Warm healing waters, peaceful baths, an atmosphere that heals people both physically and psychologically… If these words come together, know that thermal health tourism is being talked about. Thermal health tourism is an area that Turkey has been talking about worldwide for many years. Turkey, which ranks first in this field in Europe and 7th in the world, demonstrates why it deserves this title with its underground water resources and advanced thermal tourism opportunities.
In short, thermal tourism is a form of tourism in which the positive effects of natural spring waters, rich in minerals, coming out of the ground, on both physical and psychological health are at the center. Thermal health tourism, which is shaped around the natural spring waters coming out of the underground, has revealed a different understanding of hotel management and service. Contrary to popular belief, the roots of thermal tourism go back to ancient times. It is known that in Ancient Greece, Roman and Byzantine periods, people traveled to the places where thermal waters were found in order to find healing.
Thermal waters are formed in the mantle layer of the earth. The water that seeps down from the earth is heated underground. These waters emerge from the tectonic fault areas, which are the breaking points of the earth, in the regions where volcanic movements occur. These waters contain many different minerals according to the region they originate in and the rock structure in that region. Thermal waters are formed in the mantle layer of the earth. The water that seeps down from the earth is heated underground. These waters emerge from the tectonic fault areas, which are the breaking points of the earth, in the regions where volcanic movements occur. These waters contain many different minerals according to the region they originate in and the rock structure in that region.
What are the Types of Thermal Tourism?
Hot Spring Bath
Cure means that the treatment applied is repeated at certain intervals and at certain doses. Since spa cure treatments are a warning and compliance treatment, they should be applied at a certain time interval, under the control of a doctor. There are different cures in thermal health applications. One of them is the hot spring bath. These baths are categorized as cold, warm, hot and extremely hot according to the temperature ranges. Hot spring baths take an average of 20 minutes. Baths are usually done for 2-4 weeks, either every day (one day a week without a bath) or once every other day. The frequency of taking a bath and the degree of bathing are determined by specialist physicians for the needs of the person. In these treatments, which are carried out in private bathrooms with personalized water, the tubs are disinfected at every use.
Peloid Application
Another curing application is mud application, also known as peloid. Peloids are used in the form of baths or more often in the form of packages. Package type application is the most commonly used peloid therapy method. In mud bath cures, mineral swamps, sea and delta mud and healing soils mixed with thermomineral water are used. Depending on the needs of the person, the body areas where these packages are applied may vary. The application time of these muds, whose temperatures can reach 50 degrees, is usually 30-40 minutes. This treatment method is applied in rheumatic diseases, post-traumatic, postoperative, orthopedic lesions, gynecological disorders and some digestive diseases and successful results are obtained.
Gas Bath
A gas bath is a cure usually applied with carbon dioxide. In carbon dioxide liquid bath applications, which is a bath method with carbon dioxide water, the temperature of the water is kept between 33-35 ºC. The average duration of a cure is 15 minutes. In carbon dioxide baths, it is recommended to take a bath for two consecutive days and take a break on the third day. In addition, there is also a cure type that is applied by giving only gas in the special cabinet.
Respiratory Cure (Inhalation)
Respiratory cures are applied by dividing the mineral water into particles of appropriate size with special techniques and inhaling it through the respiratory tract. Respiratory cures are applied at an average temperature of 30 degrees, in a time interval of 5-15 minutes.
What Diseases Are Thermal Waters Good For?
Rheumatism, Neuralgia (inflammations spreading along the nerve), neuritis (nerve end inflammations), Polyneuritis (inflammation of more than one nerve), Tendinitis (inflammation of the skin), Periarthritis (inflammation of the joint membrane), Arthrosis (Joint calcifications), Rheumatoid Arthritis (Fever rheumatic diseases), Arthrosis (Joint calcifications), Cellulite (Soft tissue rheumatism), Sciatica (Compression of the sciatic nerve), Spondylitis (calcification of the spine), Mialgia (Muscle aches) , Gynecological diseases (in chronic periods), Polio Sequelae (Polio Sequelae), Hemiplegia (Paralysis of a part of the body), Paraplegia (Paralysis of both lower extremities 'both lower legs'), Fracture dislocation sequelae, sequelae from accidents and surgeries, Spiritual fatigue, mental fatigue, Intestinal diseases, kidney and urinary tract diseases, chronic cystitis, Chronic kidney stones, functional failure, respiratory system diseases, Asthma bronchial, chronic bronchitis, allergic upper respiratory tract diseases, pneumoconiosis.
Turkey is a country surrounded by many fault lines as it is located in a region where Anatolian plate fractures are present. Therefore, the lands of the country are very rich in mineral hot spring waters. There are more than 1300 hot groundwater springs in Turkey, 500 of which are known to be medicinal. For this reason, the country is one of the most preferred destinations in the world for thermal tourism. The thermal tourism bed potential in the country, which hosts a total of 190 hot springs, has been calculated as 1.365.000. Afyon ranks at the top in this ranking, followed by Aydın, Denizli, İzmir, Kütahya and Sivas provinces.