What does sitting in a climate-controlled environment, breathing microfine salt particles in the air do for your health? According to advocates for halotherapy, a great deal. Advocates for this new modification of an old-world approach to dealing with health problems say halotherapy helps with problems ranging from asthma to eczema to depression.
Does sitting in a chair in a cave, breathing dry salt particles, surrounded by salt crystals and soothing music seem like something you want to do? Essentially, that is the genesis of halotherapy. The approach also has some newer modifications that will be explained later in this article.
There has been a significant increase worldwide in conditions that lead to allergies or other inflammatory reactions in the lungs and sinuses. Medications used for these conditions have always felt uncomfortable and sometimes have dangerous side effects.
Combine these factors with the cost over the lifetime of the medications, and you can easily see why researchers and medical personnel are searching for alternative or complementary approaches to alleviating these conditions.
Many times, these alternative approaches are adaptations of old remedies that have been used for ages in other parts of the world. Such is the case with halotherapy. Halotherapy is derived from halos, the Greek word for salt.
In addition to the conditions that affect the lungs, the incidence of depression and other mental or emotional problems have been on the increase. A huge contributor to the development of these problems is stress. Stress is present at a very high level in our society today, regardless of where you might live. Halotherapy is said to reduce the effects of stress, thus serving to decrease the severity of mental or emotional problems.
Then there is the increasing level of pollution in the world today and its effects on the largest organ of your body: skin. Eczema, psoriasis, and other skin conditions are said to be remediated by halotherapy. The salt-filled air in the climate-controlled environment in which the remediation takes place is said to draw toxins from the deeper layers of the skin which can then be rinsed away.
All of these conditions either exacerbate existing stress within your body or create new stress because of health concerns. Alleviating this stress in the relaxing environment of halotherapy could serve your body well.
So is halotherapy for you? The rest of this article will look closely at this new modification of an old approach and help you make this decision for yourself.
Halotherapy was originally developed from another approach called speleotherapy in which people sat in salt caves breathing in the salt-laden air. Only recently has this kind of remediation approach even been considered in North America. One reason for this lack of consideration is the lack of salt caves in this area of the world.
An answer to this, an innovative modification of the salt cave has been developed. The process is the same as the original, however.
In this modified approach, you sit in a spa-like setting. These modern settings are designed to mimic Himalayan salt caves but in a more comfortable environment. Around you the walls will be lined with tons of this natural salt. Soft light from rock lamps, comfortable reclining lounges, and relaxing music complete the ambiance.
Perhaps the most important factor in this cozy setting is what is called a halogenerator. This is a machine in another part of the spa which grinds the salt into very fine particles that are then pumped into the air.
The temperature is kept around 70 degrees Fahrenheit with very low humidity. All you have to do is relax and breathe in the salt-laden air as you relax. The air is free of allergens and loaded with aeroions. The claim regarding these aeroions generated in halotherapy is that they are negative ions which have several health benefits.
Sessions in these halotherapy spas typically run between 30 and 45 minutes. Specially constructed salt booths can deliver similar results in under 20-25 minutes to save time. Extra-long sessions may not produce better results. Sessions can be daily or 2-3 times a week, depending on the situation. These daily sessions can last over a period of twenty days. Halotherapy typically requires a commitment in order to gain the best results.
Following a session of halotherapy, it is important to replenish body fluids by drinking a lot of water. Salt works to remove water from your body’s membranes, so replacing them is essential. It is also wise to use a saline solution for your nasal passages and some kind of lubricating drops for your eyes. If you commit to a series of sessions, you will need to rinse off your skin and moisturize it because of the drying effect of the salt. This helps you maintain your skin’s effectiveness as a barrier to outside toxins.
Halotherapy is not a complicated endeavor. Essentially all you have to do is relax and enjoy the stress-free environment of the simulated salt cave.
The approach halotherapy derived from has been used for centuries in one form or another. Poland was the earliest to record this type of remediation effort. The earliest records talk about people bathing in mineral waters. These records date from the twelfth century.
