Carbon dioxide hydrogen sulfide baths. Carbon dioxide healing sessions for body rejuvenation

Carbon dioxide waters were perhaps one of the first to be used in therapeutic purposes, since bubbling springs with gas bubbles settling on the body when immersed in such waters attracted the attention of tired travelers. Before the duel, Pechorin plunged into the “cold boiling water of Narzan” and felt that his bodily and mental strength. Narzan is the most famous water of this type in Russia. Carbon dioxide waters are also found in other areas of the country. They are called “Arshans” in Transbaikalia, in Transcarpathia - “kvass” and “burkuts”, and in the Caucasus carbonated waters are called .

Carbon dioxide mineral waters are natural waters that have different ionic composition, mineralization and temperature and contain at least 0.75 g/l of carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide - CO2).

“It's as if it's just carbonated water that cures heart disease, but it's not that 'simple'. This is champagne springing straight from the earth. Natural champagne - exciting, slightly intoxicating... You sit in the bath, and your body is instantly covered with bubbles, like silver scales. These bubbles rise in streams from the bottom, more and more - the water seems to boil from the presence of a human body in it, and it seems that the body, in connection with narzan, begins to radiate warmth, boils in the gentle needles of narzan,” he wrote about these amazing waters Osip Mandelstam.

In the mechanism of action of carbon dioxide waters of various chemical composition The content and concentration of carbon dioxide are of primary importance.

Carbon dioxide, carbon dioxide, or carbonic anhydride, or what we used to call “carbon dioxide” ( Аcidum carbonicum аnhydricum; Сarbonei dioxydum, CO2), is constantly formed in the tissues of the body during metabolism and plays an important role in the regulation of respiration and blood circulation. Carbon dioxide was the first among all other gases to be opposed to air under the name “wild gas” by the alchemist of the 16th century. Van Helmont, and his discovery marked the beginning of a new branch of chemistry - pneumatochemistry (chemistry of gases). Carbon dioxide was found in caves, mines, cellars, as well as in some mineral waters - “the waters of sleep emit wild air.” The credit for determining the properties of carbon dioxide belongs to the English chemist J. Priestley. The English physicist and chemist G. Cavendish, true to his rule of defining everything by “measure, number and weight,” in 1766 discovered two characteristic physical properties carbon dioxide: its high specific gravity and significant solubility in water.

Carbon dioxide does not simply dissolve in water, but partially combines with it, forming carbonic acid. G. Cavendish was the first to notice that an aqueous solution of carbon dioxide has a pleasant sour taste. He demonstrated to the Royal Scientific Society a glass of "extremely pleasantly sparkling (fizzy) water, scarcely different from Seltzer water" and received the society's gold medal for this discovery. This was the first practical application carbon dioxide.

The famous Seltzer water, which the ancient Romans called “dancing” - Aqua Saltare, was the most famous natural carbonated water. After they learned to saturate any water with carbon dioxide, almost all artificial mineral waters began to be called “seltzer”. A bottle of seltzer has been an indispensable attribute of a still life or description of an action scene in many novels. Carbon dioxide, according to P. Zhams, is a “passport for mineral waters.”

Carbon dioxide waters are currently recognized as one of the most effective methods spa therapy for diseases of the cardiovascular system. Meanwhile, the therapeutic effect of the waters of Nauheim in Germany, the most famous resort for cardiac patients, dates back to the middle of the 19th century. was attributed not to the carbon dioxide contained in these waters, but to salt, and for greater effectiveness, mother brine and magnesium bromide were added to the bath waters.

The first official indications for treatment with carbonic waters - Narzan - were published in 1893 by the Office of the Mining Department, which was then in charge of Mineralnye Vody. The indications included atonic catarrhs and stones bladder, changes in the sensory and motor spheres during neuroses, if the cause of the disease does not lie in the lesions nervous systems s, chronic rashes with skin laxity, general decline in nutrition during prolonged treatment with sulfur and alkaline baths, iodine, mercury and other drugs. By this time, narzan baths were already prescribed for women’s diseases. Only in 1903 on the Second All-Russian Congress balneologists included diseases of the cardiovascular system in the indications for treatment. Since 1904, it began to develop as a cardiological resort, after a hundred years it was intended for the treatment of various, and primarily gastrointestinal diseases. In 1959, the Scientific and Resort Council, together with the Balneological Institute, developed another version of the specified indications, which legalized the treatment of neuroses with a predominant disturbance of cardiovascular activity (cardialgia, angioedema, cardiac arrhythmias).

Mechanism of action of carbonic waters

The mechanism of action of carbon dioxide water when used externally consists of temperature, mechanical and chemical factors, each of which is distinguished by its specific action due to the presence of carbon dioxide.

