaction (reduces IgE levels).
Dry sodium chloride eliminates airborne pollen particles from the airways. The air composition strengthens immunity and better immunity decreases allergic reaction to pollens and other allergens.
Bronchitis and Chronic Bronchitis
Bronchitis can follow a common cold and especially occur in smokers. A dry and spasmodic cough with phlegm are common and the inhalation of salt can help to kill bacteria and increase mucociliary clearance, thereby speeding the recovery. In a recently completed study, the use of a mist of saline solution delivered to treat bronchiolitis in children concluded that saline could significantly reduce the length of hospital stay and decrease the severity in infants with acute viral bronchitis (Zhang L et al. Nebulized hypertonic saline solution for acute bronchiolitis in infants. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD006458. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006458.pub2.)
An occasional cough is normal — it helps clear foreign substances and secretions from your lungs and prevents infection. But a cough that persists for long periods of time is usually the result of an underlying problem. Chronic cough is a cough that lingers for more than three weeks. Common causes of a chronic cough are stuffy nose, post nasal drip, acid reflux, pollution, smoke, allergens, asthma or chronic bronchitis. Based on clinical studies, inhaled salty air has the ability increase mucociliary clearance while at the same time cleansing both the upper and lower respiratory system of allergens. Please see sections on asthma and bronchitis for further information.
Allergies
Salt is a well known decongestant; it reduces inflammation widening of the airway passages, restoring the normal transport of mucous secretion and free blockages in the bronchi and bronchioles leading to rapid elimination of the residual tar and foreign allergens. It also has a hyposensitizing effect: the body becomes less sensitive to a substance which produces allergic reactions. Salt Therapy reduces IgE levels in the body. IgE is the antibody involved in allergic reactions.
Dry sodium chloride aerosol eliminates airborne pollen particles from the airways. The air composition strengthens immunity and better immunity decreases allergic reaction to pollens and other allergens.
Seasonal Rhinitis and Sinusitis
Although much of the research has been completed using salt in a solution, we believe these studies indirectly support the use of salt therapies to treat sinus conditions. Recent evidence suggests that nasal irrigation with hypertonic saline may be useful as an adjunctive treatment modality in the management of many sinonasal diseases. (Garavello W et al., Hypersaline nasal irrigation in children with symptomatic seasonal allergic rhinitis: A randomized study, Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2003: 14: 140–143 – Sinusitis and Rhinitis). Additional studies of salt use to treat seasonal allergic rhinitis and Sinonasal diseases include:
- Parikh A, Scadding GK. Seasonal allergic rhinitis. Br Med J 1997: 314: 1392–5.
- Tomooka LT, Murphy C, Davidson TM. Clinical study and literature review of nasal irrigation. Laryngoscope2000: 110: 1189–93.
- Ferguson BJ. Allergic rhinitis: options for pharmacotherapy and immunotherapy. Postgrad Med 1997: 101:117–26.
- Taccariello M, Parikh A, Darby Y, Scadding G.Nasal douching as a valuable adjunct in the management of chronic rhinosinusitis. Rhinology 1999: 37: 29–32.
Salt Room Therapy can help to reduce snoring and improve sleeping by clearing the airway passages of mucosa that contribute to obstructions. Increased sinus drainage and clearance and also supported by relaxation and Flotation in Epsom Salts can help improve sleeping and overall health.
Polyps are inflamed tissue on mucus membranes that can grow in size due to inhaled irritants and/or blocked mucus in the nose and/or sinuses. Inhaled salt is naturally able to absorb fluids (mucus) from the nose and sinuses while at the same time killing and clearing the respiratory system of irritants- salt is a natural anti septic. Once the mucus is drained and the irritants removed, polyps begin to shrink.
In the auditory tube, edema can cause ear infections, which can be diminished by positively affecting the airway passages and increasing drainage and clearance behind the tympanic membrane. Any infection can be improved with the bacterial killing properties of salt.
Inhalation of salt aerosol is clinically proven to cleanse the respiratory system and speed up the elimination of toxins. The salt particles are able to penetrate into the bronchial tree. Dry saline aerosol works as a “bronchial brush” for the airways.
Salt has bactericidal effects, cleansing microbial flora of the respiratory tract, slowing down bacterial growth and increasing resistance to respiratory tract diseases. Salt aerosol is a well known decongestant; it reduces inflammation widening of the airway passages, restoring the normal transport of mucous secretion and free blockages in the bronchi and bronchioles leading to rapid elimination of the residual tar and foreign allergens. It also has a hyposensitizing effect: the body becomes less sensitive to a substance that produces an allergic reaction (reduces IgE levels).