Many of these records came from European monks who worked to relieve their parishioners’ respiratory issues by putting them in salt caves. They noted these parishioners became more healthy. These monks ground salt into fine particles between rocks. Their parishioners then breathed in the fine particles.
In the early 1800s in eastern Europe workers in the salt mines in that part of the world began reporting few, if any, respiratory conditions and seemed to look younger because of the condition of their skin. They attributed this to the salt they inhaled as they worked in the mines. All of the movement in the mines ground the salt into fine particles which the workers then inhaled and which stuck to their skin.
In the 1840s, Dr. Feliks Boczkowski, the state authority for occupational health in Poland, noted how the workers in salt mines exhibited many fewer respiratory conditions than the workers in metal or coal mines. The latter workers suffered from numerous severe respiratory conditions.
Bochkowski published a book concerning his observations in 1843. This led to his successor establishing the first clinic dealing with salt therapy. This clinic is still in operation in Poland.
During World War II, many Germans took shelter in salt caves for long periods of time. Those with asthma reported being able to breathe easier after this experience.
Research studies in the 1950s reported the beneficial effects of salt therapy for respiratory problems. Many of these studies took place in Russia.
In the 1960s the first halotherapy facilities opened in eastern Europe. These first facilities were designed specifically for people with severe respiratory issues. Popularity increased in the 1980s and 1990s, leading to the establishment of spa-type facilities in Europe and Scandinavia for health and beauty purposes.
The first halotherapy device designed to crush salt into micro-fine particles was developed in Russia in 1985. Following this, the development of more and more facilities using the device occurred in Europe, Canada, Australia, and now in the United States.
In these modern times, it is easy to dismiss the ancient Ayurvedic advice to cleanse the nasal passages daily with a saline solution. But if you’ve ever used a Neti pot, you’ve done that very thing.
And you’ve heard Grandma’s advice to gargle with salt water to speed up recovery from colds or the flu. This process also worked to relieve a sore throat by pulling extra water from that inflamed tissue. Salt rinses have also been used for clearing sinus congestion These practices have been around for centuries. Research and practical usage has shown this practice can loosen mucus that then removes irritants, allergens, and bacteria from the airways.
Salt has been used for hundreds, maybe thousands, of years as a food preservative, showing its ability to destroy bacteria that cause spoilage. It does the same thing in the human body.
The very basic mechanism behind halotherapy is that of osmosis. Osmosis, in this case, is the moving of water from tissue low in sodium content into a solution with a much higher sodium content.
If a cell is placed in a solution of high sodium content, that cell will shrivel up. This is essentially what happens when bacteria or even viruses are exposed to high sodium level solutions. They literally dry up when the dry salt air of halotherapy hits them.
Research has shown dry salt particles that are inhaled contain properties that are bactericidal, anti-inflammatory, and moistening. These properties serve to decrease inflammation in the airways and increase airflow in those airways.
Research studies have shown the effectiveness of breathing dry salt particles in the amelioration of significant respiratory conditions such as asthma and chronic bronchitis. In this research, many of the subjects with chronic obstructive respiratory conditions also suffered from hypertension or coronary heart disease. Following exposure to dry salt particles which were inhaled over a series of exposures, significant improvement in flow volume parameters of lung function were seen. In addition, the subjects’ blood pressures improved as well.
The researchers in this case recommended halotherapy for people with both chronic obstructive respiratory conditions and hypertension or coronary heart disease.
One of the ways by which salt inhalation improves the parameters of respiratory failure is by increasing the transport of mucus from the airways, thereby increasing the removal of toxic substances and foreign allergens.
Experiments conducted at the University of California showed how negative ions affect people with a sensitivity to airborne allergens. In the airways, tiny filaments called cilia line the bronchial tubes and trachea. These cilia constantly wave in an upward direction at about 900 beats per minute. Exposing the cilia to negative ions increased the speed of this waving to 1200 beats per minute. This significant increase serves to better remove foreign particles and bacteria from the airways through increased flow of mucus.
The mucus located in the airways traps foreign particles and bacteria for transport out of the body. If the mucus is not expelled, it soon becomes toxic, leading to congestion of the airways and decreased lung volume.
