THALASSOTHERAPY

When a person’s skin comes in contact with seawater, the sodium and chloride can penetrate and enter the body. From there, it can affect skin cells by altering the pressure inside them, which in turn may inhibit cell death.

Air near the sea also tends to be cleaner than air in cities and lower in common allergens. This may mean that people with conditions such as asthma or hay fever can breathe more easily by the ocean.

The review added that a number of plant and animal substances from the sea have beneficial properties. For example, salmon oil and cod liver oil are sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

Some thalassotherapy programs also include other things that benefit health, such as exercise and time for relaxation. This may further explain its popularity as an alternative therapy.

Proponents of thalassotherapy claim that sea air can be beneficial. It contains tiny droplets of seawater, which people inhale when they breathe in. This may mean they ingest small amounts of minerals this way, but no research has investigated if this is true or whether it can impact health

Although research is limited, a few studies suggest that thalassotherapy may have health benefits.

Stroke

A investigated the effect of aquatic therapy in a seawater pool in 62 people who had experienced a stroke. Aquatic therapy involves water exercises. The experiment consisted of 45-minute sessions on 5 days per week for 2 weeks.

Analysis of the study results indicated that the combination of aquatic therapy and thalassotherapy undertaken in a Mediterranean climate may improve:

• pain
• balance
• mobility
• certain aspects of a person’s quality of life

Fibromyalgia

Older research from 2005 evaluated the effects of a combination of thalassotherapy, exercise, and patient education in 58 people with fibromyalgia. The duration of the program was 2.5 weeks. Afterward, the authors evaluated the participants at 3, 6, and 12 months.

The results showed the program produced temporary benefits between 3–6 months, but they did not last beyond this time. The effects included improvements in:

• pain
• tiredness
• general health
• physical functioning

Mental health

The 2005 study also examined the effects of the combination therapy program on participants’ mental health. While it did appear to produce mental health improvements, they were of a shorter duration and less pronounced than the physical health improvements.

Skin conditions

Climatotherapy involves temporarily or permanently relocating to a certain climate to improve health or treat a condition. When someone moves to the coast, it is also an aspect of thalassotherapy.

A 2013 study explored the effects of Dead Sea climatotherapy on psoriasis. It involved 119 people with the condition, who completed quality-of-life questionnaires at various intervals during the study.

The findings suggested that being near the Dead Sea enhances the quality of life in individuals with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

Musculoskeletal conditions

Research  assessed the effects of a treatment program involving sun exposure, bathing in the Dead Sea, and bathing in mineral spring water for people with musculoskeletal conditions.

The 60 participants had a variety of conditions, including lower back pain, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia. Data analysis indicated that the program increased vitamin D levels, which linked to reduced pain and severity of the conditions.

However, this may be largely down to the sun exposure. More specific research on the impact of sea bathing is necessary to determine if thalassotherapy helps these conditions.

Thalassotherapy involves the therapeutic use of seawater. It is a common alternative therapy in Europe, particularly in Germany and France. Some colleges of medicine in Europe include thalassotherapy in their curriculum.

Thalassotherapy can involve a number of practices, such as:

• bathing or swimming in seawater
• applying marine products, such as seaweed, mud, or sand, to the body
• spending time near the sea
• taking supplements that contain substances from the sea

Thalassotherapy is similar to balneotherapy, which involves bathing in mineral water from a spring. The difference between them is that thalassotherapy exclusively uses seawater.

Little scientific research has tested the effectiveness of thalassotherapy. However, proponents claim it is beneficial due to the substances seawater contains. Seawater is high in a number of minerals, such as:

• sodium
• chloride
• magnesium
• potassium
• calcium
• iodine