Hydrogen sulfide (sulfide) baths - a popular method of balneology, which uses natural sulfide mineral water, differing in ionic composition and degree of mineralization. Depending on the concentration of hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen sulphide waters of low concentration, medium concentration, strong and very strong are distinguished.
In Russia, the most famous resort with a natural source of hydrogen sulfide waters is the city of Sochi. Also here are such resorts as:
- Sernovodsk-Caucasus;
- Sernovodsk-Kuybyshev;
- Pyatigorsk;
- Кemeri;
- Hilovo and others.
Let us consider in more detail what are the indications and contraindications of hydrogen sulphide baths.
Benefits of hydrogen sulphide baths
The mechanism of action of hydrogen sulfide baths is due to factors common to all therapeutic baths (temperature regime, mechanical action, hydrostatic pressure), and the presence of free hydrogen sulphide and hydrosulfide ions. These substances, penetrating the body through the skin and lungs, have the following effect:
- anti-inflammatory;
- metabolic;
- epithelializing;
- detoxification;
- immunomodulating;
- secretory;
- sedative.
Hydrogen sulfide baths help normalize the nervous system and coronary circulation, reduce blood pressure, increase peripheral resistance of the heart. There is an expansion of capillaries, the speed of blood flow is accelerated, metabolic processes are normalized, the motor function of the joints is increased, etc.
What are the treatment of hydrogen sulphide baths?
Indications for treatment with hydrogen sulphide baths are the following pathologies:
- diseases of the cardiovascular system (hypertensive disease of I and II stages, obliterating endarteritis, sclerotic changes of the heart muscle, atherosclerosis of the vessels of the heart, brain and peripheral vessels of the extremities, myocardiodystrophy, heart defects, etc.);
- diseases of the musculoskeletal system and joints (polyarthritis of various etiologies with chronic or subacute flow, chronic spondyloarthritis, osteochondrosis, posttraumatic arthritis, Bekhterev's disease, rheumatoid arthritis without internal involvement and low activity of the inflammatory process);
- neurological diseases without exacerbation (encephalopathy due to intoxication, meningoencephalitis outside the exacerbation stage, neuritis, polyradiculitis, neuralgia, traumatic and infectious plexitis, vertebrogenic diseases of the peripheral nervous system, consequences of injuries to the spinal cord and its membranes, etc.);
- dermatological diseases (various forms of chronic eczema, occupational and seborrhoeic eczema, psoriasis , neurodermatitis, dermatitis, chronic urticaria, congenital dermatoses with hyperkeratosis, scleroderma, etc.);
- gynecological diseases (chronic nonspecific pathologies in remission, infertility of tubal genesis, menstrual dysfunction, etc.);
- pathology of the endocrine system (reduced thyroid function, mild forms of diabetes mellitus).
It should be noted that in the appointment of hydrogen sulphide baths in psoriasis, the seasonality of the disease is taken into account. "Summer" forms are treated in the winter, and "winter" - in the summer.
Contraindications of hydrogen sulfide baths
Despite the benefits of hydrogen sulphide baths, there are contraindications to these procedures, which include:
- bronchial asthma;
- severe form of atherosclerosis of the vessels of the heart and brain;
- repeated myocardial infarction;
- circulatory insufficiency;
- angina pectoris;
- chronic diseases of the liver and biliary tract;
- chronic nephritis and nephrosis;
- tuberculosis;
- oncological diseases;
- thyrotoxicosis and others.