A few months ago, Doctor Gestal, in a previous interview in Spa'Relajarse, told us about the many beneficial effects of thermal and mineral-medicinal waters.
Among others, he mentioned the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of the hot thermal waters and indicated that chronic pain is the symptom that motivates most of the thermal cures, and the one that is relieved best with them.
How can waters help in the treatment of pain?
The mechanisms put in place by the thermal cure for pain control are very complex and respond to many factors.
Warm water blocks pain signals in the spinal cord and increases the production of endorphins, relieving pain. It also helps produce substances that reduce pain. In addition, opioids block the pain signal in the spinal cord and activate brain areas that help control painful sensation.
When tissues are injured, especially due to inflammation, they can cause pain due to local metabolic changes. The thermal treatment acts at that level, helping to repair tissues at the molecular, cellular and organ levels. The water pressure helps with swelling, while the heat benefits the vascular system and muscles, improving the flexibility of collagen structures.
Beyond the aforementioned actions on tissues, it will activate mechanisms in cells and tissues due to the stimulation of the pituitary-adrenal axis (hormonal system that regulates the body's response to stress and other emergency situations). This includes the release of various hormones and substances that affect inflammation and immune response. Molecular systems such as interleukins, TNFs, prostaglandins, enzymes and antioxidants (all of which are hormones and substances that work in coordination to maintain the balance and health of the body in response to various stimuli and environmental conditions) will also be activated.
According to the minerals present in mineral-medicinal waters, are there any types of waters that may be more effective against pain?
All mineral-medicinal waters are going to be useful for the treatment of pain, and peloids are also widely used.
The radioactive waters are sedative and analgesic and generally form part of all mineral-medicinal waters, in the specific case of all the waters of the Galician spas. The mineral components of the waters will help to solve the basic problems of the different pains.
Is there any pain that especially benefits from the effect of the mineral-medicinal waters?
The pains that benefit most are those due to musculoskeletal conditions; certain chronic neurological conditions, and pains of vascular and visceral origin.
In musculoskeletal problems, many studies support that the thermal cure has a beneficial analgesic effect, especially for mechanical joint problems, chronic rachialgias, fibromyalgia, periarticular conditions and inflammatory rheumatisms. The improvement of pain has been studied more precisely, by means of randomized controlled clinical trials, in knee osteoarthritis, chronic low back pain and fibromyalgia, observing a marked efficacy of thermal treatment.
In chronic neurological diseases, pain improves in the sequelae of stroke and plaque sclerosis. This improvement is also a consequence of the improvement of spasticity and neuro-orthopedic alterations.
In vascular problems, an improvement in leg pain is noted in cases of chronic venous insufficiency (varicose veins) and chronic arterial diseases of the legs.
In vascular problems, an improvement in leg pain is noted in cases of chronic venous insufficiency (varicose veins) and chronic arterial diseases of the legs.
In visceral affections, improvements have been observed in the epigastric pain of gastric dyspepsia, and in the colic pain of irritable bowel syndrome, but the scientific evidence is less. Improvements have also been observed in chronic pelvic pain sequelae of endometriosis, both in pain at rest and due to uterine mobilization. In some studies, such as that of pruritus, thermal therapy has been shown to be superior to corticosteroids for pruritus.
In this sense, are we talking about immediate or long-term treatment of symptoms?
In addition to the immediate effect, several studies have observed that the improvement lasts at least 6 to 9 months, and up to 1 year in pain of venous origin, chronic arteriopathies and digestive functional disorders.
Is it possible that there is any contraindication of the waters in the treatment of pain?
There are very few contraindications. It would be an active infectious contagious process, or a patient in a cachectic state.
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