The best health resorts in the world. Karlovy Vary: mineral baths for all diseases. Health resorts in Russia

The first resort in Russia was opened on the orders of Peter I in Lipetsk. However, the development of resorts in Russia was slow. The tsarist government had little interest in domestic resorts and did not contribute to their improvement. The lack of necessary amenities at the resorts led to the fact that the Russian bourgeoisie used exclusively foreign resorts and exported large amounts of money there. The working population did not have the financial means to go to resorts.

The number of resorts we have exceeds 350, sources mineral waters there are more than 3,500 mineral lakes and about 2,000. The resorts use natural physical factors for the prevention and treatment of diseases.

The resort is an area with natural healing agents (mineral water, climate, therapeutic mud, etc.) with appropriate sanitary and hygienic conditions (availability of housing, sanatorium and other medical, preventive and cultural institutions).

The beneficial effect of treatment at the resort is due to the effect of the entire environment on the patient. During a stay at a resort, a person is influenced, in addition to the healing agents characteristic of the area (mineral springs, climate, mud), and other conditions: rest, change of scenery, therapeutic nutrition, as well as a certain regimen, which is the basis of treatment and rest.

For the success of treatment, it is very important to protect and not traumatize the patient’s psyche, providing him with peace of mind. Of great importance is the systematic and skillful explanation by the nurse to the patient of the importance of him following the established treatment regimen, rest, as well as medical procedures prescribed by the doctor.

The main medical and preventive institution at the resort is the sanatorium. In sanatoriums, patients are provided with both accommodation and all types of medical care. According to their purpose and the nature of medical work, sanatoriums are divided into general therapeutic, specialized and tuberculosis. The resorts also provide outpatient treatment.

For each resort, special indications for treatment have been developed. To ensure the success of treatment, selection is made locally by attending physicians.

Based on the nature of natural remedies, resorts are divided into the following: balneological, where the main healing factor is mineral water, used both for drinking and for baths, showers, inhalations, and irrigations; mud, in which treatment is carried out mainly with mud, both silt and peat; climatic, in which treatment with air, sun, climatic factors and bathing is used.

TREATMENT AT BALNEOLOGICAL RESORTS

Treatment with mineral waters (balneotherapy). Medicinal mineral waters differ from ordinary fresh waters in their chemical composition, temperature, taste and smell.

The composition of mineral waters consists mainly of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, chlorine, sulfate ions and bicarbonate ions. Some mineral waters contain gases (carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, radium emanation). Chemical composition and natural water temperature mineral springs varied. Thus, there are salt-alkaline, alkaline-Glauberian-earthy, sulfur-alkaline, sulfur and other sources. Resorts with carbonic waters - Kislovodsk, Arzni (Armenia), Darasun (Siberia) and with hydrogen sulfide springs - Matsesta, Talgi, etc. are very popular.

Carbon dioxide baths. In carbon dioxide baths, called “narzan” in Kislovodsk, the active factors are mineralization, dissolved and free carbon dioxide, water temperature, hydrostatic pressure. The main active agent is carbon dioxide. When immersed in a carbon dioxide bath, the skin quickly becomes covered with a large number of small gas bubbles and is thus separated from the water.

Since thermal conductivity carbon dioxide less than the thermal conductivity of water, then at the same temperature a carbon dioxide bath seems warmer than a fresh one. Gas bubbles break away from the skin and are replaced by others. Thus, areas of the skin, coming into contact either with a gas particle or with a water particle, are exposed to contrasting temperatures.

Carbon dioxide bath affects a large number of skin receptors. In response to irritation, it reflexively occurs vascular reaction, especially pronounced on the skin.

Carbon dioxide, inhaled by the lungs, and mainly absorbed through the skin, entering the bloodstream, has an effect on the central nervous system. Breathing becomes rarer, the number of pulse beats decreases, blood pressure decreases somewhat, and tissue metabolism increases. The daily amount of urine increases after carbon dioxide baths, activity of cardio-vascular system is improving.

Carbon dioxide baths at a temperature of 36-32° are prescribed for certain diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous systems.

At some resorts (Kislovodsk, etc.), bath treatment is combined with strictly dosed walks (health path).

Hydrogen sulfide baths. In hydrogen sulfide water, the main active factor is hydrogen sulfide. 1-2 minutes after immersion in the bath, a reddening reaction occurs in areas of the skin in contact with water. Hydrogen sulfide, being absorbed by the skin, is partially retained in it, as indicated by the specific smell of people’s skin after a bath. Some of the hydrogen sulfide penetrates into the blood.

The Sochi-Matsesta resort, located on the Black Sea coast in the subtropical zone, is rich in hydrogen sulfide springs. Psekupsk, Sergievsky mineral waters, etc.

