Medical treatments

The Zalakaros Medicinal and Thermal Spa has been officially acknowledged by the Ministry of Health since 1978. The National Public Health Institute performed the analysis of the water already in 1963 and 1969, on the basis of which the medicinal water containing a lot of organic matter and dissolved salts was found to be rich in alkali-metal chloride, hydrogen carbonate, iodine, bromine and hydrogen, sulphideas well as possessing a significant content of fluoride, boric acid and metasilicic acid.

The expected healing effect of the thermal water of Zalakaros was confirmed by the laboratory and rheumatological clinical tests done on 199 patients in the Hospital of Nagykanizsa in the period of April 1969 and November 1970.
In order to measure the healing effect such parameters were chosen that are based on the effects of thermal medicinal waters known to us today: mechanical, temperamental, and chemical effects.
The mechanical effect (the buoyancy of the water, the hydrostatic pressure) - the temperamental effect (32-38°C, quickens blood circulation and peripheral circulation, increases the respiratory minute volume), - the chemical effect (in case of the thermal water's different components, parts of which work through the skin, while the others have their effect according to their pharmacological properties by getting into the circulation.)

The effect of the subliminal stimuli repeated in a regular rhythm and brought to bear on the central nervous system and thereby the entire nervous and hormonal system constitutes the essence of the bath cure.
Similarly to other thermal waters the minerals of the Zalakaros water also brought about a change in the blood (the blood-sedimentation, inflammatory factors improved or normalized) and skin temperature; muscular strength, muscle tone, circulation, muscular pain, the limitation of movement improved, and the joint enlargements decreased.
As practical experience shows the waters of alkali hydrogen carbonate sodium chloride, sulphur content can be used with high efficiency in the cases of rheumatological locomotor diseases, chronic inflammations, chronic uterus adnex inflammations as a result of the intense heat and the accumulated stimuli impulses. The reactivity of the skin veins is more active at the end of the bath cure.

The biochemical role, absorption of sulphur is still disputed, but the practical results show that it has a good effect on interstitial diseases and chondropathia of rheumatological origin if there is no acute inflammation. At the time of bathing the sulphur gets into the organism not only through the skin but also via breathing, and is incorporated into tissues not affected by the blood-stream, so into the cartilage, too. In case of degenerative joint diseases the sulphuric acid content of the joints decreases, so having a bath in sulphurous waters has by all means a beneficial effect on those suffering from this type of disease. There is a positive effect in case of cardiovascular diseases as well, since sulphur expands the coronary arteries, this way improving the heart's blood supply. Besides, the sulphur incorporated into the vein walls hinders the incorporation of cholesterol. Sulphur is also suitable for the treatment of certain skin diseases, such as psoriasis. Furthermore it is also suitable for the treatment of skin diseases developed as a result of the disease of the skin's sebaceous glands, and skin diseases developed as a result of inflammatory, nervous disorders.

Kontraindikationen des Zalakaroser Heilwasserbades:

Medical Massage
Its purpose is to improve blood circulation and relax tense, bound, painful body parts. It restores the skin's flexibility by increasing congestion, removes the excreta deposited in the skin's lower layers and by increasing the circulation of the musculature increases its efficiency.

Therapeutic Gymnastics
Therapeutic gymnastics forms an organic part of the complex physiotherapy, in the course of which we strive to restore original efficiency with professional movement exercises, and reach the maximum in the course of the after-care.

Group Dry Therapeutic Gymnastics
Neck-shoulder gymnastics with the help of Therapi-masters and other instruments
Spine gymnastics to improve posture with the use of a fizioball
Hip-leg gymnastics - with thigh muscle strengthening exercises
Osteoporosis gymnastics - therapeutic gymnastics for patients suffering from osteoporosis

Individual Therapeutic Gymnastics
Cooperating with the physician we apply a special customized movement therapy, which serves the restoration of the diseased organ's or member's function taking into account the patient's psychic, constitutional make-up and age properties.

Underwater Gymnastics
Underwater gymnastics is performed under the direction of professional instructors. In the course of the gymnastics the weight of the body moving in the water decreases due to buoyancy, this way movement does not burden the joints; therefore it can be practised with joint pains as well.

Underwater Jet Massage (Tangentor)
During underwater jet massage the joint effect of the massage and the thermal water reduces the tension of the muscles and loosens bound muscles and degenerative joints.

