Golden Moor Studies
For your interest, Golden Moor have put together a list of research and information that they have gathered over the years. To learn more, click on one of the ailments to the right of the screen.
Anti-inflammatory
The inflammatory mediators, leukotrienes, prostaglandins, and thromboxane, were inhibited in vitro by peat application. This gives an explanation of the antiphlogistic effect in peat therapeutics. (Laschen,1986).
Thermal mud therapy decreases inflammation after 12 days of treatment. (Clin Chim Acta, 1997)
Arthritis
Pathologic changes in the joint appear to result from biomechanical factors and chondrocytes, which influence tissue damage. Several cytokines and growth factors may be responsible for inflammation and cartilage degradation. Data suggests mud bath therapy influences cytokines related to osteoarthritis and confirms that mud bath therapy is able to influence chondrocyte activities. (Bellometti, 1997)(You can order full documentation on line from PubMed)
Forty patients with osteoarthritis were used in a placebo-controlled double-blind study. Sixteen anatomically defined trigger points utilized for analgesic effects were examined. Patients were given eight baths over three weeks. After the second and third weeks, the average pain threshold of the sulfur-peat bath group demonstrated a significant improvement compared with the placebo group. (Pratzel, 1992)
Mud bath therapy decreases cytokines involved in cartilage destruction in osteoarthritis, and increases growth factors that protect cartilage. (Int J Clin Pharmacol Res & J Investig Med)
Mud packs and sulphur baths improve morning stiffness, patient self-assessment of disease severity, grip strength, and joint swelling and tenderness in patients with psoriatic arthritis. (Rheumato lnt 19(3): 77-82)
Sulfide ooze mud and sodium chloride baths in treating osteoarthrosis patients. Humoral immunity initially affected in patients with osteoarthrosis returns to normal under the influence of a multiple-modality treatment involving application of sulphide moor in combination with sodium chloride baths. (Vopr Kurortol Fizioter lech Fiz Kult 1989 Mar-Apr) (You can order full documentation on line from PubMed)
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a very common rheumatological diagnosis. There are various treatment modalities. This study was planned to investigate the effects of balneotherapy in the treatment of FMS. A total of 42 primary fibromyalgia patients diagnosed according to American College of Rheumatology criteria were included in the study. Their ages ranged between 30 and 55 years. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups. None of them had had a cardiovascular disease before. Group 1 (n=22) received 20-min bathing, once a day and five times per week. Patients participated in the study for 3 weeks (total of 15 sessions). Group 2 (n=20) was accepted as the control group. Patients were evaluated by the number of tender points, Visual Analogue Scale for pain, Beck's Depression Index for depression, and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire for functional capacity. Measurements were assessed initially, after the therapy, and at the end of the 6th month. In group 1, there were statistically significant differences in numbers of tender points, Visual Analogue scores, Beck's Depression Index, and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire scores after the therapy program (P<0.001). Also, 6 months later in group 1, there was still an improvement in the number of tender points (P<0.001), Visual Analogue scores, and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (P<0.005). But there was not a statistical difference in Beck's Depression Index scores compared to the control group (P>0.05). Patients with FMS mostly complain about pain, anxiety, and the difficulty in daily living activities. This study shows that balneotherapy is effective and may be an alternative method in treating fibromyalgia patients. (Kocatepe University, School of Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, A.K.Ü. Arastirma Hastanesi, Fiziksel Tp ve Reh A.D., nönü Bulvan; 03200)
Injury & Healing
Eight females with multiple hematomas at high risk for post-surgical subcutaneous hemosiderins were selected. Three different applications were used on each patient: no treatment, local heat only, and local peat and heat. Hematomas treated with heat alone dissipated faster than with no treatment, but not as fast as with peat and heat. The hematomas treated with peat therapy were absorbed approximately fifty percent faster and left no residues of hemosiderins. (Oliveira, 1997)
Successful prevention of adhesions using peat and humic acids
In order to verify the adhesion preventing capability of peat and peat components, 180 female rats were subjected to therapeutic bathing after standardized lesions had been placed on both uterine horns and the peritoneum of the anterior abdominal wall. From the 3rd and 7th day after surgery, respectively, randomized groups of animals consisting of 20 animals each were bathed in tap water, pure fresh peat solution after pressing, centrifugation and filtration, and a solution of humic acids extracted from peat, all at the same temperature. One week after bathing for three weeks, the rats were relaparotomized, and quality and degree of the adhesions found were documented. Significant less and minor (p less than 0.001) adhesions were found in animals bathed in humic acid solution compared to the animals which had not been bathed at all. Peat solution and fresh peat reduced the formation of adhesions significantly, too, while warm water baths did not show any antiadhesive effect. Our results suggest humic acids to be the most effective component of peat with regard to the prevention of adhesions. (Mesrogli M, Maas DH, Mauss B, Plogmann S, Ziechmann W, Schneider J, Frauenklinik Medizinischen Hochschule Hannover Zentralbl Gynakol 1991) (You can order full documentation on line from PubMed)
Mud applications improve humoral immunity, accelerating healing of duodenal ulcers. (Ter Arkh 63(1): 78-81)
Skin Conditions
Thermal mud packs normalize dry and seborrheica-prone skin. (Clin Ter 149(4): 27 1-5)
Scoliotic Disease and aerobic reserve
The development of differentiated methods of balneological mud therapy for children with scolotic disease. The trend in the aerobic reserve obtained from maximal oxygen utilization and other clinicophysiological indices was investigated for children with scoliosis stage I, II and III on pelotherapy and hydrokinesitherapy in the pool. The aim was to design therapeutic regiments differentiated by the patients initial functional condition. Baseline reduction of the aerobic reserve was recorded in 35% of the examinees. The response to balneopelotherapy appeared more pronounced when the treatment was adjusted to initial functional condition of the child. functional classess of scoliosis were defined to justify dosing of balneotherapy and peloids by temperature of water, mud, duration of the procedure and the whole course. (Sarchuk VN, Golubova IF, Bikmetov MS, Vopr Kurortol Fizioter lech Fiz Kult 1990 Jul-Aug) (You can order full documentation on line from PubMed)
Balneologically Activated Skin Functions & their Clinical Evidence.