The effect of hydrogen sulfide baths on blood circulation and metabolism is more pronounced than carbon dioxide baths.

For treatment methods and indications for the use of these baths, see "".

Taking mineral water internally. At balneological resorts, mineral waters are taken orally for various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

There are salt waters (Staraya Russa), salt-silk water (Essentuki), alkaline water (Borjomi), bitter water (Batalinsky spring in Pyatigorsk), etc. The amount of water to be taken and the order of its intake is determined by the doctor.

The waters of many mineral springs are bottled and used for medicinal purposes outside resorts.

TREATMENT AT MUD RESORTS

Estuaries are mostly narrow, elongated basins, separated from the sea by the so-called “bar.” Estuary water, or brine, differs from sea water in a significantly higher concentration of salt and a different nature of the salt mass.

Peat mud is used in the resorts of Kashin, Mirgorod, Krainka, Lipetsk, Kranz, etc. The formation of mud, its therapeutic effect, as well as the methodology and technique of mud therapy are described in the section “Mud Treatment.”

Some resorts (Saki and others) use mud that is naturally heated (solar radiation).

Mud therapy is carried out in the warm season in the open air.

TREATMENT AT CLIMATE RESORTS

Factors external environment have a huge impact on the course of various pathological processes in humans.

Elements of the external environment in which the patient is located are climatic factors. These include: air pressure and temperature, its chemical composition, humidity, degree of ionization, wind speed and direction, cloudiness, precipitation, insolation, soil characteristics and its radioactivity, presence of water basins, altitude, geographical position terrain.

The set of meteorological factors representing the average state of the atmosphere in a given area is called climate. Climate affects a person through a combination of its factors. This action is complex. It occurs through the skin, respiratory tract and sensory organs.

Areas in which especially beneficial combinations of climatic factors prevailing in a given area are used for therapeutic purposes are called climatic resorts. Climate treatment is also carried out in climatic sanatoriums, located not in resort areas, but in the usual places of residence of patients, on plains, in wooded or steppe areas.

Over a vast territory there are areas with different climatic conditions. Depending on these conditions, climatic resorts are divided into steppe, mountain climatic and seaside.

Steppe resorts. The steppe climate is warm and dry. It is hot during the day due to the high intensity of solar radiation. Clean Air. Low air humidity helps the body lose heat by evaporating water from the skin and lungs. This explains why it is relatively easy to tolerate heat air. Warm air causes skin blood vessels to dilate. Blood pressure decreases. The number of red blood cells increases. Abundant evaporation of water from the skin and mucous membranes of the respiratory system also affects the intensification of metabolic processes.

The Volga steppes, the steppes of Western Siberia and Kazakhstan have a steppe climate. Climatic treatment at steppe resorts is usually combined with the use of kumis, a fermentation product of mare's milk. Such resorts include Shafranovo, Borovoe, etc.

Indications for treatment at steppe resorts are chronic pleurisy, chronic bronchitis with profuse sputum production, pulmonary tuberculosis in the phase of compaction or resorption of lesions, etc.

Contraindications include damage to the cardiovascular system with signs of circulatory disorders.

Mountain climatic resorts. There are:

• a) climate high mountains at an altitude of 1000 to 2500 m above sea level and
• b) climate of medium mountains, rich in vegetation, at an altitude of 400 to 1000 m above sea level.

The highland climate is characterized by low temperatures and low air humidity. The air in these conditions is thin and clean. Solar radiation is rich in ultraviolet rays. This climate has a significant impact on the body; as you get used to the climate (acclimatization), breathing becomes deeper and rarer, the number of pulse beats decreases, and the number of red blood cells increases; basal and mineral metabolism increases, sleep improves. Not everyone, especially the sick, tolerates staying at heights equally. Even in healthy people high altitude So-called mountain sickness may appear.

High mountain resorts include Abastumani (1275-1340 m) Teberda (1280-1480 m) and others.

The climate of the middle mountains is transitional from the lowland climate to the highland climate. Compared to the climate of the high mountains, fluctuations in air temperature are less pronounced here, and humidity increases. The effect of climate on the body is less pronounced here than in the highlands.

Resorts with a mid-mountain climate include Kislovodsk (827 m), Borjomi (794 m), Krasnaya Polyana (600 m), Nalchik (500 m), etc.

Indications for treatment in the climate of the middle mountains are bronchial asthma, some forms of pulmonary tuberculosis, bone and joint tuberculosis, and anemia.

Seaside resorts. The temperate climate of the sea coast places minimal demands on the body, which is very important for exhausted, weakened patients. The coastal climate is characterized by small fluctuations in temperature during the day, clean air and intensity of solar radiation; It is especially rich in ultraviolet rays. Barometric pressure and air humidity are relatively high. Air humidity, temperature and other factors change under the influence of winds blowing from land.

