Salt miners in Poland were studied in the 19th century due to their reduced rate of pulmonary problems compared to the general population. Spending time at sea breathing in the robust salt air was considered curative for respiratory issues. Throughout medieval history, salt was used to aid healing. Rubbing salt into a wound, while painful, creates a hostile environment for bacteria and helps prevent infection.

Over the centuries, salt therapy has been used to treat a variety of maladies, from breathing problems to skin conditions. Salt therapy ranges from mineral pool soaks and salt facials to the salt microclimate rooms.

Beverly Hills Dermatologist Dr. Jason Emer has pioneered a salt and oxygen facial that was recently featured on the television show, “The Doctors.”¹ This revolutionary new facial uses salt crystals to exfoliate and then, immediately, infuses the skin with topicals, taking advantage of salt’s moisture retention properties. The result is glowing, hydrated skin.

For a full body experience designed to target respiratory or skin ailments, clients visit modern salt rooms or caves. They relax in reclining chairs in a salt-infused, therapeutically temperature- and humidity-controlled room where salt covers the walls and floor, and microscopic salt particles are infused into the air.

The infusion of salt into the air provides a higher concentration of negative salt ions, which bond with the positively charged particles of bacteria, viruses, and dust. Proponents of halotherapy believe this helps address respiratory concerns, such as asthma, shortness of breath, hay fever, allergies, bronchitis, COPD, cystic fibrosis, and other lung ailments.

Saline solution has long been used to treat respiratory concerns. When people inhale microscopic salt particles, they enter the airways and begin drawing moisture into the mucus. This soothing moisture thins the mucus, allowing the cilia (the tiny hairs in the passageways) to sweep it away along with any pollen, bacteria, allergens, or other particles. Congestion is relieved and breathing becomes easier.

In 2006, the New England Journal of Medicine published the results of a long-term trial using inhaled saline as a treatment for cystic fibrosis. The trial determined that the vital lung capacity of the group of patients inhaling hypertonic-saline was significantly higher and they suffered from fewer pulmonary exacerbations than those in the control group. The trial concluded that “hypertonic saline was an inexpensive, safe, and effective additional therapy for patients with cystic fibrosis.”² While hypertonic saline – which is saline in solution – varies from salt therapy in the delivery method, one may argue that salt may be beneficial to patients suffering from respiratory concerns.

Salt room therapy is also recommended to address skin ailments such as acne, skin rashes, dermatitis, psoriasis, and eczema. The salt used in most halotherapy facilities comes from either the Dead Sea or from 20 million-year-old sea salt deposits in southern Poland. These salts contain minerals such as iodine, bromine, magnesium, potassium, and other trace minerals that have antibacterial and antiviral properties. The salt helps hydrate the skin by drawing moisture into it while decreasing inflammation, a common issue with eczema.

To date, there have been no scientific studies by the medical community on the curative properties of halotherapy; so, it remains an unproven treatment. However, many individuals report miraculous recoveries and amazing health improvements for respiratory and skin conditions. From a business prospective, halotherapy is growing in popularity throughout the United States and can generate a healthy revenue stream for halotherapy providers.

References

1 Equal Parts Perfectionist, Scientist and Artist. (n.d.). Retrieved November 16, 2017, from http://www.jasonemermd.com/

2 Elkins, et.al, The New England Journal of Medicine, Jan. 19, 2006, “A Controlled Trial of Long-Term Inhaled Hypertonic Saline in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis.”