Mechanical action of carbon dioxide baths is explained by the difference in sensations that is caused by simultaneous irritation of the skin with carbon dioxide and water. A kind of micromassage of the skin with gas bubbles landing on it and breaking off causes tactile irritation of the skin and is an important component therapeutic effect. Gas bubbles with a temperature of 12 ° C alternately stick to the skin and burst, and water flows in their place more high temperature. When taking a carbon dioxide bath, even with a water temperature of 35 °C, the body is in conditions of greater heat loss than when taking baths from fresh water.

Water temperature has a significant effect on changes in blood pressure. Baths at a temperature of 34-35 °C cause a hypotensive effect during the procedure, when leaving the bath the systolic blood pressure may increase followed by a decrease within half an hour and a slow return to the original level. The opposite effect is characteristic of carbon dioxide baths at relatively low temperatures (28-29 ° C). At the beginning of the procedure, there is an increase in blood pressure, which reaches the initial level or decreases by the end of the procedure.

Chemical action carbonated waters is that during a bath, about 30 mg of carbon dioxide per minute penetrates into the body. Carbon dioxide enters the body in two ways: with inhaled air and through the skin, as a result of which its content in arterial blood increases. Inhalation of carbon dioxide leads to increased exhalation, the lungs are freed from its excess and are more saturated with oxygen. At the beginning of immersion in the bath, ventilation of the lungs increases, and breathing becomes deeper and less frequent.

The effect of a carbon dioxide bath on thermoregulation processes consists of increased heat transfer due to intense expansion of skin capillaries, a decrease in internal body temperature and venous blood. Cooling of the body is accompanied by a feeling of warmth as a result of intense dilation of skin vessels, which makes it possible to carry out balneotherapy in conditions of lower temperatures. Carbon dioxide changes the conditions of heat exchange: it increases the activity of heat receptors and inhibits the activity of cold receptors, reduces body temperature, and increases skin blood flow.

Carbon dioxide affects the receptors and effector apparatus of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, promoting the formation of active biological substances: active acetylcholine, histamine, serotonin and cholinesterase. Skin capillaries expand, their number increases, and capillary blood flow accelerates. An important aspect of the effect of carbon dioxide baths is their ability to reduce the tone of venous vessels.

The effect of carbon dioxide baths on the cardiovascular system. In cardiac patients, a carbon dioxide bath causes an increase in minute volume, the changes of which are not sharply expressed (up to 40-50%), which allows us to consider carbon dioxide baths as a low-stress procedure for the heart. Depending on the saturation of blood with carbon dioxide entering the right or left heart, the minute and systolic volume of the heart changes, coronary blood flow, blood oxygenation and myocardial metabolism improve. Under the influence of a carbon dioxide bath, blood pressure increases moderately for a short time (in the first 5 minutes of the bath), and then decreases. The listed effects are more pronounced during the aftereffect period. A course of balneotherapy leads to an increase in the oxidative functions of myocardial mitochondria, mobilization of aerobic and anaerobic energy production.

Carbon dioxide baths have a unique effect on the nervous system. Carbon dioxide can enhance metabolism in the brain, resulting in an increase in the content of gamma-aminobutyric acid and adenosine triphosphoric acid, a decrease in the content of norepinephrine in the diencephalic parts of the brain and in the walls of cerebral vessels, while improving the bioelectrical activity of the brain and increasing mental performance. Unlike other mineral waters, carbonated waters increase the excitability of the central nervous system and have a tonic effect on the cerebral cortex. Under the influence of carbon dioxide baths, reactivity to physical and mental stress decreases.

Carbon dioxide baths have a pronounced positive effect on the autonomic nervous system, mediated through central regulatory mechanisms (hypothalamus, reticular formation of the brain stem, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system). As a result, the excitability of the sympathetic nervous system decreases and the tone of the parasympathetic nervous system increases, which leads to economization of the activity of the heart, brain and other organs and systems, to improving their nutrition and oxygen supply.

Carbon dioxide baths and lipid metabolism. Under the influence of carbon dioxide baths, lipid metabolism increases, the level of cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins in patients with atherosclerosis decreases, and the breakdown of fats and fat-like substances increases. Conducted experimental and clinical studies indicate the prospects of using carbon dioxide mineral waters in the primary and secondary prevention of atherosclerosis.

Carbon dioxide baths have a pronounced positive effect on various clinical manifestations of atherosclerosis coronary arteries and cerebral vessels: attacks of angina are reduced or stopped, electrocardiogram indicators improve, systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreases, sleep improves, endurance to physical and mental stress increases, memory improves, irritability, headache, dizziness, and lack of coordination decrease or completely disappear.

Carbon dioxide baths in sports medicine. When taken no earlier than an hour after a workout or 3 hours before the next workout, carbon dioxide baths increase the tone of the nervous system, have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, and improve metabolism. In addition, the elimination of lactic acid is accelerated, and recovery after physical activity is faster.