Scientists have also found that bacteria can form colonies that result in a substance called biofilm that can coat the airways. This biofilm is anaerobic and cannot live in an oxygen-rich environment.
Dry salt air is negatively ionized like oxygen. Breathing this air helps break down biofilm so it can be removed from the body. The increased volume of water brought to the lungs by osmosis thins out the biofilm, adding to the likelihood of it being removed from your body.
Breathing dry salt air thus leads to a cleaner respiratory system that allows for better oxygenation of your body and increases your feeling of energy.
Another part of the mechanism of action of halotherapy appears to be the stimulation of phagocytosis. This is a process in which special killer cells called phagocytes surround and destroy bacteria or viral particles. This aspect of breathing dry salt particles can increase your immune system’s ability to protect your body.
Research has also shown halotherapy to have a beneficial effect on both surface and deeper layers of your skin. Two factors appear to be at work here. One is an increased activity of the skin’s ion channels, which increases electrophysiological activity and improves the protective properties of your skin. Another factor is a normalizing effect on pH that increases the reparative and regenerative ability of your skin, increasing its rigidity.
Breathing dry salt air increases the microcirculation and cellular membrane activity of your skin, increasing its elasticity and ability to regenerate cells, and decreases swelling and wrinkling of your skin.
Not all salt is the same. If you’ve decided to try halotherapy, you want the best and purest form of salt you can find.
Himalayan rock salt is the salt of choice for this kind of remedial approach. Also known as Himalayan pink salt, it contains over 84 different minerals, many of which are lacking in most people’s daily diets. This kind of salt is actually fossilized sea salt which is harvested from deep in the earth in the foothills of the Himalayan mountains. Because of its location, it has been protected from pollution and is thus very pure.
It is 99 percent pure, leading it to be the highest grade natural salt available. It is preferable for people who are on a low sodium diet because it contains only 87 percent sodium chloride compared to 97 to 99.9 percent sodium chloride in typical table salt. There are no artificial preservatives or additives in Himalayan rock salt, either. Use and research from other countries have shown it to have natural healing properties.
A large number of benefits for various conditions have been both reported and shown through research.
For those afflicted with conditions that include compromised respiratory function due to inflammation of the airways or constriction due to accumulation of mucus or other particles, inhaling dry salt air has been shown to be beneficial. This dry salt air decreases inflammation, reduces soreness resulting from coughing, and increases the expelling of mucus along with the irritants bound up in the mucus. This brings relief by increasing airflow and oxygen.
For people suffering from acne, dermatitis, edema, psoriasis, or eczema, being exposed to dry salt air is also beneficial. Sitting in an environment where the air contains concentrated salt particles affects both surface and deeper levels of the skin. Increases in circulation through the skin, increased ability to repair and regenerate, and decreased edema are some of the benefits.
Breathing dry salt air increases oxygenation in the lungs, benefiting athletes in particular by increasing their endurance. It also has been shown to benefit smokers by improving the main clinical indicators of chronic smoking, increasing the effectiveness of local defenses, and strengthening the mucous membranes by decreasing the colonization of harmful organisms and increasing SlgA.
Dry salt air has also been shown to increase immune system functioning through its stimulation of phagocytosis. The negative ionizing effects of dry salt air inhalation also serve to strengthen immune system functioning.
Both the negative ionizing effects and the environment of halotherapy settings work to improve emotional and mental states as well. The lack of stress in these settings leads to a feeling of relaxation and well-being. The physical benefits experienced by the relief gained from significant illness conditions also decreases stress overall.
With the list of benefits above, especially that of reducing overall stress through the relaxing effects of the salt therapy environment and the reduction of symptoms of chronic conditions, this adaptation of an old approach to dealing with illness can benefit those suffering from Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS).
Adrenal fatigue results when the adrenal glands, located on top of your kidneys, reach the point of not being able to produce and release sufficient cortisol and other hormones to help your body manage stress. Typically, this occurs after a significant amount of time spent experiencing chronic, overwhelming stress from any source. When stress reaches this point, your body is unable to deal with it appropriately. AFS exhibits a broad array of non-specific symptoms that begin as mild, but that can reach levels that incapacitate the person.
