Since the Pandemic, we have all become more aware of the need to take care of our respiratory system to ensure our lung capacity is at its best to fight off infections.
Salt Therapy, otherwise known as Halotherapy is a natural and drug-free respiratory treatment involving breathing inside a therapeutic micro-climate or environment similar to a natural salt cave.
Natural crystalized salt is inhaled directly to enhance breathing and respiratory health-related quality of life.
Pure-grade pharmaceutical salt is ground down to a very precise size and dispersed into the room where people relax and breathe normally.
With relatively few or no adverse side effects, it has potential benefits in providing relief for various chronic respiratory diseases.
People are exposed to pollutants, airborne diseases, bacteria, allergens and other irritants on a daily basis.
Halotherapy is a method to cleanse and detox the lungs and invigorate the body with increased lung capacity and oxygen intake.
Think of it as a Spa Day for the lungs, good for the immune system and alleviating the symptoms and wretchedness of illnesses such as Chronic Obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma.
The range of diseases it is thought to help include lung and throat infections including pharyngitis, smoking-related breathing problems, respiratory allergies, bronchitis, cold or cough, pneumonia, sinusitis, rhinitis, tonsilitis, cystic fibrosis and ear infections.
Salt Therapy NI is noticing an increase in clients seeking treatment for problems caused by COVID-19 to improve breathing and increase blood oxygen levels.
Tiny particles of pharmaceutical salt used in halotherapy are also thought to repair skin cells and protect the skin from ageing and infection.
It can be used to treat, acne and rosacea, skin allergies, rash, eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, fungal infections and wrinkles and signs of ageing.
It is suitable for adults and children.
Salt Therapy is not a cure for Covid 19 or any other respiratory disease. It is a natural and dry treatment to cleanse and improve lung function and capacity to help cope with symptoms of respiratory illness.
Illnesses affecting the lungs more often than not result in the production of a cough or sputum made of a thick mixture of saliva and mucus.
Bringing it up is exhausting, distressing and often painful.
Think about the last time you were bedridden with flu, praying for relief from symptoms with over-the-counter medicine barely making a difference.
Salt Therapy, with its anti-inflammatory properties, works like this.
When fine salt particles are inhaled, they fall onto the airway linings and draw water into the airway, thinning the mucus and making coughs more productive and less stressful for patients.
Breathing made easier.
The micronized salt particles are dispersed by a halogenerator within a salt cave or treatment room setting.
Salt Therapy is backed by scientific research which has found that inhaled dry salt particles have bactericide, mucokinetic, hydrophilic and anti-inflammatory properties which help reduce inflammation in the respiratory tract.
Our ambition is to conduct further local research to gather the proof-of-performance needed to persuade local health decision-makers of its benefits to patients and potential to alleviate pressure on the NHS.
Our skin is a complex and intelligent organ with many important functions. It is the body’s largest organ and like the respiratory system has a major protective role to play in the defence against bacteria, viruses and other microbes.
It excretes waste, regulates temperature and prevents dehydration by controlling the level of perspiration. It houses sensory receptors that detect pain sensation and pressure.
The quality and aesthetic appearance of our skin is important to us all and can have a profound emotional impact on how we feel about ourselves.
Salt Therapy improves the condition of the skin and protects against ageing and is a solution to improve the overall quality and appearance of the skin.
Each of our Salt Therapy businesses is committed to the highest standards of cleanliness.
Salt, in itself provides a hostile and uninhabitable environment for bacteria and viruses. This makes salt rooms naturally sterile environments as hygienic as operating theatres. Link to research here
Halotherapy can have some side-effects. If you have concerns or underlying health conditions, we recommend consulting with your GP in advance of treatment.
During treatment, you may experience coughing and more mucus secretion as your nasal passages and chest clear out.
Rarely you may notice skin irritation, conjunctivitis, or pink eye.
An adult session lasts 45-minutes. A children’s session 30 minutes.
Normal clothes are fine but because there is salt in the air, expect some fine salt particles on your clothes which can be brushed off. The salt is not harmful to fabric. If you are attending salt therapy because of a skin condition, then where possible and appropriate wear clothes that exposes the skin. Shorts, T-shirts or a vest is recommended. Be mindful, you may be sharing a room with others.
Recline, relax and breathe deeply to enable the salt particles to absorb into your respiratory tract and lungs and land on your skin.
Yes, research (attach link) has shown salt therapy is perfectly safe for children and babies. It is a natural and drug free way to improve lung function, boost the immune system and build children’s resilience to the many bugs and viruses.
Salt therapy is totally natural and drug free, so a great choice for pregnant women seeking relief from conditions such as asthma, sinusitis, allergies and any respiratory illness, but do not want to rely heavily on over-the-counter or prescribed medication.
Salt therapy is most effective with weekly sessions. Chronic issues will benefit from two to three sessions a week. Mild conditions, such as congestion would benefit from one to two sessions per week.
The benefits can be felt following one session, however a series of treatments is recommended for long-term results.
Salt therapy does not directly help relieve pain or reduce inflammation. However, when we are in pain, our stress and anxiety levels increase which make muscles contract more, increasing pain. Salt therapy helps reduce stress and anxiety due to the serotonin content of the pharmaceutical salt. Serotonin is a natural ‘happiness hormone.’ Salt therapy will increase this hormone, which helps to lessen pain.
Yes, you can start or continue with salt therapy while on antibiotics. The pharmaceutical salt helps reduce bacteria and boosts the immune system, which promotes quicker healing. You should not however attend for salt therapy if you have a fever, to avoid spreading the virus to other therapy users. Please ensure you have a normal temperature before attending.
We don’t advise you wait until you have completed your course of antibiotics or steroids. Getting started on salt therapy in unison with pharmaceutical treatments will help accelerate healing leaving you feeling better quicker. Please ensure your fever levels are under control before commencing salt therapy to reduce risk of spreading.
This is a question often asked but the simple answer is no. Breathing salt is very different from eating salt. Salt therapy involves inhaling a dry salt aerosol which enters only the respiratory system, not the digestive tract. The micron-sized salt particles are so fine, the amount, even if consumed, does not pose any health risks.
Most people will experience increased mucus production during or after a session. This presents itself in the form of a runny nose and/or a productive cough. This is the salt doing working to remove mucus and toxins from the lungs and airways. It will subside shortly after the session.