Carbon dioxide baths. The concentration of carbon dioxide in mineral water used for carbon dioxide baths ranges from 0.5 to 1.5-2 g/l, the water temperature is 35-36 ° C, for some diseases (arterial hypotension, neuroses, neurocirculatory dystonia) the water temperature is reduced to 34-32 °C; procedures are prescribed every other day or 4-5 times a week, for a course of treatment 10-12 baths.

Drinking treatment with carbonated waters

Carbon dioxide makes mineral water pleasant to the taste; sparkling water quenches thirst better. “The water that has just been scooped up (from the source) releases a large number of small air bubbles with a hiss, like the best champagne wine... It stings the tongue, hits the nose and, finally, becomes completely clear... This water hisses with everyone wines. You can drink it as much as you want without disgust or harm,” wrote P.S., a member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, in 1773. Pallas.

Carbon dioxide largely determines the therapeutic effect of waters of complex gas composition: carbonic-hydrogen sulphide waters (Zheleznovodsk,), carbonic-nitrogen (Buryatia, Primorye, Kamchatka), carbonic-arsenic (Chvizhepse -).

Carbonic-arsenic waters

Arsenic-containing mineral waters (As) are natural waters that have different ionic composition, mineralization, temperature and arsenic content of 0.7 mg/l or more, in waters for drinking treatment no higher than 0.2 mg/l. They belong to quite rare varieties of mineral waters. In arsenous carbonic waters, arsenic is contained mainly in the form of arsenous acid, which is due to the corresponding redox conditions. The use of carbon dioxide arsenic mineral water gives a high therapeutic effect for common diseases, the pathogenesis of which involves a violation of cellular metabolism. These waters have a pronounced preventive and, to some extent, therapeutic effect in case of radiation injuries. The participation of arsenic in the processes of hematopoiesis also determined the use of these mineral waters for patients suffering from various anemias. Under the influence of carbonated arsenic-containing waters, the general tone increases and improves night sleep, headaches and irritability disappear, metabolism and ovarian function are normalized, glucocorticoid function of the adrenal glands increases. Arsenic has a beneficial effect on the hematopoietic system, as well as the functions of the liver and skin. Arsenic carbonate waters are most often used for external balneotherapy. Indications: diseases of the circulatory system (atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, hypertension, rheumatism); diseases of the blood, skin, nervous system, musculoskeletal system, stomach, intestines, nervous and endocrine system. Contraindications: general, excluding going to a resort.

Lack of carbon dioxide in human body can be very dangerous. The list of diseases to which it can lead is frightening: diabetes, intestinal obstruction, difficulty breathing. To eliminate the deficiency of an important compound, dry carbon dioxide baths have been created, the indications and contraindications for which you will learn from this article.

Balneotherapy: what is it?

Physiotherapeutic technique based on improving the patient’s condition by bathing in medicinal baths, called balneotherapy. This term can also mean rinsing with mineral waters, showers, inhaling steam, etc.

Today, this therapy is very popular in a number of regions of the world. Among the famous balneo-resorts:

Sapareva Banya in Bulgaria;
Ananda in India (located in the Himalayas);
Ein Bokek (near the Dead Sea);
Geothermal spring Blue Lagoon in Iceland;
Baile Govora (Romania);
Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic);
Rogaska (medical complex in Slovenia);
Rio Hondo (Argentina);
Warm Springs (Georgia, USA).

In Russia, the development of this type of therapy began with Peter’s reforms. During the 19th century, several domestic mineral water sources were discovered; A number of foreigners were also popular with the nobles.

In this video, therapist Diana Soboleva will tell you why procedures using dry carbon dioxide baths are carried out, and how it happens:

Anhydrous balneotherapy

One of the varieties of “bathing treatment” is carbon dioxide baths. Their traditional version uses ordinary water saturated with carbon dioxide.

The therapeutic effect is based on the beneficial effect of gas bubbles on the human integumentary system. This “massage” leads to muscle relaxation, stimulation of blood circulation and improved well-being.

However, the use of water is not without some shortcomings:

Temperature effect hot water may adversely affect patients with a number of medical conditions;
Hydrostatic force (i.e. the force of water pressure) makes wet balneotherapy inaccessible to “heart patients” and hypertensive patients;
The design features of physiotherapy devices create difficulties for the elderly and people with mobility problems;
Price. The best mineral springs are in Europe. The cost of treatment in the West is prohibitive for the majority of the Russian population.

Thanks to modern technologies Dry balneotherapy was created, which is devoid of the disadvantages of wet balneotherapy, and at the same time retained all the advantages of the old technique.

Conducting a balneotherapy session

The procedure includes a number of steps:

Before the session begins, you need to undress. Baring down to your underwear is quite enough;
The patient's body is placed in a sealed container. Most often it represents large sizes a plastic bag fixed at neck level;
The health worker indicates the required temperature level on the instrument panel;
When the required level is reached, heating stops automatically;
Carbonic acid begins to flow into the “cocoon”, which after a short time penetrates the skin into the blood and tones the vital systems
At the end of the session, the remaining carbon dioxide is removed from the system;
The nurse removes the camera (it is forbidden to do this on your own), after which the patient can get dressed.