The resorts of the southern coast of Crimea have a warm and dry climate in spring and summer, and cool, humid climate in autumn and winter.

Under the influence of the coastal climate, the secretion of glands increases respiratory tract, the number of red blood cells increases, blood pressure decreases, gas and mineral metabolism increases.

At seaside resorts, treatment is indicated for patients with functional diseases of the central nervous system, pulmonary tuberculosis (except for severe, advanced forms), tuberculosis of bones and joints, chronic bronchitis, as well as children with rickets and exudative diathesis.

Coastal climatic resorts include the resorts of the Southern Coast of Crimea (Alupka, Yalta, Gurzuf, Alushta, etc.), Evpatoria, Anapa, Sochi, Gagra, Sukhumi and the Baltic resorts - Riga seaside, Sestroretsk, etc.

TREATMENT WITH SEA BATHING

Treatment with sea bathing has become widespread in our country. In different seas, water contains from 1 to 5% salts, of which 4/5 is sodium chloride.

The temperature of sea water depends on the climatic and other conditions of the area. A significant upper layer of water is heated by the infrared rays of the sun penetrating into the depths.

Sea bathing affects the body complex action mainly by temperature, mechanical and chemical stimuli.

The temperature of sea bathing is similar to cool (or cold) baths.

Mechanical irritation during sea bathing is much more pronounced than in baths. When swimming, in addition to water pressure, great importance has the flow of water and the breaking of waves.

The chemical effect of bathing is due to the presence of salts in sea ​​water.

The effects of sea bathing are influenced by solar radiation, air temperature, salt content, and radioactivity.

Treatment method. It is best to swim 1 - l.5 hours after breakfast. Before bathing, you should take a short air bath; the skin should be warm. If the skin has cooled, it is indicated general lung rubbing with a dry towel. It is recommended to wet your head before immersing yourself in water. sea ​​water. You should enter the water quickly and perform various movements or rubbing all the time. The duration of bathing depends on the patient’s condition, water temperature and meteorological factors (air temperature, wind, etc.).

The duration of stay in water is initially 2-3 minutes, and then gradually increases to 10-12 minutes. Weakened patients are prescribed several baths of sea water before bathing, with a gradual decrease in temperature.

While swimming long stay The body cools down in water. The feeling of pleasant warmth, caused by the expansion of the capillaries of the skin, disappears due to the narrowing of the blood vessels of the skin. You should not wait for signs of cooling to appear (trembling, the so-called goose pimples, paleness, dizziness).

After bathing, the patient should dry himself. In some cases, after bathing, a fresh water shower is prescribed to remove salt particles from the skin; in other cases, on the contrary, in order to irritate the skin longer, the body is not wiped after bathing. After swimming, rest is recommended, and for those who are more fit, a walk.

Bathing is prescribed daily or every other day. Persons who have already recovered, if they are well tolerated, can be allowed to bathe twice a day with an interval of at least 5-6 hours.

The best time for swimming is from 9 to 12 pm and from 4 to 7 pm.

The swimming season on the coast of our southern seas for healthy people lasts 5-6 months. It begins at an air temperature of at least 20°, water 18° and ends at an air temperature of 15° and water 14°.

Sick and weak children aged 1 to 4 years are usually rubbed with heated sea water instead of bathing. First, use water at a temperature of 30-28°, and every 2-3 days the water temperature is lowered by 1-2° and brought to 25-24°. Children from the age of five, after they have become accustomed to the climate, are usually prescribed sea bathing after preliminary preparation (wiping off with muddy water).

Sea bathing is usually used in combination with other treatment methods. Indications for them are secondary anemia, functional diseases of the central nervous system, metabolic disorders (obesity, gout, etc.), rickets, etc.

Bathing is shown with preventive purpose both healthy and especially predisposed to various diseases (colds, scrofulosis, tuberculosis, etc.).

Contraindication to swimming is tuberculosis in active form, cachexia, Graves' disease, pronounced arteriosclerosis, decompensated heart valve defects, pronounced degenerative changes in the heart muscle, epilepsy, pregnancy, especially in the second half.

Bathing should be stopped in case of intestinal upset, febrile processes and other pathological phenomena.

Beach. Swimming is usually combined with sun-air baths on the beach. A therapeutic beach is a section of a wide coastal strip with a flat, flat surface covered with sand or small pebbles. On the medical beach there are areas for both sun-air and air baths, a room for meteorological installations and medical control, showers and a restroom.

The responsibilities of a nurse on the beach are generally the same as on the beach.

