Healing Springs – the Truth behind the Water

Professor Moshe Tishler, Head the Division of Rheumatology of Internal Medicine Department, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Tzrifin

Bathing at healing springs is an ancient and well-known form of treatment that was already popular in the Land of Israel in the days of the Mishna. There are accounts of Mishna and Talmud sages who bathed in the hot water springs that were known at that period, in order to find relief for their various ailments, especially for joint pains. Later, the treatment spread to Rome and eventually, through conquests, throughout the entire continent.

Since then, healing springs have been a popular form of treatment, particularly in Eastern Europe, but also in Central Europe and to a lesser degree in Western Europe. A complete healing industry has been built up around these springs.

The idea that hot mineral water can ease joint pain has appealed to people throughout the years, however, very few organized scientific studies have been carried out in order to thoroughly examine the effects of healing springs and the active mechanisms behind them.

The fact that the health industry that has grown around the pools includes many resorts, hotels and spas has sometimes deterred a deep examination of the true levels of their success, because of fear of the truth it might expose.

Studies done in Eastern European countries have revealed part of the mystery of the workings of healing springs. However, it is difficult to compare the benefits of bathing at various healing sites because of differences in the mineral makeup of the water at each site and the differences in bathing methods, water temperatures and durations of the bathing.

Mineral water has a number of effects that have been studied and proven:

1. It is known that mineral water has higher specific gravity than regular heated water, which allows the body to float more easily. The effect of decreased body weight in this water has been proven to make movement of muscles and joints easier. A current hydrotherapy technique takes advantage of this fact in the form of underwater physiotherapy, which contributes to increasing the range of motion of injured joints.

2. Bathing in mineral water causes secretion of various hormones, including a hormone that causes loss of liquid in the body and other hormones that speed up blood circulation and the body’s metabolism.

3. Bathing in mineral water has been proven to stimulate secretion of natural hormonal substances that decrease inflammatory processes in the body and other natural substances that reduce pain (endorphins).

4. It is almost certain that salts are not absorbed through the skin. In studies involving people with psoriasis, who suffer from cracks and lesions in the skin, no traces of absorption of minerals through the skin were found.

Despite the fact that the exact active mechanism in the water is not known, there is clear evidence of its therapeutic effect, even though there have been only a small number of organized, supervised studies.

In Israel, too, studies have been carried out on the effects of bathing in healing springs, the first one being that of Dr. Mahtai, who is considered to be the father of rheumatology in Israel. Following him, many researchers examined the beneficial effects of healing springs on various ailments such as osteoarthritis (tear of cartilage), rheumatic and psoriatic inflammation of the joints and fibromyalgia.

The various researchers who conducted the studies, both at the Dead Sea and in Tiberius, succeeded in proving beyond doubt that something in the water improves the quality of life of patients and contributes to easing their pain. However, all of the studies were done in sites with hotels and based on ongoing treatment of two or three weeks, which also included rest and relaxation. The question then is whether the rest and distance from work and strain plays and an important role in the efficacy of the treatment and the water only a marginal role.

In order to answer this complex question, a study was recently conducted at Hamei Yoav together with the rheumatology department of Assaf Harofeh Medical Center.

The Research Method:

Seventy-two people suffering from osteoarthritis of the knees participated in this study, which will be published in the European Journal for Internal Medicine.

The participants were divided into two treatment groups: 44 patients bathed at Hamei Yoav weekly for 6 weeks, while the control group which included 28 patients, continued their usual treatment.

All of the patients were checked before beginning the study, throughout the study, at the end of the study and four weeks after termination of their treatment. The side effects caused by the bathing were also checked, including blood pressure and heart rate after bathing.

All patients were examined according to standard scientific criteria for estimating the state of the illness and were examined for movement of the knees and stiffness of the joints.

At the end of the study, the group that bathed at Hamei Yoav showed significant improvement in almost all criteria checked compared with the control group.

The improved state lasted beyond the study period, and 4 weeks after it ended most patients reported that they are in a better state than they had been before the study. Along with the clinical improvement, there was also a clear drop in consumption of painkillers and anti-inflammation medications taken by the patients.

It is important to note that no side effects were noticed in any of the people who participated in the study and blood pressure and heart rate were not significantly affected by the treatment itself.

Apart from reinforcing the fact that healing springs are effective in treating joint problems, the study showed that lengthy stays of two weeks or more at the pools are not required to achieve results and that weekly treatments are probably as effective.

These results also have important financial implications both for the patient and the market and suggest that patients do not need to disconnect from their families and work places for long periods of time.

In light of these encouraging results, a new study is planned for the near future, which will test the importance of combining mineral water treatment with various other treatments offered at the new spa center at Hamei Yoav for easing the pain of patients suffering from various joint ailments.

In conclusion, despite the fact that we do not exactly understand the active mechanism behind the healing springs, the clinical results speak for themselves and mineral water has an important role in improving the quality of life of the patients that we treat.