The therapeutic effect of carbonic acid continues several hours after the end of the session. Its duration may vary depending on the disease. The timing ranges from 10 to 30 minutes.

To achieve a healing effect, you will have to visit the physiotherapy room about 10 times over two to three weeks.

Dry carbon dioxide baths: benefits and harms

The procedure will not be superfluous for those who suffer from the following ailments:

Severe chronic heart disease. Conventional “wet” baths create unwanted water pressure on the organs, while the dry technique does not have this drawback;
High blood pressure and blocked blood vessels. Due to the effects of carbon dioxide, blood vessels increase in size and blood flow improves;
Varicose veins;
Activation of oxygen supply to the brain, improvement of memory and thought processes;
Rejuvenating effect: the procedure slows down the aging process of cells;
General strengthening of the immune system.

However, in some cases you should refuse the session: acute phases of heart disease and hypertension, fever and fever. The effect on the fetus during pregnancy has not been fully studied, but it is better not to take risks.

"Reabox" dry carbon dioxide bath: reviews

There are a great many modifications of chambers for dry balneotherapy. One of the most popular models, used for a couple of decades now, is the domestic “ Reabox" It is a closed “bathtub” in which you can sit.

Over the years, Reabox has managed to acquire an army of loyal fans. Here real reviews patients who have tried it on themselves this method treatment:

Larisa, 26 years old, Kemerovo: “The child was prescribed treatment in a dry bath. I was surprised to hear about such an unusual device. It consists of a booth with a stool in which warm air circulates. The kid is absolutely delighted with this attraction. We didn't get sick all winter. I recommend it to everyone who hasn’t tried it yet”;
Margarita, 54 years old, Smolensk: “I have been suffering from high blood pressure for several years now. A friend recommended Reabox. And I’ll tell you: the treatment process has never been so comfortable. A warm, relaxing breeze flows through the body, which is very calming. Both pleasant and useful”;
Oleg, 48 years old, Krasnodar: “For a year and a half I suffered from weakness in the male part. During this time, I managed to poison myself with all sorts of chemicals and thought about unsafe operations. But then my wife came across an alternative solution in the form of dry baths. I visited the office every two days for almost a month. And the result was not long in coming: I feel even better than in my youth.”

Carbon dioxide-hydrogen sulfide baths: indications and contraindications

A beneficial effect can also be achieved by immersing the human body in a hydrogen sulfide environment. The molecules enter the cerebrospinal fluid and delay oxidation in the tissues. Thus, hydrogen sulfide acts as an antioxidant. Hair growth accelerates, restoration processes are activated and aging slows down.

The list of indications is as follows:

Diseases of the cardiovascular system;
Peripheral nervous system disorders;
Brittle bones;
Muscle weakness;
Problems with the integumentary system;
Loss of fertility.

Contraindications include liver and kidney diseases, severe blockage of blood vessels.

Since the times of the ancient Greeks, treatment by immersion in the waters of mineral springs has been known. But you shouldn’t save up for a ticket to Kislovodsk or Essentuki. Great solution may become dry carbon dioxide baths. Indications and contraindications will be listed in detail by a qualified medical specialist. And the process itself will bring true pleasure.

Video: the process of taking carbon dioxide baths

In this video, therapist Anna Morozova will show how patients take dry carbon dioxide baths “Reabox” and talk about the benefits of this procedure:

Mineral gas baths

Mineral gas baths- therapeutic effect on a patient immersed in mineral water with gases dissolved in it (the leading active factor).

Carbon dioxide baths

Carbon dioxide baths- therapeutic effects on a patient immersed in carbonated mineral water.

Mechanism of therapeutic action

The concentration of carbon dioxide in mineral water used for carbon dioxide baths ranges from 0.5 to 1.5-2 g/l, the water temperature is 35-36 ° C, for some diseases (arterial hypotension, neuroses, neurocirculatory dystonia) the water temperature is reduced to 34-32 °C; procedures are prescribed every other day or 4-5 times a week, for a course of treatment 10-12 baths.

The mechanism of action of carbonic waters when applied externally consists of temperature, mechanical And chemical factors, each of which differs in its specific action due to the presence of carbon dioxide.

Mechanical action of carbon dioxide baths is explained by the difference in sensations that is caused by simultaneous irritation of the skin with carbon dioxide and water. A kind of micro-massage of the skin with gas bubbles landing on it and breaking off causes tactile irritation of the skin and is an important component of the therapeutic effect. Gas bubbles with a temperature of 12 ° C alternately stick to the skin and burst, and water of a higher temperature enters in their place. When taking a carbon dioxide bath, even with a water temperature of 35 °C, the body is in conditions of greater heat loss than when taking baths from fresh water.