Weight Bath
It is good for the treatment of the diseases of the spinal column, hips and knees. The patient suspended by the neck or the armpits hangs into the water deep enough so that their feet do not touch the bottom of the pool. Weights are fixed on their waist or ankle, the purpose of which is to draw the vertebrae apart from each other and relax the greater joints. Its application is recommended in case of neck, back, waist pains, sciatica, hip joint stenosis, and knee joint degeneration.

Hydro-voltaic
The treatment is a combination of hydrotherapy and voltaic current, and it is recommended for the limbs. It is also called tetrachoric voltaic therapy. It can be efficiently applied in cases of peripheral circulatory disorders, former neuralgia and residual symptoms of inflammations, and the degenerative complaints of hands and feet.

Electric Tub Bath
It combines the advantageous effects of the electric current and hydrotherapy. The treatment is done in water of different temperatures; it is most often used for pain-killing, mainly in case of diseases which affect more joints, members simultaneously; and in case of pain radiating from the neck, waist to the limbs and neuritis.

Carbonic Acid Bath
The free carbonic-acid gas covers the bathing person's body surface in the form of tiny bubbles and due to its skin irritating effect it reddens the skin, dilates the capillaries, and thereby facilitates blood circulation there as well as in the coronary artery. It has a vegetative soothing effect in case of mild heart complaints, after an infarct, and in case of exhaustion and complaints caused by stress. It is recommended in every case when the improvement of any organ's blood supply is necessary. It is recommended for diabetes, the absence of calcium related to age or developed due to a hormonal cause and the improvement, conditioning of the functioning of the vegetative nervous system. It is also an excellent supplement of the prevention, treatment of osteoporosis.

Carbonic-Acid Gas Bath
Carbonic-acid gas is used without water in the form of a gas bath, which strongly dilates the skin's veins in cases of peripheral circulatory disorders and vasoconstriction. It has a beneficent effect in case of vasoconstriction caused by diabetes, nicotine, and age related arteriosclerosis.
It is also an excellent supplement of the prevention, treatment of osteoporosis.

Electro-Therapeutic Treatments
(Ultrasonic Treatment, Magnetotherapy, Selective Stimulus-Current, Stabile Voltaic, Diadynamic, Interference, Iontophoresis, TENS)

Ultrasonic Treatment
Micro-massage generated by mechanical vibration, which has a thermal and chemical effect as well. It has a good antiphlogistic, muscle loosening, pain-killing, vasodilator and epithelizing effect.
With its help medicinal agents can also be injected into the deeper layers (creams, gels, solutions).
It is efficient in case of: bound neck-shoulder muscles, degenerative joint diseases, spine small joint pains. The traditional ultrasonic treatment is suitable for the cure of almost all locomotor diseases.

Magnetotherapy
The magnetic field influences intracellular ion circulation so that the oxygen provision of the cells improves and the capillaries dilate. Due to the acceleration of ion wandering the excreta are more quickly selected, the inflammatory process and the accompanying pain decrease.
Areas of efficiency: the rigidity of limbs, mild and medium muscle weakness, incontinence, pain syndrome, lumbago, ischialgia, migraine, after stroke condition, intercostalis neuralgia, phantom pains following amputation. It has a beneficent effect on the rehabilitation of sport injuries.
It is not recommended in the following cases: implanted heart rhythm regulator, febrility, pregnancy, thyroid hypertrophia, gastric and intestinal haemorrhage, diabetes at a young age.

Selective Stimulus-Current Treatment
It is for the treatment of paralysed muscular tissue. It is applied in case of myasthenia caused by trauma and muscle atrophy developed in case of chronic joint degenerations.

Stabile Voltaic
It can be applied both in descending and ascending current form. It has a goof effect in case of neuritis and neuralgic pain radiating into lower and upper limbs.

Diadynamic, Interference Treatments
Antiphlogistic, pain-killing treatment done with different forms of current and current impulses of well-regulated time periods and intensity. It is excellent in the case of chronic pain syndromes, bound muscles, certain types of neuralgia. Its physiological effect is mainly pain-killing and mild hyperaemia increase.
The medium frequency interference current has a deeper effect.
Besides pain-killing and muscle gymnastics, it is used for the treatment of joint swellings and the absorption of local oedemas.

Iontophoresis
The ingestion of different medicine, medicinal materials (Diclac, Lidocain, Hidrocortyzon, Flector, Dionin) through the skin into the damaged, ill body parts with the help of the voltaic current. It relieves muscular pain, overstraining, arthritis, quickens the absorption of haematomas, and softens scars.