Each effect of a bath is naturally imparted via the skin, which can act as the gateway for bath components and heat. It is known that the skin can respond to this as either a reflex organ with its differentiated sensorium, a metabolic organ, or an immune organ.
In this case the bath can cause within the organism a peripheral impairment of functional sequences, which are normally homeostatically controlled. These skin responses can affect the total organism by transmitter substances activating helping functions. The efficiency of medical baths can be rationally explained on the basis of these functional sequences, although there still exists an open field for basic research in this area.
Permeation through, but not the entry into, the stratum corneum is impeded. The stratum corneum is the barrier of the integument used against the penetration of substances into the body and against the elimination of substances from the body. The blood levels of the topical application components are hardly significant. Primary effects of bath components take place not via the blood levels, but in the skin.
The epidermis is a strategically located buffer zone with the ability to reactively defend against penetrated external aggressors through the use of immunological defences, the lowering of pain perception, the improvement of haemodynamics, and thermal regulation. Stress hormones, such as ACTH, MSH, epinephrine, and endorphin, are produced directly by the skin. The use of serial cellular stress reactions to activate self-healing powers in the organism for the treatment of systemic chronical diseases in typical of the balneotherapy and the natural methods in medicine.
With baths, significantly higher concentrations of minerals and medicaments can be reached in the epidermis than with systemic flooding via the vascular system. It is not possible to achieve the same reactions in the skin with the use of other application forms of these substances.
By double-blind research experiments, the efficiency of sodium chloride baths and baths using Dead Sea salt of the same osmotic concentration for the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, no effect was found with the use of sodium chloride but significant effects were produced when using Dead Sea salts.
The improvements of the rheological properties of the blood in the treatment of patients with arteriosclerosis can only be explained by chemical reactions in the skin. There is no measurably significant difference of CO² concentration outside the skin from bathing.
The property of the hydrogen sulfide to act as a radical trap for oxygen radicals is also an indication of its involvement in the inflammation suppression. However, hydrogen sulfide can have these effects only in the epidermis, where it is completely oxidized into insignificant sulfates. That means sulphur is not a specific agent, rather the reaction comes from the reduction effect of sulphur on epidermal cells. Hydrogen sulphide baths inhibit, depending on their does, the epidermal Langerhans cells, which as precursors of the cellular peripheral immunological system, play the role in the immune presentation. One one hand, it is known that the number of Langerhans cells increases in some inflammatory tissues. This is the result of activated immune response. On the other hand, it is strategically suggestive that a decrease of the needable number of Langerhans cells in the epidermis of integument may work insufficiently.
All of our clinical double blind studies with sulphurated baths which have been performed have shown a significant cure effect due to a relevant pain alleviation with non-articular rheumatism and degenerative complaints. This analgetic effect goes beyond the placebo effect with concomitant physical treatment.
