Effects of Balneotherapy on Atopic Dermatitis at Kusatsu.

Abstract

From June 1990 to May 1995, 46 patients with atopic dermatitis (31 males and 15 females, 2511 years) were admitted to our hospital to receive balneotherapy using Kusatsu hot-spring water. The atopic dermatitis in all but 4 cases occurred while the patients were still under 20 and had been refractory to various treatments including steroid ointment therapy over a long period of time. A week's observation allowing only a hot fresh water shower to remove environmental factors, resulting in no change in their skin symptoms and pruritus, was followed by taking a 10-minute 40-42 °C hot-spring bath 1-2 times daily for 3-28 consecutive weeks. The pH of the hot-spring water is 2.0 and its main components are aluminium, sulphates and chlorides. The skin symptoms of 32 out of 46 cases were improved through hot hot-spring bathing and furthermore pruritus was improved in 18 out of the 32 cases. The improvement of skin symptoms was supported by a significant decrease in serum LDH levels. In contrast, pruritus was not inproved in the remaining 14 cases who showed no changes in skin symptoms and serum LDH levels. Moreover, changes in the number of Staphylococcus auyeus on the skin surface were examined before and after balneotherapy. In the 21 cases examined whose skin symptoms were improved, many Staphylococci aureus were detected in 15 of the cases but not in the other 6 cases before starting the balneotherapy. However, they disappeared in 13 out of the 15 cases and decreased in the remaining 2 cases through the balneotherapy. On the other hand, the number of Staphylococcus auyeus on the skin surface was not changed in 6 out of the 7 cases whose skin symptoms were not improved. The mechanisms of the improvement of skin symptoms through hot hot-spring bathing may be explained by considering that acute flares induced by skin infiltration due to Staphylococcus auyeus subsided with exposure to the acidic hot-spring water. Therefore, balneotherapy at Kusatsu can be useful for the treatment of refractory cases of atopic dermatitis.

Cardiovascular physiological effects of balneotherapy: focused on seasonal differences

“…The most significant effect was decrease in blood pressure during bathing for 2*20 min, both systolic and diastolic blood pressure dropped for around 10 mmHg. Kubota [ 23 ] and Ekmekcioglu et al [ 3 ] show short term effect of hot spring bathing on decrease of blood pressure (Kubota et al, −11 mmHg after bathing in 42 °C for 10 min [ 23 ]), which reflected the physical effect when human soaked into higher temperature of bathing water than body temperature. Ono et al reports that during bathing, the decrease in SBP observed 4 min after the start of the bathing (−26 ± 7 mmHg at 39 °C for the older men, and −8 ± 9 mmHg at 39 °C for the younger men) [ 24 ].…”

“…In the aspect of cardiac function, heart rate may be increased up to 20%, and was still above baseline even after 2*20 min bathing and rested for 2*20 min (+1.44 b.p.m., p < 0.05). Kubota et al demonstrate that the heart rate went back to baseline after 10-min bathing in 42 °C and rested for around 10 min [ 23 ]. ŞAŞ et al presents that the patients with musculoskeletal disease who received 36 °C to 40 °C bathing for 10 days (5 times/week, 20 min/day), the significant increase of heart rate persisted in both 1st and 10th sessions of balneotherapy even after 10 min resting [ 13 ].…”

“…Thermal effects on potential cardiovascular risks and benefits after sauna and hot-spring bathing were similar during and after bathing [ 3 , 13 , 23 – 25 , 30 – 32 ]. Sauna bathing with hot-water is more common in non-Asian countries, while hot-spring bathing is more prominent in Asian countries.…”

Hot spring bathing accelerates wound healing and enhances heat retention effect in guinea pigs

“…Especially for the skin, it has been reported that various therapeutic effects can be expected by hot spring bathing. For example, acidic hot springs are famous for their ability to improve the symptoms of atopic dermatitis [ 27 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 80 ], and the sulfur spring and Dead Sea spa regulate melanin production [ 13 , 58 , 61 ]. Furthermore, the effectiveness of hot-spring bathing for various diseases such as psoriasis and ichthyosis has been reported [ 16 , 24 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 41 , 42 , 45 ].…”

“…For example, acidic hot springs are famous for their ability to improve the symptoms of atopic dermatitis [ 27 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 80 ], and the sulfur spring and Dead Sea spa regulate melanin production [ 13 , 58 , 61 ]. Furthermore, the effectiveness of hot-spring bathing for various diseases such as psoriasis and ichthyosis has been reported [ 16 , 24 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 41 , 42 , 45 ]. Alkaline hot springs are supposed to stimulate the skin less than acid hot springs and help smooth the skin; however, this has not been clearly elucidated.…”