Dry sodium chloride eliminates airborne pollen particles from the airways. The air composition strengthens immunity and better immunity decreases allergic reaction to pollens and other allergens.
Enhance sports performance for athletes
Salt Therapy can dramatically enhance sports performance by improving lung function and increasing lung capacity and stamina. The primary goal of every athlete is to achieve their maximum potential. One of the most important factors in attaining this is improving your breathing pattern.
There are several known respiratory conditions and pulmonary limitations that affect athletes. These include air flow obstruction, which leads to a reduction in performance; increased bronchial responsiveness; exposure to airborne allergens and other unwanted inhaled particles; and respiratory illnesses and conditions such as asthma, allergies and airway inflammation. Salt Therapy is a completely natural, drug-free solution to these issues.
Dry saline aerosol inhalation treatment successfully addresses the needs of athletes by:
- Clearing mucus from the airways thus removing airflow obstruction
- Providing anti-inflammatory and bactericidal effects
- Reducing bronchial hyper responsiveness
- Helping to clear unwanted inhaled particles from lungs
Runner James Visor from London, England tried a course of Salt Therapy: "I must admit I was rather sceptical about how sitting in a room full of salt would be," he says. "Twelve sessions later and I am amazed at how much it has aided me in my running. I now find that I can push myself harder and for longer. I have felt a huge improvement in my running and I am seeing this in my times and recently ran a 10km personal best."
Salt Therapy is the latest trend in professional sports training. National teams in Eastern Europe regularly integrate Salt Therapy into their training regime. Teams spend a week at a time training in huge underground salt caves, such as the one in Bochnia, Poland which boasts a speleotherapy unit with an underground sport-field and basketball court. A salt cave in Cluj County, Romania has a full sized football pitch.
Improve breathing for ex-smokers
Salt room therapy is very useful in accelerating the expulsion of toxins from deep inside ex-smokers’ lungs. Clinical studies have shown that inhaling the salt particles can help reduce inflammation in the respiratory tract; absorbing oedema (swelling) caused by fluid in the tissues, and can help free blockages in the bronchial area. This helps the body to get rid of allergens and residual tar in the lungs, which is good news for smokers and ex-smokers.
Common FAQs
- How Safe is Speleotherapy?
- What about using Speleotherapy for children?
- What results can I expect?
- Why should I consider Speleotherapy?
- What are the standards of Speleotherapy?
- What is Salt Therapy's view on conventional medicine versus natural alternative therapies?
- How do I get started?
- What are the costs associated with Salt Therapy?
- What does a full treatment consist of?
Accepted in Europe for over 30 years, Speleotherapy is still a new treatment in Canada, so we would like to answer some of your frequently asked questions.
Speleotherapy is 100% natural, safe and drug-free, providing effective long-term relief. It can be used as a complementary treatment to prescribed medications or as a sole treatment. When Speleotherapy is used as a complementary treatment, it can increase the effectiveness of prescribed medications, and decrease the amount prescribed.
What about using Speleotherapy for children?
Speleotherapy is very effective for children. In countries where it is practiced in mainstream medicine, doctors recommend parents try this natural remedy before putting children on medication, or at least use it alongside medication to avoid high dosage. We see children as young as 4 months old. We even design our treatment room to be especially attractive for children. The efficacy rate is estimated at 90% and keeps children safe from the side effects of intensive drug treatment.
Eastern European Doctors have noted that thousands of patients have been successfully treated by this method. After taking salt room treatments, their breathing becomes easier, symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, and shortness of breath are alleviated, and patients no longer have to take large amounts of prescription medications. Patients feel that the salt rooms have turned their lives around.
See Client Testimonials here.
Why should I consider Speleotherapy?
While modern pharmaceuticals provide effective relief from chronic diseases, there are side effects associated with repeated or prolonged use.
What are the standards of Speleotherapy?
Since Salt Therapy in London, Ontario offers authentic Speleotherapy salt rooms, there is no need for a halogenerator. A halogenerator is a piece of equipment that sprays salt air into the room. Our salt rooms are in fact 100% natural in that our entire salt room is built out of 94 tonnes of salt from a Ukrainian salt mine. The salt that is used in our rooms is untreated sodium chloride. Temperature and humidity levels are strictly controlled in the room to allow the salt particles to naturally be released from the salt blocks. Temperature is 21 degrees and the humidity level is 30-40%.