TENS
Muscle and nerve stimulator the application of which is recommended to reduce chronic joint pain, muscle pain, osteoporosis, ischialgia, neuralgia; to strengthen and relax muscles, and to quicken regeneration.

Parafango Treatment
Due to the effect of good heat storage capacity the veins are diluted, metabolism is quickened, as a result of which inflammations decrease. Also due to the effect of the heat the muscles and tendons relax and the spasms loosen. Due to its pain-killing, muscle strengthening, contracture loosening effect it serves to improve the function of chronic rheumatological, orthopaedic, neurological diseases.

Sulphur pack
Sulphur is an important member of joint constituents, so by its ingestion former rheumatological changes can be cured. After the pack bathing in water is to be avoided for 1-1,5 hours.

Ritex pack
Medicines are ingested to certain areas of the skin in the form of a solution or ointment with the purpose of causing local hyperaemia after absorption. Due to its ingredients it is applied to relieve pain, reduce inflammations and relax muscles.

Salt Chamber
It is a special micro-climate where the chronic diseases of the respiratory organs can be effectively cured.

Sauna
The chronic inflammations not susceptive to get inflamed, degenerative joint changes and the inflammations of the upper respiratory mucosa react in a good way to this treatment.

Reflexology
Reflexology is exceptionally suitable for the treatment of locomotor and other internal organic diseases, it regulates the function of the hormone-producing glands, due to its exceedingly rich sensitive nerve-supply it has an effect on the central nervous system and blood circulation, has a pain-killing effect, relaxes and relieves bodily and psychic tension.

To sum up, the curative effect of the Zalakaros medicinal water is suitable for the following locomotor diseases:

1. Joint diseases
- Degenerative joint problems (arthrosis)
- Disk changes
- Joint inflammation (arthritis in a chronic state)
- Rheumatological diseases
Tendon diseases, soft part rheumatism
- Tennis elbow
- Residual rigidity after joint inflammations
- Joint pain
- Connective tissue diseases
Spine diseases
- Spine deformations
- Degenerative diseases of the spine
- Disk protrusion
- Bechterew-disease
Muscle diseases
- Muscle pain (myalgia)
- Muscle inflammation
- Muscle atrophy
Bone system diseases
- Osteoporosis
- Calcinations
Post-operation, injury conditions
- Locomotor changes developed after accidents
- Follow-up treatment after joint and bone surgery
- After-care of fractures

2. Gynaecological and urological diseases
- Gynaecological inflammations at a chronic stage
- Menopause

3. Nervous system diseases
- Paralysis after-care
- After-care of Heine-Medin disease (child paralysis)
- Locomotor diseases of nervous origin
- Neuralgia
- Sciatica
- Lumbago
- Post neurosurgical rehabilitation
- Neuritis
- Neuralgia
- Psychosomatic clinical aspects
- Vegetative nervous system changes

4. Diseases of the respiratory organs
- Diseases of the trachea
- Upper respiratory tract inflammations

5. Diseases of the digestive organs and metabolism
- Digestion disorders
- Gout
- Diabetes

6. Cardiovascular diseases
- Vasoconstriction
- Circulatory disorders

7. Skin diseases
- Psoriasis
- Chronic, topid eczema
- Chronic skin diseases
- Skin inflammation

8. Other diseases
- the weakness of the immune system

Contraindications of the Zalakaros water bath:

- Febrility,
- Contagious disease, AIDS
- Open, fluid wounds,
- Acute and subacute inflammatory processes,
- Decompensated heart problems (circulatory insufficiency),
- Extremely high hypertonia (extremely high blood-pressure),
- Malignant tumours (cancerous diseases),
- Thyreotoxicosis (acute thyroiditis),
- Expressed lung emphysema (expressed lung emphysema),
- Thromboembolic diseases (partial lung obliteration from extreme vein expansion),
- Meno and metrorrhagia (menstrual bleeding disorders).
- Graviditas (pregnancy)
- Acute cases (stroke, brain commotion, infarction)
- Deep vein thrombosis, erysipelas, crural ulcer
- After radiation and chemotherapy treatments, in case of tumours

All the listed treatments may be performed by an adequately qualified personnel fulfilling the requirements specified by the NM Decree 17/1997.(IV.30.).
For the most efficient healing a rheumatological specialist's examination is required for the following treatments:
- Electrotherapeutic treatments, packs (parafango, ritex), weight bath, individual, group therapeutic gymnastics

Dr. Vass Zsuzsanna
Rheumatologist-physiotherapeutic specialist
Zalakaros, 21 August 2007