Water temperature has a significant effect on changes in blood pressure. Baths at a temperature of 34-35 °C cause a hypotensive effect during the procedure; upon leaving the bath, systolic blood pressure may increase, followed by a decrease within half an hour and a slow return to the original level. The opposite effect is characteristic of carbon dioxide baths at relatively low temperatures (28-29 ° C). At the beginning of the procedure, there is an increase in blood pressure, which reaches the initial level or decreases by the end of the procedure.

Chemical action of carbonic waters is that during a bath, about 30 mg of carbon dioxide per minute penetrates into the body. Carbon dioxide enters the body in two ways: with inhaled air and through the skin, as a result of which its content in arterial blood increases. Inhalation of carbon dioxide leads to increased exhalation, the lungs are freed from its excess and are more saturated with oxygen. At the beginning of immersion in the bath, ventilation of the lungs increases, and breathing becomes deeper and less frequent.

Therapeutic effects - hypotensive, cardiotonic, anti-inflammatory, metabolic, training.

Indications - diseases of the cardiovascular system (coronary heart disease, angina pectoris FC 1 and 2, hypertension stages I and II, post-infarction (3-6 months), myocardial and atherosclerotic cardiosclerosis, initial symptoms of atherosclerosis), respiratory diseases (pulmonary emphysema, pneumosclerosis , bronchial asthma in remission), functional disorders of the central nervous system (neurasthenia, sexual neurosis, autonomic neurosis, post-stroke hemiparesis), chronic inflammatory diseases of the female genital organs (adnexitis, salpingoophoritis), functional ovarian failure, menopause, metabolic disorders (obesity I and II degrees, gout in remission), mild diabetes, nephrosclerosis.

Contraindications - coronary heart disease, angina pectoris IV class with unstable angina or disturbances of heart rhythm and conduction (atrial fibrillation, atrioventricular block III degrees, extrasystole of high gradations), mitral heart defects, heart failure II and III stages, hyperthyroidism, poor tolerance of the therapeutic environment (sweating, dizziness, etc.) when taking baths, chronic renal failure II and III stages.

Hydrogen sulfide baths

Hydrogen sulfide baths- therapeutic effects on a patient immersed in hydrogen sulfide mineral water.

Mechanism of therapeutic action

Hydrogen sulfide, as a strong reducing agent, causes the conversion of disulfide groups of proteins and enzymes into sulfhydryl groups and acts as a natural antioxidant. As a result, the activity of the pentose cycle and the synthesis of low-density lipoproteins, which have a pronounced atherogenic effect, are reduced. The competitive ligand-receptor interaction of sulfhydryl groups activates transaminases, causes the release of insulin from the protein complex and stimulates glycolysis.

The resulting sulfide ion is included in the synthesis of the amino acids methionine and cysteine, induces differentiation of cells of the basal and spiny layers of the epidermis, accelerates hair growth, and activates the secretion of the sebaceous and sweat glands of the skin. Involved in the metabolism of mucopolysaccharides, it utilizes chondriotinsulfuric acid and accelerates the synthesis of collagen by fibroblasts. Hydrogen sulfide, due to the activation of polymorphic cell mononuclear cells, stimulates reparative regeneration and streamlines the structure of collagen fibers in scars, as a result of which their extensibility and elasticity become less than that of normal surrounding tissue. In addition, the sulfide ion induces mitosis in hepatocytes and activates the microsomal fraction of cytochrome P 450, which leads to an increase in the synthesis of blood plasma proteins and α -glycoproteins, and also enhances the inactivation of toxins in the liver.

By reducing the affinity of endothelial receptors for ligands, hydrogen sulfide causes the accumulation of biologically active substances (cytokines, prostaglandins, bradykinin) and mediators (histamine and acetylcholine) in superficial tissues. As a result, two-phase changes in skin blood flow occur - an initial short-term spasm of blood vessels is replaced by their prolonged expansion. An increase in blood flow in arterioles, capillaries and venules leads to skin hyperemia, which persists up to 20 minutes after the end of the procedure. The impulse activity of the nerve conductors of the skin increases at the beginning of the bath, and then decreases significantly, which causes a decrease in pain and tactile sensitivity of the skin.

Therapeutic effects - anti-inflammatory (reparative-regenerative), metabolic (glycolytic and dipolytic), epithelial, immunomodulatory, detoxification, secretory, sedative.

Indications - diseases of the cardiovascular system (coronary heart disease, angina pectoris class I and II, myocardial dystrophy, post-infarction (4-6 months), myocardial and atherosclerotic cardiosclerosis, initial symptoms of atherosclerosis), peripheral diseases (neuralgia, toxic polyneuritis, lumbosacral radiculitis, myelitis) and central (encephalitis, neurasthenia, traumatic cerebroasthenia) nervous system, diseases of the musculoskeletal system (rheumatic and infectious-allergic polyarthritis, spondylosis, osteochondropathy, osteoarthritis), skin diseases, vascular diseases (obliterating endarteritis, Raynaud's disease, varicose veins) , tubal infertility, vibration disease, chronic poisoning with salts of heavy metals (lead and mercury).