Medical and health tourism

Medical and health tourism, as a type of ecological tourism, is a type of sanatorium-resort treatment and considers the organization of public health from the point of view of travel technology. This is achieved through the formation of a tourism product, which is based on a therapeutic or health-improving technology that improves the quality of life by fully satisfying the need for recreation, recovery and treatment using various components of the natural complex (landscape, comfortable climate, healthy regime, change of environment, etc.) and - such methods of influencing the human body as balneo-, peloid-, landscape-, thalasso- and climatotherapy.

Medical and health tourism has a number of distinctive features. Firstly, your stay at the resort, regardless of the type of illness or disease, must be long, at least three weeks. Only in this case the desired healing effect is achieved. Secondly, treatment at resorts is expensive. Although relatively cheap tours have recently begun to be developed, this type of tourism is designed mainly for wealthy clients who are increasingly focused not on standard set medical services, but to an individual treatment program. Another feature is that people of the older age group go to resorts when chronic diseases worsen or their weakening body is unable to cope with everyday stress at work and at home. Accordingly, these tourists choose between resorts that specialize in the treatment of a specific disease, and mixed-type resorts that have a general strengthening effect on the body and help restore strength.

History of the development of medical and health tourism

Traveling with medicinal purposes have a long history. Even the ancient Greeks and Romans used healing springs and places with a favorable climate in order to improve their health. Not only sick people, but also healthy people who wanted to relax and had sufficient funds for this, arrived at the resorts. In Greece Epidaurus and Kos were famous, and in Rome the secular seaside resort of Baiae was famous.

Times have changed, but the motivation for traveling remains the same. The healing properties of natural factors, as before, attract patients to resort areas. The flows of tourists for medicinal purposes are not yet as numerous as the masses of those wishing to relax and have fun, but they are growing rapidly and their geography is expanding.

Back in the 18th century, Peter I, returning from treatment at foreign resorts, ordered the court doctors to “look for spring waters in our state that can be used for various diseases.”

The development of the resort business in Russia was greatly facilitated by the activities of the Russian Balneological Society on the Caucasian Mineral Waters, founded in 1863 by the famous doctor S.A. Smirnov. F.A. did a lot of work on the Caucasian mineral waters. Batalin, who summed up the previous study of mineral springs and offered a comprehensive description of their condition and development prospects. In the second half of the 19th century, medicinal climatic areas in Siberia were examined - Yamarovka and Darasun. Gradually, the geography of the study of mineral waters is expanding and moving through the Urals to Siberia. In 1868, researcher Afanasy Bushuev discovered mineral springs in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. Along with the healing properties of mineral waters and mud, a beneficial effect of climate on patients on the southern coast of Crimea was discovered. The healing properties of kumiss were also revealed. The network of health resorts using natural healing resources gradually expanded. But scientific work on the study of natural therapeutic factors was carried out mainly by enthusiasts (F.P. Gaaz, F.A. Batalin, A.P. Nelyubin, etc.).

Specifics of medical and health tourism

The contingent of vacationers at resorts is specific. There is a very large proportion of elderly people and people who are physically weak and sick. Therefore, most resorts are characterized by increased comfort. Treatment involves undergoing a certain course of procedures, the total duration of which is from 10 to 30 days. Therefore, the duration of stay at the resort is much higher than the average in tourism. This, as well as the fact that the cost of staying at the resort includes payment for medical procedures, medical supervision, as well as increased comfort, makes resort tourism one of the most expensive types.

Recently, the health tourism market has been undergoing changes. Traditional resorts are becoming increasingly multifunctional health centers designed for a wide range of consumers. There is a growing number of people in the world who want to support good physical fitness, and need restorative anti-stress programs. These are mostly middle-aged people who are no strangers to active physical recreation. In addition, the reorientation of resorts to a new market segment is associated with a reduction in financial support from municipalities and the state.

There are different types of resort and medical institutions. In Russia, the main type of medical and preventive institution at resorts is a sanatorium (from the Latin Sano - I treat, heal). Small resort institutions are hospitals (water and mud baths), health resorts, and boarding houses. Required condition of any resort establishment is the presence medical personnel, treatment and health monitoring.

It is desirable that in each region there is a group of resorts with a variety of therapeutic areas intended for the local population, since for vacationers at resorts, especially the elderly and people with poor health, staying in other natural areas or time zones requires long acclimatization in new conditions, and also upon return. This may lead to low effectiveness of treatment at a distance from permanent place accommodation at the resort.

The science of balneology

Medical and health tourism involves the movement of residents and non-residents within state borders and beyond state borders for a period of at least 20 hours and no more than 6 months. for health purposes, for the prevention of various diseases of the human body. Medical and health tourism is based on balneology.

Resortology is the science of natural healing factors, their effects on the body and methods of use for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes.

