Mud Therapy

Thermotherapy: Action,
Therapeutic Indications and Timing

thermal mud and salsobromoiodic water for body care and health

 

The thermal mud at the Terme Stufe di Nerone, when properly used, is a valuable natural ally for the treatment and prevention of certain conditions. The therapeutic benefits of thermal mud stimulate our body, allowing for positive medium-to-long-term results.
Thermotherapy is particularly indicated for muscle contractions, rheumatism, carpal tunnel, osteoarthritis... It is not used during the acute phase of the disease.  

 

Treatments are carried out under the supervision of a doctor and specialized staff.

A course of thermotherapy includes 12 sessions with one rest day after every 6 treatments.

Prices: single session: 25 euros; cycle of 6 sessions: 130 euros; cycle of 12 sessions: 250 euros

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The Thermal Mud

The thermal mud at Terme Stufe di Nerone is a matured mud, resulting from the combination of a solid component (clay) with a liquid component (salsobromoiodic-sulfate-alkaline-earth water). The maturation occurs in special mud ponds for a period of 6-12 months.

 

Mechanism of Action of Salsobromoiodic Mud

  • Increase in body temperature. The application of the mud, even on a limited body area, causes both the increase of local temperature (responsible for skin hyperemia due to local vasodilation, stimulation of skin metabolic activities, and activation of diaphoresis) and an increase in general body temperature;
  • Anti-inflammatory action;
  • Analgesic action;
  • Muscle relaxant action;
  • Action on trophism;
  • Effects on general cenesthesia;
  • Stimulation of various metabolic processes, including the exchange of water-salt balance, reduction of blood pressure, increase in lipolysis with circulation of NEFA, stimulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis with release of ACTH, and mobilization of opioid peptides (beta-endorphins).

 

Therapeutic Indications

What are the main conditions treated with thermotherapy?

  • Primary and secondary osteoarthritis;
  • Chronic inflammatory rheumatism (rheumatoid arthritis, gout, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis);
  • Periarthritis;
  • Fibromyalgia;
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome;
  • Postmenopausal and senile osteoporosis;
  • Muscle contractions;
  • Myopathies.

 

Contraindications

Mud therapy, limited to one body area, should not be performed in the presence of an acute inflammatory process.
In patients with lower limb venous insufficiency, the application of mud is not recommended on the malleolar area.
Extended mud therapy is contraindicated for patients with severe heart, kidney, or liver insufficiency or in cases of venous insufficiency.

 

Method of Application

Mud therapy should be carried out on an empty stomach. The mud is applied to the entire body surface (excluding the head, front of the neck, genital area, and precordial region) or to one or more regions (individual joints or body districts) in a thickness of approximately 5-10 cm at a temperature of 38-40°C. The patient is then covered with sheets, wax cloths, and blankets to reduce heat loss. At the end of the session, the patient immerses for 15 minutes in a bath containing salsobromoiodic-sulfate-alkaline-earth water at a temperature of 37-38°C. Afterwards, the patient, appropriately covered, stays for 15 minutes in a cabin. During this phase, known as "sweating reaction," the biological processes induced by the mud application continue, and the body's functions adapt to the stress, enhancing the therapeutic effects of the mud.
The total duration of the session is approximately 1 hour.
After this phase, it is recommended to undergo a massage therapy session for the toning effect it has on muscle activity.