A frequent cause of AFS is chronic or severe infection. These infections may appear sub-clinically without clear external indicators.
Another way of addressing AFS is through the mechanisms of the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response model. This model is a more holistic and comprehensive way to view the effects of stress. It seeks to show the interactions between the environment and the six systems that make up the body’s stress response. It allows health professionals to see the total effect of illness and stress on the body and to make better decisions about how to address the root causes of the symptoms presented. Not only individual organs but their interaction with various systems in the body are evaluated, and comprehensive remediation efforts are developed.
Through its beneficial effects on many conditions, halotherapy can aid in the restoration of adrenal functioning and in alleviating the severity of AFS symptoms. Because AFS is initiated by chronic, severe stress from any source, the presence of chronic illness, one of those sources, can lead to or exacerbate AFS and its symptoms.
Halotherapy has other benefits for AFS symptoms as well. Eliminating toxins from the lungs and airways is one of those benefits.
Many times, toxins from environmental pollution both indoors and outdoors clogs the airways of those with AFS. Inhaling salt as described in this article increases saline in the lungs. Saline is a key component to eliminating toxins you encounter as you breathe. Ion exchange, which is improved by saline, allows your body to get rid of these toxins.
This ion exchange is increased in efficiency when you breathe Himalayan rock salt. This salt increases negative ions which you then breathe in, making the ability to eliminate toxins from your lungs and airways more effective. Negative ions also help with fluid exchange, balance, and muscle and nerve conduction. Negative ions have also been shown to beneficially affect mood and improve your mental processes. Some researchers believe an increase in negative ions stimulates an increase in the production of serotonin. This increase in the “feel-good” neurotransmitter could serve to improve depression symptoms.
Along with the factors above, the relaxing environment of the salt cave or its adaptation serves to bring on a state of relaxation. This lessens any stress you might experience. And, since stress is a major factor in AFS, lowering your stress level will help you deal with any symptoms you have.
Salt also has properties that are antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory. Breathing salt can increase phagocytosis in which phagocytes surround and destroy bacteria and viral particles. There are also indications that this type of remedial approach increases the number of T lymphocytes in your body, thus improving the effectiveness of your immune system.
With the increased effectiveness in getting rid of toxins in the body and in fighting inflammation seen with salt therapy, its benefits can be seen most in the detoxification and inflammation circuits of the NEM.
As was mentioned earlier in this article, the increase in negative ions found in salt therapy sessions improves the functioning of the cilia in the airways, speeding their action. This helps your body remove impurities and toxins more effectively.
Every substance that enters your body has to be broken down for the body to process it and remove what is left after any nutrients are utilized. These substances that are left are called metabolites. Many times, particularly in cases of AFS, the metabolites are reactive metabolites due to the source of the substances.
For example, substances that are introduced into the body in the form of pesticides or pollutants produce metabolites that become reactive. This means they interact with your body in ways that harm your health.
Some types of prescription medications are another potent source of metabolites that can become reactive. One reason halotherapy is being evaluated so much is the increase in these kinds of medications and the side effects they bring, which require other medications to combat them. As an adjunct to standard medical practice with many conditions, salt therapy can decrease the need for so many prescription medications and thus decrease the amount of toxins in the body from reactive metabolites of the medications.
Breathing salt air in halotherapy increases the efficiency of your body in removing the toxins that result from these reactive metabolites.
An accumulation of these reactive metabolites can also trigger your immune system to be overactive. One of the dangers of an overactive immune system is that it can become so overwhelmed as to flood your body with the lymphocytes and other pathogen-fighting biochemicals which leads to normal tissue in your body being attacked by your own immune system. This can then lead to the development of autoimmune conditions.
One huge trigger for your immune system to become active is any kind of chronic condition. Any chronic illness leads to inflammation, which is your body’s natural response to illness. As your illness continues, inflammation increases in an attempt to deal with it. At the same time, stress increases from this chronic illness. Salt therapy is a potent instrument in dealing with both stress and excess inflammation. The relaxing, calming atmosphere present in the salt therapy setting reduces stress overall. Any reduction in overall stress leads to improvement in AFS symptoms.