Main sections of balneology:

Balneology is a branch of balneology that studies medicinal mineral waters, their origin, physicochemical characteristics, the effect on the body in various diseases, developing indications for their use in resorts and in non-resort conditions.

Balneotherapy - methods of treatment, prevention and restoration of impaired body functions using natural and artificially prepared mineral waters in resorts and in non-resort conditions.

Mud therapy is a method of treatment and prevention of body diseases using peloids, i.e. therapeutic mud of various origins, at resorts and in non-resort conditions.

Climatotherapy is a set of methods for treating and preventing diseases of the body using dosed exposure to climatic and weather factors and special climatic procedures on the human body.

Resortography - description of location and natural conditions resorts and resort areas with characteristics of their therapeutic factors, balneotherapeutic, climatotherapeutic and other conditions for treatment and recreation.

Resorts and their typology

A resort is a territory that has natural healing factors and the necessary conditions for their use for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes.

Resort is an area with valuable natural properties, suitable for treatment with mineral waters, therapeutic mud or special climatic conditions (seas, lakes, mountain landscapes, forest areas, steppes, etc.).

The following requirements apply to resorts:

1) the presence of natural healing factors that ensure the normal functioning of the resort;

2) the necessary technical devices and buildings for the rational use of resort factors (swimming pools, mud baths, beaches, etc.);

3) specially adapted premises for treatment and housing (sanatoriums, rest homes);

4) the presence of medical and preventive institutions providing medical care for patients and vacationers;

5) the presence of health facilities, sports facilities and playgrounds;

6) the presence of public institutions, institutions Catering, trade and consumer services, cultural and educational institutions;

7) convenient entrances and means of communication;

8) landscaped territory, engineering and technical structures providing electricity and water supply, sewerage.

The specialization of any resort is determined by resort factors- natural healing factors used for the purposes of prevention, therapy and medical rehabilitation sick at resorts.

Main resort factors:

Landscape and climatic conditions;

healing mud;

mineral water.

All resorts can be divided into 6 types:

1. Balneological mud resort - a type of resort where mineral waters and therapeutic mud dominate as the main healing factors.

2. Balneoclimatic resort - a type of resort where climate and mineral waters are the main healing factors.

3. Balneological resort - a type of resort where mineral waters are used as the main healing factors (for internal and external use).

4. Mud resort - a type of resort where therapeutic mud acts as the main healing factors.

5. Klimatokumyso medical resort- a type of resort where the main therapeutic factors are the steppe and forest-steppe climate and kumiss - a fermented milk drink made from mare's milk.

6. Climatic resort:

seaside climatic resort;

mountain climatic resort.

At the balneological resort, natural mineral waters are used as the main healing factor. They are recommended for external use (baths) and internal (inhalation, drinking, etc.) consumption. Mineral waters help cure many ailments. Among the patients coming to balneological resorts are mainly people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular and nervous systems, respiratory tract and musculoskeletal system. Treatment at these resorts gives results comparable to the effects of conventional medications, but it eliminates the side effects that are inevitable when taking medications, lengthens the period of remission, and reduces the likelihood of subsequent exacerbations and their intensity.

Mud resorts are tied to deposits healing mud(peloids). Mud therapy is indicated mainly for pathologies of the joints and nervous system traumatic origin, as well as for gynecological and some other diseases.

Climatic resorts are as varied as the climate itself. In the structure of climatic resorts in the world, forest (plain) resorts account for approximately 11.3%, mountain resorts - 24.2%, and climatic-kumys-therapeutic resorts - about 4.2%. Each of them has a unique combination of climatic and weather factors (temperature, atmospheric pressure, solar radiation, etc.), which are used for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes. The profile of the resort depends on the combination of these factors. If forest resorts with a continental climate are indicated for people suffering from diseases of the upper respiratory tract, asthma, and nervous system disorders, then staying in mountain resorts is recommended for initial forms of tuberculosis and anemia. The most common and popular type of climatic resort is seaside. These resorts make up 60.3% of the structure of climatic resorts in the world. An increasing number of tourists are discovering the opportunity to combine a seaside holiday with effective treatment. The maritime climate has beneficial influence for people with diseases of the blood, bone tissue, lymph glands.

Along with the three main types of resorts - balneological, mud and climatic - transitional types are distinguished. They use several natural healing factors at once, for example, mineral waters and mud or climate and mineral waters. Transitional resorts are widespread in Europe and are increasingly attracting tourists from different countries. In recent years, spa resorts have become widespread. Such resorts are organized not only in recreational areas, but also in large cities, even in hotels intended for business tourism.

According to forecasts, demand will continue to grow, because a healthy body and a healthy mind are not just a tribute to fashion. An individual program developed by spa center specialists not only makes a person healthier, but also contributes to a more positive perception of life. Recently, hotels with spa complexes at balneological resorts have been very popular, as well as special spa hotels, where the goals of healing and relaxation using a variety of water procedures and other means come first. Five-star city hotels are sure to provide their guests with the services of fitness or spa centers.