Contraindications - acute and chronic diseases of the liver, biliary tract and kidneys, coronary heart disease, angina pectoris III FC, stage II heart failure, toxic-allergic reactions to hydrogen sulfide, vegetative-vascular dysfunction, severe cerebral atherosclerosis.

Radon baths

Radon baths- therapeutic effects on a patient immersed in radon mineral water.

Mechanism of therapeutic action

The main active factor in these baths is the dissolved inert gas radon Rn, the decay of which is accompanied by a-radiation. When radon settles on the skin (“active deposit”), the a-radiation of its molecules causes ionization of protein and water molecules in the dermis with the formation of toxic oxygen metabolites and hydroperoxides, the concentration of which in the skin can reach (20-200)10 6 pairs/mm 3 . In addition, during the procedure, from 0.15 to 0.27% radon penetrates into the body through the skin, which causes a high concentration of ionization products in the tissues of internal organs (400-8000 pairs/mm 3).

The products of protein radiolysis, being autoantigens, are transported by Langerhans cells and, like the products of protein photodestruction, come into contact with sensitized T-helper lymphocytes. Under the influence of the cytokines they secrete, the synthesis of neutral proteases, biologically active substances and immunoglobulins by tissue histiocytes (macrophages) and polymorphic granulocytes sharply increases. The induction of immune processes in the skin is potentiated by lipid peroxidation products, which activate the proliferation and differentiation of T- and B-lymphocytes with the production of immunoglobulins. Along with the activation of the body's reactivity α -radiation stimulates the differentiation of cells of the basal and spinous layers of the epidermis; α-irradiation of melanocytes leads to the formation of DOPA, DOPA-quinones and DOPA-amines, which stimulate the formation of melanin. In addition, radon enhances the synthesis of glycosaminoglycans in connective tissue, due to which structurally ordered fibers of granulation tissue are formed in scars.

During the procedure through the skin and respiratory tract 0.3-6.4% of radon contained in water penetrates into the body, which causes α - irradiation of tissues of internal organs. The main depot of resorbed radon is the skin; a small part of it (3%) settles in the basal cells of the segmental and subsegmental bronchi. Increasing affinity α - And β -adrenoreceptors of various tissues to released mediators and biologically active substances(histamine, norepinephrine, bradykinin, etc.), radon causes two-phase changes in local blood flow in them. An initial short-term (1-3 min) spasm of the vessels of the superficial dermal plexus is replaced by a prolonged dilation of arterioles and a slight decrease in venular outflow, which leads to skin hyperemia and an increase in circulating blood volume. On the contrary, the conductivity of unmyelinated nerve conductors during α-irradiation with radon is significantly reduced, which is why pain sensitivity decreases. The tone of the sympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system decreases, and the parasympathetic part increases.

By modulating ligand-receptor interactions in the adrenoreceptors of the heart and lungs, radon increases the stroke and minute volumes of the heart, causes shortening of systole and lengthening of diastole with a constant heart rate. Breathing becomes rare and deep, its minute volume increases. By activating the function of the adrenal cortex, radon stimulates the production of corticosteroids and the insulin-producing function of the pancreas. As a result, the processes of glycolysis and lipolysis intensify in the body, which leads to a reduction in body weight, a slight decrease in basal metabolism and a decrease in the content of free lipids and low-density β-lipoproteins in the blood. Along with this, radon reduces the activity of the thyroid gland and ovaries, as well as the excretion of catecholamines by the adrenal glands, regardless of their initial level.

Therapeutic effects - anti-inflammatory (reparative-regenerative), analgesic, metabolic (glycolytic and lipolytic), epithelializing, immunostimulating, vasodilating.

Indications - diseases of the cardiovascular system (coronary heart disease, angina pectoris I-III FC, myocardial dystrophy, mitral heart defects, post-infarction (1 month), myocardial and atherosclerotic cardiosclerosis, initial symptoms of atherosclerosis, hypertension stages I and II, obliterating atherosclerosis, varicose veins), diseases and consequences of peripheral injuries (neuralgia, neuritis, radiculitis , plexitis) and central (neurasthenia, sleep disorders, consequences of closed brain injuries) nervous system, diseases of the musculoskeletal system of an inflammatory and degenerative nature (arthritis and polyarthritis, osteitis, osteomyelitis, bone fractures with delayed consolidation, osteoarthritis, spondylitis), chronic diseases of the lungs, gastrointestinal tract and kidneys, skin diseases (psoriasis, lichen planus, neurodermatitis, scleroderma), keloid scars, long-term non-healing wounds and trophic ulcers, gout, diabetes mellitus, diffuse toxic goiter 1-III degree, obesity II and III degrees, chronic inflammatory diseases of the female genital organs with hormonally dependent neoplasms (fibroids, endometriosis), prostatitis.

