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Health

Treatment at the Dead Sea

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Treatment at the Dead Sea is, in fact, a sanatorium treatment at the Dead Sea, as here patients are exposed to the complex combination of a unique combination of climatic factors: soft sunlight, water and curative mud with high levels of minerals, high atmospheric pressure, and dry, clean and oxygen-rich air.

It is these beneficial natural conditions that are the main therapeutic means of treating a number of chronic diseases.

Indications for treatment at the Dead Sea

The main indications for treatment at the Dead Sea include a fairly wide range of diseases. In the first place, these are skin diseases: psoriasis, vitiligo, ichthyosis, neurodermatitis, eczema (atopic dermatitis), scleroderma, acne, seborrhea, red flat lichen.

Then the joints and spine pathologies follow: arthroses, arthritis (including rheumatoid and psoriatic), polyarthritis, osteoarthritis, osteochondrosis, Bekhterev's disease, and rehabilitation after trauma and orthopedic operations.

In addition, treatment on the Dead Sea is indicated for bronchial asthma, cystic fibrosis, chronic obstruction and cystic fibrosis of the lungs.

Good results are given by treatment of uveitis - inflammation of the choroid of the eye, which leads to a weakening of vision, and even its complete loss.

People with chronic fatigue syndrome, with a reduced tone of the vegetative-vascular system, with chronic diseases of the upper respiratory tract and the genital area will also benefit from the healing water and mud procedures at the Dead Sea.

Contraindications to treatment at the Dead Sea

First of all, there are contraindications to the treatment at the Dead Sea for the application of mud - peloid therapy. So, you can not be treated with mud if:

  • acute stage of all diseases and the stage of exacerbation of chronic pathologies;
  • inflammatory-purulent processes;
  • malignant neoplasms of any localization (including after surgical removal of the tumor);
  • benign neoplasms of muscle tissues (myomas) and connective tissues (fibromas);
  • cystic formations of the genital area;
  • systemic infectious diseases (tuberculosis, venereal diseases, etc.);
  • heart defects (in the stage of decompensation), angina pectoris, atherosclerosis, aneurysm of the heart and aorta, cardiac arrhythmia;
  • bleeding of any etiology;
  • mental illness;
  • pregnancy at all times.

Treatment on the Dead Sea requires caution (and additional medical advice) in the presence of problems with blood pressure, kidney and thyroid.

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Treatment at the Dead Sea in Israel and Jordan

In general, treatment at the Dead Sea in Israel - at spa resorts, Dead Sea Clinic, IPTC Clinic and the Dead Sea Research Center Dead Sea Research Center - uses water, air, mud and sun.

Treatment in the Dead Sea in Jordan, which also has a significant part of the coast of this reservoir on its territory, is based on similar principles. Here you can take advantage of the therapeutic properties of the Dead Sea in the spa centers of hotels, coastal resorts, as well as in specialized medical institutions. For example, the Dead Sea Medical Center is certified by the Jordanian Ministry of Health and the Jordanian Chamber of Physicians for the treatment of skin diseases, physiotherapy and rehabilitation.

Water in the Dead Sea is almost nine times brighter than the oceanic and contains up to 33.7% of mineral salts (especially many magnesium chloride and calcium). This salt lake is located in the East African rift valley - in the zone of crustal stretching, which was formed millions of years ago as a result of the shift of tectonic plates. That's why it lies 400 meters below the level of the World Ocean, and the atmospheric pressure here is much higher than the normal one - about 800 mm Hg. Art. In this case, the sun's rays have a much smaller hard ultraviolet UV-B - due to the greater thickness of the ozone layer and the content of bromine compounds in the air, which act as a filter.

In addition, from time to time, pieces of natural hydrocarbon tar of bitumen (or asphalt) from the depths to the surface of the Dead Sea rise, which contains a lot of sulfur and has anti-inflammatory properties. By the way, back in the late 19th century this sea was called Asphalt ...

Black silt deposits on the bottom of the Dead Sea - sulfide muds - have in their composition high concentrations of sulfur, chloride and bromide salts of calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron, copper, selenium, silicon. Thanks to this, treatment on the Dead Sea in Israel and treatment on the Dead Sea in Jordan with the use of mud is good for skin and joint diseases.

Treatment of psoriasis in the Dead Sea

In the Dead Sea region, effective treatment of dermatological diseases, in particular, the treatment of psoriasis in the Dead Sea - both in terms of the disappearance of lesions, and the duration of remission.

Heliotherapy (exposure to mild natural UV radiation) is included in the treatment procedures, which is used throughout the year. In the summer months stay in the sun is shorter - 3 hours a day; During the winter months, the exposure can be up to 7 hours a day. The average duration of sun exposure is related to the degree of skin damage and ranges from ten days to three weeks.

To significantly improve the condition of the skin (cleansing of plaques) leads and bathing in the Dead Sea several times a day. The salts of magnesium, potassium and calcium contained in water penetrate into the upper layers of the skin and help to clear it from pathological rashes. Also, the skin is cleansed with oil and ointment based on Dead Sea minerals and by applying healing mud (in the form of applications and compresses) to the affected areas.

Treatment of eczema in the Dead Sea

In the treatment of eczema in the Dead Sea, a unique climate and natural factors (water, mud and sun) are also used.