Chronic stress, environmental toxins, and allergies are three of the primary causes of a dysfunction of the inflammation circuit of the NEM. Salt therapy is beneficial for all three of these causes, as has been shown in research and clinical use.
Anxiety and depression can also be present in dysfunctions of both the inflammation and detoxification circuits. Salt therapy sessions have been shown to be effective in dealing with these two conditions. In particular, the relaxation developed through the calming atmosphere in the salt chamber benefits a person with either or both of these conditions. In addition, the increase in negative ions found with salt therapy also positively affects the production of serotonin, which is a beneficial neurotransmitter for both conditions.
As in any attempt to alleviate symptoms of any health condition, there are risks that must be considered in halotherapy.
With the lack of appropriate control in some of the spas that offer this approach, some people can get too much salt both on their skin and in their airways. Salt has a drying effect and can cause irritation of the skin and airways.
This drying effect also affects the eyes. One of the major complaints after sitting in a salt-saturated environment is irritation and swelling of the eyes. Most of the time this is a temporary situation and can be resolved by spending less time in the salt environment or by using a wetting solution immediately after each session.
Some people experience an increase in coughing due to so much mucus being expelled from the lungs and airways.
Conjunctivitis is a condition that can be brought about by being exposed to a salty environment. This is a rare situation.
A considerable risk involved in this kind of remediation effort is the lack of standardization. Since halotherapy is a relatively new procedure, at least in the U.S., there are no established guidelines for the amount of salt in the air nor for the number of sessions people should attend. This is one of the shortcomings that also affects the quality of research in this area.
Another significant risk is the lack of trained medical personnel at most of the sites where this remedial effort is conducted. This leads to the question of what will be done if someone experiences a medical emergency during a session. In spite of warnings that people with some medical conditions should rule out this type of therapy, people will still attend sessions who have these medical conditions.
Some people with asthma have experienced increased coughing and shortness of breath with this approach. Some people develop significant headaches during sessions. People with duodenal ulcers have experienced an exacerbation of their symptoms during sessions.
Pregnant women and young children may not be appropriate candidates for this type of remediation. Although advocates for halotherapy report it as being safe for these populations, there is little or no scientific evidence to back up this claim.
This therapy should be used as an adjunctive approach to what your physician recommends. It is important that you not stop any medications or other methods of alleviating any condition without consulting your physician first. A significant risk is that you may stop taking one or more of your medications if you receive any benefit at all from salt therapy.
In addition, this approach to remediation can be expensive. If you have to choose between affording medication and affording this therapy, you should not give up medications.
For those with significant symptoms of AFS, you should consult with your healthcare provider before starting any halotherapy sessions. There is a risk of increasing your stress level which could lead to adrenal crashes and/or an increase in your overall symptoms.
Just as there are risks involved in this approach, there are some health conditions that contraindicate participation in it.
While there has been some formal research on this therapy in other parts of the world, notably Eastern Europe and Russia, very few solid studies have been conducted in the U.S. One of the largest studies to date focused on the effectiveness of salt therapy for people with chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD).
The researchers looked over 151 published studies having to do with salt therapy. Of that number, only one met the criteria to be considered a rigorous scientific study. Three other studies were included in their report just so there would be a sufficient number of people investigated.
While many, if not most, of the participants in the studies reported feeling better after salt therapy sessions, there were severe methodological flaws in all of the studies involved.
Missing or incomplete information from these four studies included specifying in any acceptable manner whether the participants had COPD or asthma. There was insufficient information regarding what medications the participants took. No or insufficient information was given regarding how severe the symptoms were for the participants. The long-term effects of the salt therapy sessions were not addressed; participants were assessed immediately after the completion of sessions.
Some more recent studies from other countries have shown promise with beneficial results. A study conducted in Poland in 2010 showed faster improvement in participants with either asthma or COPD who underwent salt therapy combined with typical remediation efforts, compared to those that underwent typical remediation alone. However, this study did not specify which participants had which chronic conditions.
