The Soil.

Thermal muds. Treasure of nature and experience.

The muds of Euganean Spas are the result of an astute mixture of a solid (clay), a liquid (sodiobromidiodic water) and a biological component (microorganisms). The ripening process takes place in special tanks for approximately 50-60 days. During this time the muds are kept in constant contact with a steady flow of thermal water at a temperature of 60°C. The temperature and chemical components in the Euganean thermal waters affect the development of particular strains of microbes, modifying the chemical and chemical-physical properties and imparting the therapeutic properties that make these muds so unique. Fangotherapy involves four basic steps: the application of the mud, the thermal water bath, the sweat reaction and the tonifying massage. The mud is applied directly on the skin at a temperature between 38° C and 42° C and is left in place for 15-20 minutes. At the end of the application, the patient takes a hot shower and is then set in a thermal water bath at a temperature of 36-38° C for approximately 8-15 minutes. After drying off with warm towels the patient returns to his room where he should remain in bed, well covered for 30-40 minutes during which the sweating reaction continues the biological effects of the fangotherapy.

Fangotherapy and osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disease in the world. It tends to appear later in life and significantly limits independent function: agility, tolerance to physical exercise, personal hygiene, daily chores. The symptoms involve objective limitation in movement, independence and thus the quality of life and can be divided into: • pain and muscle spasms in and around the involved joints, accompanied by spasticity and stiffness of the periarticular muscle groups; • limitation in movement due to pain, poor distribution of the load and inconsistencies between the articular heads; hypotrophy of the muscle groups for • the joints involved in the arthritic process, as a result of the search for both static and dynamic antalgic positions; functional limitations or incapacity that can even impede all movement, particularly during acute inflammation. The application of the thermal muds is particularly effective in relieving pain and limiting inflammation: the fango-balneotherapy cycle significantly lowers the circulating levels of those substances that accelerate and aggravate inflammatory and degenerative damage of the involved cartilage.

Contraindications.

Application of the muds requires substantially adequate cardiocirculatory and renal function. If this is not the case, partial applications can be used to limit the impact on the body. Fangotherapy is contraindicated for patients with cardiac disorders such as ischemic cardiopathy, severe cerebral and peripheral vasculopathy and nephropathies with kidney failure. Other contraindications are: tuberculosis, acute phases of inflammatory diseases, epilepsy, hyperthyroidism and malignant tumors. Moreover, the thermal muds must not be applied on varicose veins of the lower limbs, particularly if aggravated by complications such as phlebitis and ulcers, nor in pregnancy and during the first few days of the menstrual cycle. There are no contraindications for application of the muds in cases of metal articular prostheses, nor for screwed osteosynthesis plates.

Fangotherapy and osteoporosis.

It has been scientifically proved that In fact, bone is a tissue composed fango-balenotherapy facilitates the recovery of numerous types of cells that contribute of bone tissue metabolism, acting on some to constant renewal of the bone structure of the substances affecting the trend. through the bone reabsorption, build up and mineralization processes. After the age of forty, the bone mass begins to decrease due to a paraphysiological imbalance between reabsorption and deposition. This process can be further aggravated after menopause, facilitating the development of osteoporosis. The treatment cycles used to effectively counteract this disease involve 12 daily treatments. Each fangotherapy session lasts approximately 20 minutes. A medical check-up is required to ensure that there are no contraindications to fangotherapy and a prescription is issued at this time. The muds are applied on the surface of the prescribed joints at a temperature of 38-42°C. The balneotherapy lasts 8-15 minutes at a temperature of 36-38°C. This is followed by the “reaction” phase where the body is left to relax. Then there is the massage to reactive cutaneous circulation. During a stay at the Euganean Spas, one’s diet is constantly controlled to teach the patient the simple rules for daily health and hygiene: regular, moderate physical activity and intake of calcium in the diet. During a person’s stay at the Spa, physical activity is an essential part of every day. The treatment cycle at Euganean Spas are a matchless source through which to recover psychophysical wellbeing and improve one’s quality of life.