*Some clinics use various types of salt such as: Hymalaians, Dead Sea, etc. for generation of salt aerosol. Some of those clinics claim that minerals of those salts are beneficial. During inhalation of salt particles it is impossible to predict the correct amount of inhaled minerals since the amount of minerals is not constant in the salt crystals. Many of those types of salts contain clay, mud, soil and other impurities. Inhaling impurities may cause allergic reactions and other side effects.
Only untreated sodium chloride is clinically proven for inhalation and use for treating respiratory conditions. Use of other salts is considered experimental and can cause various side effects. Advertising of use any salt other than untreated sodium chloride in salt rooms is a RED FLAG. Salt Therapy in London does sell Dead Sea Mineral salt but it is ONLY the Ukrainian salt used in the salt rooms. The Dead Sea Salt is sold for people to take home and use for baths.
What is Salt Therapy's view on conventional medicine versus natural alternative
therapies?
Our philosophy is to nor reject conventional medicine nor accept complementary/alternative medicine uncritically. We believe that if a condition can be treated naturally, that is the ideal. However we do recognize and believe in conventional medicine when needed. If conventional medicine is needed, it is our belief that it is ideal to complement that with natural forms of treatment in order to at least reduce medication use and dosages as well as increase daily quality of life.
In order to gain more information on the salt rooms and/or to begin salt room sessions, one must attend a consultation. Consultations are free with no obligation. They are necessary in order for us to obtain information about your specific condition and thus recommend a treatment plan. Typically sessions are once or twice a week. Consultations are typically 20 minutes. Directly following a consultation, you can choose to start and stay in the salt room for your first session or choose to think about it first. Both are welcomed!
*Salt Therapy requires confirmation the day prior to the consult in order to preserve the scheduled consulation. This is due to limited availability. A receptionist will contact you in order to ensure confirmation. In the event of not receiving confirmation- the consultation will regrettably be cancelled.
What are the costs associated with Salt Therapy?
Each salt room session is one hour in duration and is $60. There is a minimum commitment of 6 sessions in the salt rooms for adults and children.
The reason for the minimum commitment is because the salt rooms are an all natural treatment; it does require an accumulation of sessions in order to detect the benefits. There are packages available for sessions in order to reduce the cost per session. The packages become available once a full treatment has been completed.
What does a full treatment consist of?
A full treatment is 14 sessions. Within the minimum commitment, you will know if it is working or not (there is about a 90% success rate with children and a 70% success rate with adults). You are not required to commit to 14 sessions right from the beginning. We first encourage you to complete the initial commitment before deciding whether to continue or not. Salt Therapy is not a cure for irreversible conditions and thus there are people who need to go beyond 14 sessions with maintenance sessions. Maintenance sessions are not as frequent. We do also offer maintenance packages or a one year membership in order to reduce the cost per session.
History
As far back as Roman and Medival times, miners have been recording improvements in breathing as a result of being in the caves. In 1843 a Polish physician at the Wieliczka salt mine, Dr. Feliks Boczkowski, recorded that miners did not suffer from lung diseases and his successor set up a therapeutic spa based on these observations. During the second world war Dr. Karl Hermann Spannagel noticed improvements in the health of his patients as they hid in the Kluterthöhle karst cave to escape heavy bombing. Those who suffered from bronchial asthma while staying in that bomb shelter had their coughing subside and their breathing became much smoother. Ever since, this cave has continued to be used for medical treatment of respiratory diseases and, through patients studies, Dr. Spannagel and dc. H. Kesler, Hungarian geologist and a famous speleologist, have developed the basis for modern Speleotherapy.
Up until 1987 these underground caves were the only available method. In 1987 a new system was developed in Russia (speleochambers- salt rooms) to replicate the environment of the salt caves. Today there are hundreds of Speleotherapy facilities located throughout eastern and central Europe. This natural complementary therapy is gaining recognition in the rest of the world, including the United States.