Contraindications - acute inflammatory processes, coronary heart disease, angina pectoris IV FC, unstable angina, heart failure stage II, heart rhythm disturbances (atrial fibrillation, polytopic extrasystole), leukopenia of any etiology, hyperthyroidism, poor tolerance of radon mineral water (sweating, shortness of breath, dizziness and etc.), professional contacts with ionizing radiation, benign tumors, epilepsy, vegetative-vascular dysfunctions.

Mineral gas baths - therapeutic effects on a patient immersed in mineral water with gases dissolved in it, which are the leading active factor.

Carbon dioxide baths

Carbon dioxide baths are a therapeutic effect on a patient immersed in carbon dioxide mineral water, which has a complex effect (mechanical, thermal, chemical). A two-phase “water-gas” medium acts on the skin of a patient immersed in such water.

Gas bubbles breaking away from the surface of the body irritate the mechanoreceptors of the skin, creating the sensation of “tactile massage”.

The thermal protective gas layer, which arises due to a significant temperature difference between water and carbon dioxide bubbles, complicates heat exchange between mineral water and by the body through heat conduction, which manifests itself in a feeling of “heat” already at a water temperature of 32 °C.

A significant heat flow causes dilation of skin vessels, increased microcirculation and skin hyperemia, decreased peripheral resistance, increased renal blood flow and glomerular filtration.

Under the influence of carbon dioxide entering the body, autoregulation of coronary blood flow improves and myocardial ischemia decreases: hypersympathicotonic influences on the heart decrease and parasympathetic influences on the heart increase, which is accompanied by a decrease in heart rate, an increase in stroke and cardiac output, an improvement in coronary blood flow (cornarodilatation, development of coronary collaterals), a decrease in myocardial oxygen consumption. By affecting the respiratory center, carbon dioxide deepens and slows breathing, which is accompanied by an increase in oxygen content in the blood, resulting in increased contractility skeletal muscles, hematopoiesis and cellular immunogenesis, the anticoagulation system of the blood, and the processes of reparative regeneration in the focus of inflammation are activated.

Therapeutic effects: hypotensive, cardiotonic, reparative-regenerative, catabolic, tonic.

Indications. Diseases of the cardiovascular system (coronary artery disease, angina pectoris class I-II, hypertension stage I-II, post-infarction cardiosclerosis 1-3 months after myocardial infarction), respiratory diseases (bronchial asthma, emphysema, pneumosclerosis), functional disorders of the central nervous system systems (neurasthenia, neuroses), consequences of stroke, chronic inflammatory diseases of the female genital organs, menopause, stage I-II obesity, gout, diabetes mellitus.

Contraindications. Angina pectoris III-IV FC, mitral heart defects, hyperthyroidism, poor tolerance of the therapeutic environment (sweating, dizziness, etc.) when taking baths, chronic diffuse glomerulonephritis.

Natural sources of carbonated mineral waters are numerous and varied. Such waters are widely used in resorts: Caucasian Mineral Waters, Darasun (Russia), Borjomi (Georgia), Bad Elster and Bad Ems (Germany), Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic). Use artificial carbon dioxide baths.

Hydrogen sulfide (sulfide) baths

Hydrogen sulfide (sulfide) baths - a therapeutic effect on a patient immersed in hydrogen sulfide mineral water.

Hydrogen sulfide molecules resorbed by the skin enter the cerebrospinal fluid, block iron-containing enzymes (cytochrome oxidase, etc.) and inhibit oxidative processes in tissues. Hydrogen sulfide, as a strong reducing agent, converts disulfide groups of proteins and enzymes into sulfhydryl groups and acts as a natural antioxidant. As a result, the activity of the pentose cycle and the synthesis of atherogenic low-density lipoproteins are reduced, glycolysis is activated, and insulin is released from the protein complex. By being involved in the synthesis of methionine and cysteine, sulfide ions stimulate the differentiation of epidermal cells, accelerate hair growth, and activate the secretion of the sebaceous and sweat glands of the skin; accelerate collagen synthesis, stimulate reparative regeneration, organize the structure of collagen fibers in scars, activate the function of hepatocytes, which leads to increased synthesis of proteins and glycoproteins.

Hydrogen sulfide stimulates carotid chemoreceptors and central structures of the brain, which leads to a reflex spasm of the vessels of internal organs, an increase in total peripheral resistance, an increase in stroke and cardiac output, and an increase in blood pressure. At the same time, heart rate decreases, breathing slows down and deepens, the secretion of catecholamines is stimulated, the release of red blood cells into the blood, and blood viscosity decreases.