There are several versions of the origin of this term. The most common belief is that it is an abbreviation of the Latin saying sanus per aqua - "health through water." Perhaps it came from the name of the Belgian town of Spa with mineral springs, where the first balneological resort was organized (from the Latin balneum - “bath”).

Healing with mineral water and medicinal mud has been known for a long time. Even the ancient Greeks used baths with permanent ingredients to improve their health. The famous Roman baths - therms - appeared shortly before our era. With the spread of Christianity in medieval Europe They forgot the bathhouse culture. Only at the end of the 17th century, when it was proven that water procedures have a healing effect on the human body, they again became in demand, although in the East this tradition was not interrupted (remember, for example, the Turkish hammam bath, which has existed for many centuries).

Nowadays, spa hotels and hotels with spa complexes (usually high-category accommodation facilities), as a rule, are located at balneological resorts next to thermal mineral springs, which makes it possible to use water of a certain chemical composition and temperature for various medicinal, health and cosmetic purposes.

In the spa complex of a large expensive hotel, in addition to the usual set (sauna, swimming pool, massage), clients are offered daily water therapy, which implies the presence of a variety of physiotherapeutic equipment and licensed specialists - doctors and cosmetologists. It provides rooms for hydrotherapy, cosmetic care for face and body, sauna (mini pool, spa bar, rooms for group/individual fitness classes or other types of physical exercise (yoga, water aerobics, etc.), relaxation area, locker room. Such hotels can be located both within the city and outside it, even on ski resorts, where increasingly spa programs are offered as an additional service. For example, conference or exhibition participants can take an intensive course for relaxation, stress relief or weight loss.

Spa sanatorium-type hotels are located in the resort area and have a full range of physiotherapy programs. Before going there, it is advisable to consult a doctor. They also offer wellness programs - general health, relaxation and beauty, which are suitable for a completely healthy person.

In sanatorium-type hotels, individual accommodation is provided in a room with a shower; the client is provided with bathrobes, slippers and towels. Here you can get a complete diagnosis of your physical condition, and after completing a course of full treatment (21 - 24 days), achieve long-term remission (absence of manifestations of the disease). Traditional spa services are complemented special diets And physical exercise: hiking and cycling, tennis, golf. Such hotels must have a landscaped area with a park and flower beds, indoor and outdoor swimming pools.

Separately, we can note hotels with thalassotherapy centers (sea treatment) at seaside resorts, where sea water and sea products (algae, sea salt, medicinal mud), as well as products from well-known cosmetic lines, are used during procedures, mainly general health and cosmetic ones. Swimming in the sea has a healing effect on the body and mood of a person, sunbathing, walks along the shore, which together refreshes and renews the skin, calms the nerves, strengthens muscles, improves not only the body, but also the soul. Therefore, staying in the now very fashionable hotels with thalassotherapy centers is not so much treatment as relaxation and a pleasant pastime with health benefits. French cosmetologists have found that the effect of a weekly course lasts six to eight months.

There are such centers in many countries of the world that have a sea coast, because sea water should be stored in tanks for no more than 48 hours and never reused. In Europe there are especially many of them in France, Cyprus, Italy and Spain, in South-East Asia- on the islands of Koh Samui (Thailand) and Bali (Indonesia).

You can plunge into the atmosphere of luxury and pampering by staying in a large four-five-star spa hotel, where life is subordinated to one task: every client should improve their health and relax, relieve stress and disconnect from everyday worries. They usually have so many treatments to offer that it is worth getting information about them in advance.

Some spa hotels book rooms only if the client immediately orders spa treatments, while in others the “spa menu” can be compiled upon arrival at the place. The cult of a healthy lifestyle reigns here. The uniform is sports, the use of mobile phones and perfume is kept to a minimum. Restaurants offer balanced and healthy dishes. With the help of a variety of water procedures of the so-called spa menu, offered in each specific center, you can increase muscle tone, relax, get rid of diseases and stress, lose weight and look younger. It is advisable that all procedures be agreed upon with a doctor, as many of them have contraindications.