Click here to view a photo gallery of a Ukranian Salt Mine
**Places in the world that uses salt therapy:
Tampa Florida | New York | Australia | England | Mexico | Ireland | Malaysia |
Russia | Italy | Germany | Hungary | Austria | Slovakia | Poland | Bulgaria | Romania
Clinical Results:
Most of the dozens of clinical trials thus far, mainly reported in Russian-language journals, have focused on the use of Speleotherapy as a treatment for asthma, chronic bronchitis, a range of respiratory conditions and potentially against systemic diseases. Clinical studies have also been published in the New England Journal of Medicine (2006) demonstrating that the inhalation of saline produces sustained mucus clearance and improved lung function in patients with Cistic Fibrosis. In 1995 the Journal of Aerosol Medicine reported significant improvements in patients with various types of respiratory diseases (bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive and non-obstructive bronchitis, bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis) who were treated with halotherapy (salt therapy) in a placebo-controlled clinical trial.
Chervinskaya AV, Zilber NA.
Halotherapy for treatment of respiratory diseases
J Aerosol Med. 1995 Fall;8(3):221-32.
PMID: 10161255
Gorbenko PP, Adamova IV, Sinitsyna TM.
[Bronchial hyperreactivity to the inhalation of hypo- and hyperosmolar aerosols and its correction by halotherapy]
Ter Arkh. 1996; 68(8):24-8. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 9019826
Grinshtein IuI, Shestovitskii VA, Kuligina-Maksimova AV.
[Clinical significance of cytological characteristics of bronchial inflammation in obstructive pulmonary diseases]
Ter Arkh. 2004; 76(3):36-9. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 15108456
Grigor'eva NV.
[Halotherapy in combined non-puncture therapy of patients with acute purulent maxillary sinusitis]
Vestn Otorinolaringol. 2003;(4):42-4. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 13677023
Abdrakhmanova LM, Farkhutdinov UR, Farkhutdinov RR.
[Effectiveness of halotherapy of chronic bronchitis patients]
Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 2000 Nov-Dec ;( 6):21-4. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 11197648
Maev EZ, Vinogradov NV.
[Halotherapy in the combined treatment of chronic bronchitis patients]
Voen Med Zh. 1999 Jun; 320(6):34-7, 96. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 10439712
Chernenkov RA, Chernenkova EA, Zhukov GV.
[The use of an artificial microclimate chamber in the treatment of patients with chronic obstructive lung diseases]
Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 1997 Jul-Aug ;( 4):19-21. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 9424823
Chervinskaia AV.
[The scientific validation and outlook for the practical use of halo-aerosol therapy]
Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 2000 Jan-Feb ;( 1):21-4. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 11094875
Farkhutdinov UR, Abdrakhmanova LM, Farkhutdinov RR.
[Effects of halotherapy on free radical oxidation in patients with chronic bronchitis]
Klin Med ( Moscow ). 2000;78(12):37-40. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 11210350
Borisenko LV, et al
[The use of halotherapy for the rehabilitation of patients with acute bronchitis and a protracted and recurrent course]
Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 1995 Jan-Feb ;( 1):11-5. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 7785211
Roslaia NA, Likhacheva EI, Shchekoldin PI.
[Efficacy of therapeutic use of ultrasound and sinusoidal modulated currents combed with halotherapy in patient with occupational toxic-dust bronchitis]
Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 2001 Jan-Feb ;( 1):26-7. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 11530404
Maliavin AG, Filiaeva IuA, Umakhanova MM, Chervinskaia AV.
[Halotherapy-a new treatment of bacterial vaginosis]
Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 2004 May-Jun ;( 3):35-7. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 15216790
Mark R. Elkins, M.H.Sc., Michael Robinson, Ph.D., Barbara R. Rose, Ph.D., Colin Harbour, Ph.D
Carmel P. Moriarty, R.N., Guy B. Marks, Ph.D., Elena G. Belousova, M.Appl.Sc., Wei Xuan, Ph.D. and
Peter T.P. Bye, Ph.D. for the National Hypertonic Saline in Cystic Fibrosis (NHSCF) Study Group*
The New England Journal of Medicine: A Controlled Trial of Long-Term Inhaled Hypertonic Saline in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis
Conclusions: Hypertonic saline preceded by a bronchodilator is an inexpensive, safe, and effective additional therapy for patients with cystic fibrosis
Garavello W, Romagnoli M, Sordo L, Gaini RM, Di Berardino C,Angrisano A
Pediatric Allergy and Immunology: Hypersaline nasal irrigation in children with symptomatic seasonal allergic rhinitis: A randomized study (2003)
E. Daviskas*, S.D. Anderson*, I. Gonda**, S. Eberl+, S. Meikle+, J.P. Seale++, G. Bautovich+
Inhalation of hypertonic saline aerosol enhances mucociliary clearance in asthmatic and healthy subjects