(From "The Journal Of Japanese Association of Physical Medicine Balneology and Climatology". Volume 57, No.1 November 1993 Prof. Dr. Dr. Helmut G. Pratzel, Institute for Medical Balneology and Climatology)
Antimicrobial
Changes in pH values on vaginal tissue after balneotherapy showed antibacterial and antiviral effects. Elevated protein synthesis, estrogen stimulation and changes in contractility of the musculature in organs were demonstrated. (Kauffels (1989) and Tushen (1991))
The differentiated use of mitigating mud therapy in the early convalescent period of viral hepatitis. Two new techniques of mitigatory pelotherapy using mud applications to paravertebral area and acupuncture were compared for 152 viral hepatitis convalescents. The efficacy of the treatment was shown by a wide spectrum of hepatic functional and immunologic reactivity indications. (Serebrina LA, Belichenko TA, Pavlova ES, Vopr Kurortol Fizioter lech Fiz Kult 1991 May-June) (You can order full documentation on line from PubMed)
Circulation
A recent study of peat application demonstrated a prolonged rise in temperature and vasodilation of the internal genital circulation. Placebo bath, water bath, and peat bath were applied at the same temperature. Only the peat bath achieved the physiological effect. A vasodilating agent is thought to be absorbed from the peat substances, via follicle and apocrine glands by diffusion and partial pinocytosis. (Goecke, 1994)
Hormone Balancing and Infertility
A study of 28 patients diagnosed with immature follicle sterility, were divided into three groups. One group of 16 were chosen specifically for impregnation. The other two groups were evaluated for hormonal parameters, in consideration primarily prolactin, FHS, LH, DEAS-S and estradiol. All patients received three peat baths per week, up to 12 treatments, and were evaluated on the ninth day of the cycle before treatment, and on the 9th day of the cycle 1.8 to 2.4 months following therapy. Results: FHS was lowered from 8.0 mE/ml to 4.0 mE/ml, LH lowered from 10.o pg/ml to 6.0 mE/ml, and estradiol elevated from 5.5 pg/ml to 10.o pg/ml. Also, normalization of progesterone-biosynthesis was noted. In the group of 16 patients, 11 became pregnant, with one miscarriage. This demonstrates a 68.8% treatment success modality. (J. Dietrich. (1994) Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany. Department of Gynecology, Cure Clinic Ludwigsbad.)
Effect of mud application on hormonal function of normal and insufficient corpus luteum in women
In a group of 41 studied women with insufficient corpus luteum, in 21 hyper and in 20 isothermic mud was used. In all the women prior to the procedure, 2 and 5 hours after the procedure, the accomplished radioimmunological determinations involved concentration of FSH, LH, progesterone and estradiol in blood serum. Moreover, the level of adrenaline and noradrenaline in urine was established by fluorimetric method, calculated for gram of creatinine . In 10 of them concentration of FSH and LH was being determined every 15 minutes for the first 2 hours following the procedure. The employed procedure with hyper or isothermic mud in a similar manner led to transient increase in the concentration of progesterone and estradiol in blood serum of women with normal and insufficient hormonal function of corpus luteum. (Bromirska D, Ann Acad Med Stetin, 1993) (You can order full documentation on line from PubMed)
Pain, Depression, and Stress
Results show that there is a synergic association between a pharmacological treatment (trazodone) and mud packs. This rebalances the stress response system, resulting the discharge of corticoids in the blood and an increase in beta-endorphin serum levels. This is followed by a reduction in pain symptoms, which results in improvement of disability, depression and quality of life. (Bellometti, 1999)
Sulphur containing baths produce lowering of pain sensitivity. (Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult (3): 37-41)
Rheumatic Conditions
Fourteen patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) were treated in a pilot study for two weeks at a Tiberias spa with a combination of hot mineral water baths and mud packs. A significant improvement was noticed in morning stiffness, finger to floor distance and the overall well-being assessment both by the patient and the physician. A significant reduction in the use of analgesics and NSAIDs was also noted in most of the patients. Improvement in all parameters began after one week of treatment and was still present at three months. (Tishler M, Brostovski Y, Yaron M, Clin Rheumatol 1995, Jan) (You can order full documentation on line from PubMed)
Therapeutic mud therapy improves function of joints and decreases pain in those with subchronic extra-articular rheumatism. (Clin Ter 1993 Nov; 143(5): 417-20)
Mud treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis with an immunologic deficiency. The response to pelotherapy has been assessed clinically and immunologically basing on t-lymphocyte count. Altogether 124 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients were examined. In patients with low baseline levels of T-lymphocytes the effect of pelotherapy appeared inferior to that in patients with normal T-lymphocyte counts. It was suggested that T-cell immunosuppressed RA patients should receive combined therapy with mud applications and anabolic stimulator potassium ortate. (Gorchakova GA, Pavlova ES, Ruchkina AS, Skridonenko AD, Vopr Kurortol Fizioter lech Fiz Kult 1989 Sept-Oct)
(You can order full documentation on line from PubMed)
The analgesic efficacy of sulfur mud baths in treating rheumatic diseases of the soft tissues. Changes in pain thresholds assessed in 16 trigger points were traced in two randomly selected groups of patients subjected to diluted mud baths in the presence or absence of sulfur compounds. Sulfur baths produced a significant lowering of pain sensitivity. The effect was augmenting with the number of procedures, the rise slowing down to the end of the course. (Pratsel Hg, Eigner UM, Weinert D, Limbach B, Vopr Kurortol Fizioter lech Fiz Kult 1991 May-June) (You can order full documentation on line from PubMed)
Medical mud packs improve visual function after uveitis of rheumatoid etiology. (Oftaimol Zh 4: 218-21)