Therapeutic effects: reparative-regenerative, plastic, defibrosing, immunostimulating, detoxification, secretory, sedative, hypocoagulating.

Indications. Diseases of the heart (coronary heart disease, angina pectoris III FC, myocardial dystrophy, post-infarction (4-6 months) and atherosclerotic cardiosclerosis) and blood vessels (peripheral veins and arteries), diseases of the peripheral (neuralgia, toxic polyneuropathy, lumbosacral radiculitis, myelitis) and central nervous systems (encephalitis, neurasthenia), diseases of the musculoskeletal system (polyarthritis, spondylosis, osteoartosis), skin diseases, tubal infertility, chronic poisoning with salts of heavy metals (lead, mercury).

Contraindications. Acute and chronic diseases of the liver, biliary tract and kidneys, angina pectoris class III, toxic-allergic reactions to hydrogen sulfide, autonomic dysfunction.

Natural sources of hydrogen sulfide mineral waters are numerous and varied. Such waters are widely used in the following resorts: Sochi (Matsesta), Sergievskie Mineral Waters, Pyatigorsk, Sernovodsk, Ust-Kachka (Russia), Nemirov (Ukraine). In addition to natural ones, artificially prepared sulfide baths are used.

Martsiyash A.A., Lastochkina L.A., Nesterov Yu.I.

Carbon dioxide sulfide baths are classified as mixed type gas baths, in which a combination of the effects of carbon dioxide and sulfide water ions on the human body occurs.

When taking a bath, the body is affected by three main factors: physical, chemical and temperature. The physical factor is characterized hydrostatic pressure water, as well as the irritating effect of carbon dioxide bubbles on the skin. The temperature factor depends on the temperature difference between water and carbon dioxide. The chemical factor is characterized by the simultaneous effect on the skin and respiratory tract of sulfide ions, carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. The more surface of the skin is exposed to these substances, the greater their concentration in the bath, the more pronounced the therapeutic effect will be.

Carbon dioxide bubbles irritate skin receptors when they reach the surface of the skin, settle on it, and then break away from it and float to the surface. The alternating action of bubbles and water forms a kind of “tactile massage”.

Skin thermoreceptors are irritated due to the difference in indifferent temperatures of sulfide water and carbon dioxide bubbles. The temperature of the water in the bath is 35-36 degrees, and the temperature of carbon dioxide does not exceed 12-13 degrees. The contrast of these temperatures in a carbon-sulfide bath is more pronounced than in other types of baths. Thanks to this, a so-called “temperature massage” is created. At the physiological level, changes are also noticeable: when exposed to cool carbon dioxide baths, blood pressure increases; when exposed to baths at indifferent temperatures, on the contrary, it decreases. It was also noticed that at the same temperature and duration of the procedure, much more heat enters the body from carbon-sulfide baths than from fresh baths.

Under the influence of carbon dioxide and sulfide ions, metabolism increases, blood circulation improves, and regenerative processes on the skin are activated. Sulfides stimulate redox reactions, improve tissue respiration, and activate the body's immune system. Carbon dioxide increases the volume of ventilation of the lungs and the depth of breathing, and increases the efficiency of the cardiovascular system.

The combination of carbon dioxide and sulfide baths provides a greater therapeutic effect than individual procedures. Therefore, the list of diseases for which carbon sulfide baths are recommended is quite extensive. Most often this procedure is used when various diseases cardiovascular system and joint diseases. Capillaries and small vessels dilate, blood is redistributed in the body, the pulse slows down and stroke volume increases. Carbon sulfide baths have a beneficial effect on the autonomic, central and peripheral nervous systems and are used in the treatment of atherosclerosis, obesity, skin diseases and allergic reactions.

Treatment of diseases of the central and peripheral nervous systems in children has shown good results. After just one course of bathing, significant improvements were observed in the condition of the affected areas in the muscles and nerve trunks. The use of baths in children aged 3-14 years after operations for heart defects also showed good results.

IN medicinal purposes natural carbon-sulfide baths are used at resorts, and artificial baths in non-resort conditions.

To prepare a carbon-sulfide bath, water is drawn at 34-37 degrees, the concentration of hydrogen sulfide is 50-150 mg/l and carbon dioxide is 0.7-1 g/l. The course of treatment is 8-12 procedures of 8-15 minutes each, carried out every other day.

Indications for use:

inflammatory gynecological diseases;
chronic diseases of nerves, muscles and joints;
peripheral vascular diseases (post-thrombophlebic syndrome, endarteritis);
diseases of the cardiovascular system;
chronic diseases of the liver and gall bladder;
skin diseases (psoriasis, neurodermatitis, eczema).

Contraindications:

general for water procedures;
hypertension stage 2B and higher;
atherosclerosis in severe form;
frequent attacks of angina pectoris;
individual intolerance to the procedure;
circulatory failure 2-3 degrees;
inflammatory processes.