Hydrotherapy includes many different techniques: showers, baths (general, local, sitz), steam inhalations, rubbing, compresses (hot and cold), wraps and much more. On average, the procedure lasts 15 - 20 minutes, some - three to four minutes (for example, irrigation of the nasal cavity). The most popular are showers and baths. The shower gently envelops the body or, conversely, massages (tones) it. Moreover, water flows should be directed from peripheral organs to the heart. Showers vary in temperature: cold (+8...+18°C), indifferent (+33...+35°C), warm (+36...+38°C), hot (from +40°C); according to the shape and direction of the jets: rain, needle, dust, circular, jet (Charcot and Scottish showers), fan, ascending; according to the degree of water pressure: low (up to 1 atm), medium (1.5 - 2 atm), high (2.5 - 4 atm); by localization of impact: general or local. For example, an underwater shower massage is carried out in a special bath with a compact stream of water, as a result of which the patient’s blood circulation and lymph flow improves and has a tonic effect on the body. Among the technically complex ones, we can note the Snail shower complex shower installation, which combines seven types of shower (circular, rain, dust, tropical, needle, fan and Scottish) and affects the senses: touch (body massage with jets of various shapes, temperatures and pressures ), smell (aromatherapy), vision (special lighting). Various baths are divided into general, local and half-baths. In spa centers, baths with mineral water(carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, radon, nitrogen, chloride, sodium) varying degrees salinity and temperature. Many ladies prefer pearl baths, when bubbling air bubbles provide a kind of “tactile massage.” Ozone molecules penetrate the skin and activate the antioxidant system in superficial tissues. In sitz baths for the thighs, both cold and hot water are used (according to indications), as well as for local baths (for the legs or arms). Expensive spa hotels often offer a “Cleopatra bath,” designed for water treatments combined with aromatherapy. Sea water or salt, algae, wine, milk, honey, rose petals, green tea, infusions of herbs and flowers, as well as medicines can be added to it. It is used for hardening, prevention and treatment of various diseases, and stress relief. Rubdowns are used for medicinal and hygienic purposes, as well as for hardening. They can be general or local, with added salts or essential oils to enhance the irritant effect on the skin. Wraps can be full or partial, wet or dry. Local wet wraps are widely used. Cold compresses cause spasm of superficial blood vessels, hot compresses increase local blood flow and metabolism, and reduce muscle tone. Spa centers also use applications with therapeutic mud, clay or herbal decoctions. Active hydrotherapeutic procedures include cold rubbing and dousing with water of varying temperatures.

Modern spa hotels have up to six or more different baths, reflecting the centuries-old traditions of different countries. Some of the oldest are Greek and Roman baths with rooms for dry and wet baths, rest and undressing, washing and a swimming pool. IN Turkish baths the floor is warmed by hot air, and hot water spilled on the floor creates abundant steam. Finnish saunas and Roman-Irish baths are very popular. These are air baths with a moderate temperature of 50 - 60°C. Hot air passes under the floor and along the walls of the preparation room and steam room, and then enters through holes in the floor. A special pipe for the exhaust air exit makes the atmosphere in such a steam room healthier than in a Roman bath. The healing and healing effect of the traditional Russian bath using various aromatic brooms is known. There is growing interest in traditional Japanese baths: dry using hot sawdust and water, which is placed in a large wooden barrel.

Among the most common procedures included in the “menu” of spa centers, one can note mud therapy (peloid therapy), used for therapeutic, prophylactic and rehabilitation purposes, clay therapy, phototherapy (light treatment), in particular heliotherapy (solar irradiation), massage (traditional, manual, Thai, Ayurvedic, etc.), aromatherapy, etc. Various cosmetic, tonic, relaxing, anti-cellulite, detoxification, anti-stress, rejuvenating and other wellness programs are offered in such quantities that they can only be limited by the time spent at the hotel.

General principles of organizing treatment and recovery at resorts

The result of the high professional level of doctors, the skillful hands of massage therapists and experts in the field of aesthetics - all this is used to help resort guests find a state of harmony and tranquility. As part of any wellness program, you can, for an additional fee, get a consultation with a specialist doctor who will prescribe an individual diet for you to follow at home.

As a rule, resort guests have free access to the main infrastructure of the resort (use of swimming pools with thermal water, hydromassage; gym where they can attend group sports classes, etc.). The most important principles of organizing sanatorium-resort treatment are the availability of treatment, focus, a unified system for monitoring health status and the effectiveness of treatment before, during and after a stay at the resort.

The most important principle of sanatorium-resort treatment is its complexity, i.e. the use of a variety of natural healing factors in combination with diet therapy, physiotherapy, exercise therapy, drug therapy and other methods. The main natural healing factor is climate. Along with the climate, mineral waters and medicinal mud are also used. The most important task of the ongoing course of treatment and recovery is the normalization of the functions of the central nervous system, which helps to streamline the activity of the cardiovascular system, respiratory systems, metabolic processes. Required elements treatment and recovery at resorts - physiotherapy, health path, sport games, exercise therapy.

