A bit of history
Treatment with heated sand, later called psammoterapiey (from the Latin pssamos - sand and therapia - treatment), was known back in ancient times. Historians suggest that a unique method of healing was brought from ancient Egypt, although it was no stranger to Maya Indians and Indian yogis to "swim" in sand, heated by sun or fires. In the 19th century, sanitation with the help of sand spread throughout Europe, settling in the countries of the Mediterranean, Black and Baltic seas. But other resorts were not averse to taking advantage of the generous gifts of sand. Thus, the first psammotherapeutic clinic, specializing in diseases such as arthritis and gout, was opened in the German city of Dresden by Dr. Flemming (thereby inventing the first antibiotic). In Russia, the pioneer of psammotherapy was the famous surgeon IV. Parian, addicted to and physiotherapy. He conducted a number of studies, and then wrote a thesis on "The benefits of natural sand baths in the therapy of gout, dropsy, scrofula, rheumatism." He was the first to prove the therapeutic effect of sand procedures, emphasizing that the benefits from them will only be if they are correctly applied - with the appointment and under the supervision of a specialist.
For medical purposes, use sea and river sand. They are similar in composition - silicon, graphite, chalk, dolomite and so on. But the size of the sand grains may differ: they release a large grain (each grain of sand is more than 0.5 mm), medium (0.5 to 0.3 mm), and shallow (0.3 to 0.1 mm). For medicinal purposes, it is mainly medium-grained - it has the greatest thermal conductivity.
The beneficial effects of sand on the human body, modern doctors explain several aspects at once.
Thermal effect
The sand, heated to 40-50 degrees, is heat-resistant and hygroscopic. It perfectly retains heat and gradually gives it to the external environment (including the human body). As a result of slow and uniform heating of tissues under it, the processes and mechanisms for excretion of toxins from the body are activated, local blood circulation and lymphatic supply improve. Overheating during the procedure is impossible: due to the fact that the sand lets through the sweat that is released when taking a bath, and for the duration of the session we find ourselves in a kind of moist cocoon with a comfortable temperature for a person of 37-38 degrees.
Mechanical impact
Covering every centimeter of the body, the sand not only ensures an even warming up of all its parts, but also gently massages the surface of the skin with grains of sand that have an uneven structure and different density. This has a good effect on nerve endings, blood vessels, relieves pain (according to the figurative expression of physicians - "pain absorbed into the sand"). In general, the process itself is very pleasant: gentle warmth, slightly tends to sleep, calm and pacification, in general - a complete relaxation!
Chemical action
In sand contains mineral substances - carbonates of sodium, potassium, iron, which, when in contact with sweat form new compounds - as a result, carbon dioxide is released, which activates the gas exchange in our body, which stimulates the oxidation process. Skin cells and kidneys start to work more effectively. After psammotherapy, the body temperature increases slightly (by 0.3-0.6 degrees), the heart rate increases by 7-13 beats per minute, the blood pressure rises by 10-15 mm Hg. Art. In this case, breathing becomes more frequent, the volume of the lungs grows. You can even lose weight - up to a pound per procedure.
Indications and contraindications for treatment with sand
Reception of sand baths, like any medical procedure, has both recommendations and contraindications.
Recommend psammoterapiyu in the following cases:
- diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
- chronic diseases of the joints (gout, arthrosis, arthritis, rheumatism);
- diseases of the nervous system (neuralgia, polyneuritis);
- chronic kidney disease, gynecological inflammation;
- childhood diseases (rickets, exudative diathesis, allergies).
- chronic and acute tuberculosis;
- epilepsy;
- various neoplasms;
- diseases of the cardiovascular system (hypertension, atherosclerosis)
- Contraindication is also a children's age of up to 2 years. The procedure is not recommended for women during critical days.
Psammoterapiya can be either complete, when the entire human body is submerged in the sand, and partially - only some parts that are affected by the disease (joints, lower back, limbs) are buried. A large sand bath can be arranged even on a regular beach, provided that the day is warm and fair (the sand should warm up to about 60 ° C). Many are worried about the hygiene of the procedure, but the doctors are reassuring - the ultraviolet has a disinfectant effect. We raise the sand "medallion", lie on it on his back and pour himself a sand layer of 3-4 cm. However, in the abdominal region, he should not be more than 1 cm, and the heart area should not fall asleep at all. The head should be kept in the shade, you can cover it with a panama or a cap. It is necessary to monitor your health - for any discomfort the procedure should be stopped that hour and hidden in a cool place. The duration of the session for adults is half an hour, for children - 10-12 minutes. For partial procedures, artificially heated sands are often used: sand, purified from foreign inclusions (stones and rubbish), is heated on special boards to 110-120 degrees, and then mixed with a cold one to obtain a temperature of about 55-60 degrees. Prepared sand pour into a container of wood, in which it retains heat for a long time. For example, to warm a sick joint, it is sprinkled with a layer of 5-6 cm thick, and covered with a towel - this reduces heat loss. The standard duration of the session is about 50 minutes. Complete sand baths should be done twice a week, and partial - every day. The course of therapy - 12-15 sessions (both alone and in conjunction with the spa treatment). By the way, you can relax in the arms of the sand by the whole family - thanks to the gentle effect of psammotherapy, it is prescribed for both children and the elderly. It will appeal to all!