The Dead Sea, a saline lake in Israel located approximately 400 m below sea level, provides therapy to thousands of individuals each year. This mineral-rich location attracts health-seeking tourists and provides nutrient-dense salts and clays for home therapies. Consult your personal physician before considering Dead Sea treatments. Seek the advice of the U.S. Department of State before considering travel to Israel.
Composition
The Dead Sea contains 32 percent mineral salts, the highest mineral salt concentration of any natural body in the world. These mineral salts contain high levels of nutrients, including magnesium, potassium, calcium chloride, sodium and bromide. These nutrients activate the circulatory system, nourish the skin, soothe the nerves and decrease arthritic discomfort.
Types
Dead Sea salt treatments include Dead Sea mineral baths, thermal spring baths, mud treatments and salt scrubs. Dead Sea bathing on location combines a high concentration of natural mineral salts with water, sun and magnesium- and bromine-enriched air. Dead Sea thermal spring baths emphasize the beneficial properties of natural sulfur combined with heat, sun and sulfur-enriched air.
The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends Dead Sea sulfur spring baths on-site for optimal effectiveness, in addition to Dead Sea salt and Dead Sea sulfur baths at home for accessibility. Dead Sea mud treatments apply mud containing concentrated Dead Sea salts to the body. This nutrient-dense mud stimulates local circulation while softening and nourishing the skin. Dead Sea salt scrubs--used alone, combined with essential oils and natural plant oil bases--also benefit the skin by stimulating exfoliation and circulation in the treated areas. Skin sensitivity and application affects salt coarseness selection.
Benefits
The benefits of Dead Sea salt treatments include increased detoxification, improved skin integrity, decreased inflammation, enhanced mobility and decreased pain. The Dead Sea Research Center indicates that Dead Sea treatments benefit the following conditions: psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia. Ben Gurion University's S. Sukenik and fellow authors validate using Dead Sea therapies to treat these conditions plus ankylosing spondylitis after reviewing nearly 20 years of Dead Sea research in Israel's Medical Association's Journal " Harefuah."
Expert Insight
Dr. I. Machtey, a researcher at Hasharon Hospital in Petach, Israel, had 103 rheumatic patients with osteoarthritis or localized tendonitis bathe in a .5 percent, 2 percent or 7.5 percent concentration of Dead Sea salt solution for a period of one or two weeks. The patients bathing in .5 percent solution demonstrated less improvement than the patients bathing in higher salt concentrations. Patients also demonstrated more improvement when treatment period increased from one week to two weeks. Based on this research, Dr. Machtey concluded that extending treatments by soaking in Dead Sea mineral baths at home may prolong benefits. He suggests dissolving Dead Sea mineral salts in a tub of warm water to yield a minimum 2 percent mineral concentration, then soaking for 20 minutes daily.
Warnings
Follow water safety, sun and travel precautions. Never swim alone in the Dead Sea or a Dead Sea mineral spring. Avoid sulfur treatment methods if you are sensitive to sulfur. Adverse reactions include skin sensitivity, rashes, hives, allergic reactions and respiratory distress. Avoid these treatments if you are pregnant or hypertensive, and never use very hot water for treatments. Avoid your eyes with all of these treatment methods. Seek the advice of a skilled plumber before applying treatments at home to ensure damage to plumbing and septic systems does not occur.
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