One potentially rigorous study was conducted in 2016 with children ages 5-13 who suffered from mild asthma and were not receiving anti-inflammatory medications. This was a double-blind, randomized, and controlled study. This pilot study suggested salt therapy to be beneficial for these children and called for larger controlled trials with long-term follow-up.
Another research effort studied 29 participants in a sanatorium setting evaluating the effectiveness of salt therapy for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (either COPD or asthma). Results showed improvement in the flow volume of lung function and in hypotensive effects on blood pressure. While this study recommended salt therapy for obstructive respiratory conditions including those with hypertension or coronary heart disease, it suffered from a small sample and a lack of reporting regarding which participants had which condition.
One study from Russia evaluated 47 male smokers who had no evidence of COPD. This study found twenty salt therapy sessions of ten minutes duration daily relieved the coughing caused by smoking and improved the appearance of sputum expelled by the participants compared to a control group. Once again, the small sample study was a limitation of this study.
To date, there have been no studies conducted regarding the safety of halotherapy sessions.
So, the effectiveness of this modern adaptation of an old therapy remains controversial.
On the one hand, those who advocate for halotherapy and its effectiveness remain convinced it is a viable method for dealing with a multitude of conditions.
They point to the research studies dating from the middle of the last century from other countries that seem to strongly suggest many benefits of this approach. Those studies generally addressed respiratory conditions primarily, with some benefits also shown for multiple skin conditions and overall mental health.
But most of all, these advocates rely on anecdotal reports from people who have participated in multiple salt therapy sessions. Many of these people report feeling better following the sessions and even report improvement in multiple symptoms.
Advocates of this approach say it is beneficial in dealing with asthma, COPD, allergies, bronchitis, colds, sinusitis, ear infections, cystic fibrosis, and skin conditions such as acne, rashes, rosacea, psoriasis, and eczema. Others have touted its benefits for mental health conditions such as depression.
However, the scientific basis for salt therapy is fragile. Many, if not most, of the early studies, as well as those few that have been conducted more recently, suffer from methodological flaws that severely limit their findings. Most of the more recent studies only examined a limited number of participants, making their findings suspect. All of them call for more rigorous, long-term studies that evaluate not only current effectiveness but long-term results as well.
Many times, when an approach to remediation is touted as being a panacea for a multitude of conditions, the reality falls short of the hype. Is this the case with halotherapy? It remains to be seen whether it is or not.
There are a number of reasons not to participate in this approach to remediation. Chief among them is the lack of standardization among the outlets supplying salt therapy. This lack can lead to significant negative effects including worsening of existing conditions if the source is not clean.
For sufferers of AFS, salt therapy may have some benefit. If no other benefit comes from this remedial approach, the time spent in a relaxing, calming environment can reduce the overall stress that underlies AFS symptoms. If salt therapy proves to be scientifically valid, it may improve some of the factors that lead to or exacerbate AFS symptoms.
Salt therapy appears to have some benefit in combating the causes of dysfunction in the detoxification and inflammation circuits of the NEM. Increasing the ability of your body to remove toxins from your airways can relieve much of the congestion seen in dysfunctions of the detoxification circuit. Alleviating inflammation by relieving chronic conditions, particularly respiratory conditions, is one way salt therapy can help with dysfunctions of the inflammation circuit.
Any chronic condition is a stressful experience and thus contributes to AFS severity. In addition, AFS can bring on a number of these chronic conditions. Thus, if salt therapy proves effective, participating in it can improve the clinical picture of AFS.
On the other hand, if salt therapy leads to worsening of health conditions, it can prove to be yet another stressor that adds to the problem. In addition, the cost of salt therapy sessions may be prohibitive to the point of increasing the overall stress load that exacerbates AFS symptoms. The safest way to decide if it is a good idea for you is to find an experienced practitioner who knows your body and can tell you if halotherapy is right for you.
© Copyright 2020 Michael Lam, M.D. All Rights Reserved.
Halotherapy was investigated in Europe since the middle of the 1900s. These studies showed benefit for several respiratory conditions and some skin conditions. The studies suffer from methodological flaws that cast doubt on their results. Few recent studies have been conducted. This leaves the question of effectiveness unanswered.
