Szeged Consensus Statement on Balneology and Health Resort Medicine

At the Consensus Conference, which took place in Szeged(2^nd.of April),among leaders of
the International Society of Medical Hydrology and Climatology(ISMH), Physical Medicine  and Rehabilitation Board of Medical Specialists European Union(UEMS), World Organization of Thermalism(OMTH)World Federation of Hydrotherapy and Climatotherapy(FEMTEC), International Society of Hydrothermal Techniques(SITH) and Medical committee of European Spa Federation (ESPA) achieved following understanding:

• Balneology and health resort medicine is part of a scientific medicine and has to be based on scientific evidence
• Definition of terms in balneology an health resort medicine have to be developed as basis for the scientific work and the development of quality standards practice of balneology and health resort medicine
• A consensus process should be started
  • on the basis of the exchange of information and collection of the work that has been already done in international societies as well as on a national level
  • to compile the International Glossary of health-resort and Spa-medicine terminology
  • using systematic methods of decision making process (Delphi tasks and consensus conferences)
  • in close cooperation of the attending societies and other partner organisations
• A task force has to be founded to deal with this issue in a common activity of the attending organisations

Szeged, April, 2^nd, 2005
 

Low back and balneotherapy

Karagulle MZ, Karagulle M.
Balneotherapy and spa therapy of rheumatic diseases in Turkey: a systematic review »
Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd. 2004 Feb;11(1):33-41.

Barker KL, Dawes H, Hansford P, Shamley D.
Perceived and measured levels of exertion of patients with chronic back pain exercising in a hydrotherapy pool »
Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2003 Sep;84(9):1319-23.

Guillemin F, Virion JM, Escudier P, De Talance N, Weryha G.
Effect on osteoarthritis of spa therapy at Bourbonne-les-Bains »
Joint Bone Spine. 2001 Dec;68(6):499-503.

Kihlstrand M, Stenman B, Nilsson S, Axelsson O.
Water-gymnastics reduced the intensity of back/low back pain in pregnant women »
Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 1999 Mar;78(3):180-5.

Constant F, Guillemin F, Collin JF, Boulange M.
Use of spa therapy to improve the quality of life of chronic low back pain patients »
Med Care. 1998 Sep;36(9):1309-14.

Nguyen M, Revel M, Dougados M.
Prolonged effects of 3 week therapy in a spa resort on lumbar spine, knee and hip osteoarthritis: follow-up after 6 months. A randomized controlled trial »
Br J Rheumatol. 1997 Jan;36(1):77-81

Sjogren T, Long N, Storay I, Smith J.
Group hydrotherapy versus group land-based treatment for chronic low back pain »
Physiother Res Int. 1997;2(4):212-22.

Constant F, Collin JF, Guillemin F, Boulange M.
Effectiveness of spa therapy in chronic low back pain: a randomized clinical trial »
J Rheumatol. 1995 Jul;22(7):1315-20.

Konrad K, Tatrai T, Hunka A, Vereckei E, Korondi I.
Controlled trial of balneotherapy in treatment of low back pain »
Ann Rheum Dis. 1992 Jun;51(6):820-2.

Kranjc I, Turk Z.
Results of a comparative study of the success of treatment of pain in the lumbar spine at the Moravske Toplice health spa, at the department of physical therapy and rehabilitation and at the department of rheumatology of the Maribor Teaching Hospital »
Reumatizam. 1992;39(2):33-7.

Best Balneology Articles of last 5 years*

1. Forestier R, Desfour H, Tessier JM, Françon A, Foote AM, Genty C, Rolland C, Roques CF, Bosson JL. Spa therapy in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a large randomised multicentre trial.Ann Rheum Dis. 2010 Apr;69(4):660-5. Epub 2009 Sep 3.
2. Dubois O, Salamon R, Germain C, Poirier MF, Vaugeois C, Banwarth B, Mouaffak F, Galinowski A, Olié JP. Balneotherapy versus paroxetine in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder. Complement Ther Med. 2010 Feb;18(1):1-7. Epub 2010 Jan 6.
3. Carpentier PH, Satger B. Randomized trial of balneotherapy associated with patient education in patients with advanced chronic venous insufficiency. J Vasc Surg. 2009 Jan;49(1):163-70. Epub 2008 Oct 1.
3. Karagülle O, Smorag U, Candir F, Gundermann G, Jonas U, Becker AJ, Gehrke A, Gutenbrunner C. Clinical study on the effect of mineral waters containing bicarbonate on the risk of urinary stone formation in patients with multiple episodes of CaOx-urolithiasis. World J Urol. 2007 Jun;25(3):315-23. Epub 2007 Feb 28.
5. Pittler MH, Karagülle MZ, Karagülle M, Ernst E. Spa therapy and balneotherapy for treating low back pain: meta-analysis of randomized trials. Rheumatology Oxford). 2006 Jul;45(7):880-4. Epub 2006 Jan 31.
5. Verhagen AP, Bierma-Zeinstra SM, Boers M, Cardoso JR, Lambeck J, de Bie RA, de Vet HC. Balneotherapy for osteoarthritis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007 Oct 17;(4):CD006864.
7. Fioravanti A, Iacoponi F, Bellisai B, Cantarini L, Galeazzi M. Short- and long-term effects of spa therapy in knee osteoarthritis. Am J Phys Med Rehabil.2010 Feb;89(2):125-32.
7. Bender T, Karagülle Z, Bálint GP, Gutenbrunner C, Bálint PV, Sukenik S. Hydrotherapy, balneotherapy, and spa treatment in pain management. Rheumatol Int.2005 Apr;25(3):220-4. Epub 2004 Jul 15.
7. Coccheri S, Gasbarrini G, Valenti M, Nappi G, Di Orio F. Has time come for a re-assessment of spa therapy? The NAIADE survey in Italy. Int J Biometeorol. 2008 Jan;52(3):231-7. Epub 2007 Sep 6.
10. Karagülle M, Karagülle MZ, Karagülle O, Dönmez A, Turan M. A 10-day course of SPA therapy is beneficial for people with severe knee osteoarthritis. A 24-week randomised, controlled pilot study. Clin Rheumatol. 2007 Dec;26(12):2063-71. Epub 2007 Apr 13.
11. Oláh M, Koncz A, Fehér J, Kálmánczhey J, Oláh C, Balogh S, Nagy G, Bender T. The effect of balneotherapy on C-reactive protein, serum cholesterol, triglyceride, total antioxidant status and HSP-60 levels. Int J Biometeorol. 2010 May;54(3):249-54. Epub 2009 Nov 25.
12. Franke A, Reiner L, Resch KL. Long-term benefit of radon spa therapy in the rehabilitation of rheumatoid arthritis: a randomised, double-blinded trial. Rheumatol Int. 2007 Jun;27(8):703-13. Epub 2007 Jan 4.
12. Strauss-Blasche G, Gnad E, Ekmekcioglu C, Hladschik B, Marktl W. Combined inpatient rehabilitation and spa therapy for breast cancer patients: effects on quality of life and CA 15-3. Cancer Nurs. 2005 Sep-Oct;28(5):390-8.