Eczema (also known as atopic dermatitis) is a chronic inflammation of the skin with relapses. The main principle of its treatment is to minimize the effects on the skin of any stimuli and allergens with the help of moisturizing and softening the skin with therapeutic ointments or creams. Most often, these are the products containing corticosteroids. However, with their long-term use, local side effects are inevitable (thinning of the skin, dilatation of blood vessels, etc.).

Treatment of eczema in the Dead Sea is not a medicamental effect on the skin, which

Due to the high concentration of salt and minerals in the water and curative mud (in combination with the sun) is able to completely cleanse the skin and remove itching.

Also, dermatologists recommend patients - after treatment at the Dead Sea - to avoid stress, eat right and take B vitamins in combination with magnesium and calcium.

Treatment of vitiligo in the Dead Sea

Treatment of vitiligo in the Dead Sea is considered successful if, after the first 4-week course (sometimes until the end of treatment), white spots begin to acquire the habitual skin color. This process can last several weeks after the patient returns home.

Vitiligo (a kind of leukoderma) is associated with the loss of the skin areas of the natural pigment melanin, which occurs due to the destruction of melanocytes - the cellular organelles that produce the pigment.

The main goal of treating vitiligo in the Dead Sea is to restore the pigmentation of discolored blemishes. As a rule, it is recommended to bathe in the water of the Dead Sea for 20 minutes twice a day - until the sun.

Ultraviolet radiation leads to the release of melanin. The softest ultraviolet (UV-A) stimulates the release of melanin, stored in melanocytes. A more stringent UV-B triggers the production of a new melanin, and also stimulates the production of vitamin D in the skin.

Specialists of the Jordanian Dead Sea Medical Center achieve good results with rapid repigmentation using a combination of Dead Sea climatotherapy and topical products with pseudocatalase PC-KUS and calcium.

Treatment for Scleroderma in the Dead Sea

The treatment of scleroderma at the Dead Sea practically does not differ from the sanatorium treatment of other diseases.

Given that scleroderma is a systemic autoimmune disease that affects the skin, small vessels of the entire body, joints and internal organs, Israeli and Jordanian experts recommend treatment in the Dead Sea only in case of skin or musculoskeletal system damage (polyarthritis and periarthritis with deformation of the joints and a violation of their mobility). And also with Raynaud's syndrome (vascular spasm of hands with their cold and pain in the fingers). However, in the diffuse form of scleroderma with lesion of visceral organs, such treatment is ineffective.

Treatment of scleroderma in the Dead Sea can relieve the feeling of chilliness and tightening of the skin, as well as increase its elasticity; reduce pain in joints and feeling stiff.

Treatment of joints in the Dead Sea

Treatment of arthrosis in the Dead Sea, treatment of arthritis in the Dead Sea, as well as treatment of the spine in the Dead Sea include swimming in the Dead Sea and swimming pools containing this water or thermal water of hydrogen sulfide sources; independent use of black mud on the seashore; application of warm mud compresses to the joints and medical massage.

Usually bathing in the sea is carried out 2-4 times a day, mud applications - once a day, other procedures can be applied 2-3 times a week.

Treatment of joints on the dead sea - balneotherapy in the open air - helps almost everyone. However, the nature of pathology and the degree of joint damage should be considered. Therefore, the first positive results are rarely manifested earlier than two to three weeks after the start of treatment.

Tours for treatment in the Dead Sea

Tours for treatment at the Dead Sea are very popular, and of course, the main providers of medical services in this region are Israel and Jordan. In these countries, medical tourism is a highly developed and profitable area. From 2006 to 2012, the number of foreigners who came to Israel for treatment doubled, which gave the state budget $ 140 million a year.

Jordan reformed its health care system and brought it to the world level of medical care. Medical tourism in this country also received significant investments: the Medical Tourism Corporation was established, which organized its own network of medical institutions with wards for foreign patients and their attendants. Thanks to this, Jordan is recognized as the best place for medical tourism in the Middle East and North Africa. Its annual income in this area is more than $ 1 billion.

Tours for treatment at the Dead Sea (both in Israel and in Jordan) are organized by special agencies that combine the functions of a tour operator and medical coordinator. They work in cooperation with medical institutions and facilitate the process of receiving medical assistance in a foreign country, helping in everything from buying air tickets to organizing treatment and cognitive leisure. Therapeutic programs on the Dead Sea are offered in separate packages; the simplest includes accommodation and treatment for seven days.

Prices for treatment at the Dead Sea

Prices for treatment at the Dead Sea depend on the disease, the condition of the patient, the time spent on treatment, the prescribed procedures, and other components.

For example, the week of treatment of psoriasis costs from $ 230-250, and three weeks - from $ 850 and above.

Prices for vitiligo treatment start from $ 330 (for a week course) and $ 850 (for 4 weeks). The cost of treatment on the Dead Sea with such diagnoses as arthritis or arthrosis is approximately in the same range.

Reviews on the treatment at the Dead Sea

Treatment at the Dead Sea combines sun exposure, bathing and mud-treated applications. These completely natural methods of treatment have no side effects and give good results, confirmed not only by patients' own experience, but also by proven medical research.

Reviews of the treatment at the Dead Sea indicate that the minerals of the local water and mud are able to alleviate the condition without chemical or medicinal preparations in many diseases.

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