For the effectiveness of spa treatment special meaning has a general resort, sanatorium and individual regimes. The general resort regime applies to the entire territory of the resort and is regulated by the rules of procedure at this resort. It includes the regulated work of resort-wide diagnostic, medical and resort amenities, as well as noise control. The sanatorium regime is the routine and rhythm of life in the sanatorium, which determines a certain periodicity of influence on the patient. The sanatorium regime provides both general rules for all patients, as well as individual instructions and recommendations of the attending physician regarding the patient’s daily routine and the implementation of treatment prescriptions. An individual regimen is compiled individually for each patient and is determined after the first conversation with the doctor. It depends on the nature of the disease and the patient’s condition and can be training, when an increased impact of procedures is used, or gentle - with a limitation in the amount and intensity of the applied therapeutic effect.

Your stay at the sanatorium can be divided into three stages:

The initial period (adaptation), in which a gentle regimen is applied and treatment procedures are not yet prescribed in full; this period coincides with the additional examination of the patient and usually does not exceed 2 - 3 days.

The main treatment period during which the medical complex(average 20 days);

The final period (2 - 3 days), when a gentle regimen is reintroduced and patients rest after completing the treatment cycle.

Examples of wellness programs offered at resorts

"Modern thermal program" (8 days)

Provides medical checkup, doctor supervision during the entire period, 6 sessions of mud therapy and thermal ozone baths, 4 therapeutic massages (reflexology, therapeutic, sports, hydromassage), 2 massages - relaxing and pain relief (shiatsu, reiki, Ayurvedic, stone therapy with hot stones) , 4 procedures for beauty and health.

"Power control" (8 days)

A medical examination is provided, doctor supervision during the entire period of procedures, 6 mud therapy sessions, 6 showers and baths with thermal ozonated and aromatized water, 2 slimming massages with local anti-cellulite effects, 1 lymphatic drainage massage for figure modeling, 2 lymphatic drainage for the whole body, 2 pressotherapy, 1 cosmetologist procedure according to an individual body program and a visit to a nutritionist, menu according to an individual program, thermal card.

"Thermal mud" (3 days)

A medical examination, doctor supervision during the entire period of procedures, 3 thermal mud applications, showers and baths with thermal ozonized water, therapeutic massage, thermal card are provided.

Modern medical and health tourism

Recently, the health tourism market has been undergoing changes. Traditional sanatorium resorts are no longer a place of treatment and recreation for the elderly, but will be replaced by multifunctional health centers designed for a wide range of consumers.

Modern transformations of resort centers are due to two circumstances. First of all, a change in the nature of demand for medical and health services. Comes into fashion healthy image life, and all over the world there is a growing number of people who want to maintain good physical shape and need restorative anti-stress programs. These are mostly middle-aged people who prefer active recreation and are often pressed for time. According to many experts, type consumers will be the main clients of sanatorium resorts and a guarantee of the prosperity of medical and health tourism in the 21st century.

The second reason for the reorientation of resorts is that their traditional support, including financial support, from municipalities and the state is declining. Health resorts are forced to diversify their product in order to enter new segments of the consumer market and attract additional customers.

While maintaining the therapeutic function, resorts make the program of stay for patients more varied and hold cultural and sporting events. They offer a wide range of health and recuperation services. Thalassotherapy has recently been very popular in seaside hotels; the Anti-Cellulite and Phyto-Beauty-Rejuvenation programs are also in high demand. The duration of treatment and recovery courses becomes more flexible.

However, holidays at resorts are not only medical purposes, but providing a leisure and entertainment program rich in various animation cycles, capable of raising the vitality of vacationers and satisfying their spiritual and emotional needs.

When choosing a place to stay in a sanatorium, people take into account not only medical factors, but also sports and animation services that the health resort can offer.

Changes in the recreational needs of the population and their demands for the quality of recreation have led to the development of a resort and recreational system, the main goal of which is to improve human health, quality and life expectancy.

The modern market for medical and recreational recreation includes recreational enterprises providing medical services, travel companies- intermediary enterprises selling services.

Medical services belong to the most expensive category, because... are based on the use of valuable natural healing resources, the exploitation of which requires complex balneotechnical facilities and medical equipment. Providing treatment services is impossible without the presence of specially trained personnel. Health resorts also provide special dietary meals for vacationers.

At the same time, at medical resorts, the entire structure inherent in simply health centers is preserved: comfortable conditions for the accommodation of vacationers and providing them with interesting entertainment and sports programs. Therefore, holidays at health resorts always cost much more than other types of health holidays.

Therapeutic recreation has a number of distinctive features. Firstly, the stay at the resort, regardless of the type of the latter and the disease, must be long, at least 3 weeks (but today there are programs designed for 7-10 days). Only in this case the desired healing effect is achieved. Secondly, treatment at resorts is expensive. Although relatively cheap tours have recently begun to be developed, this type of tourism is designed mainly for wealthy clients who are increasingly focused not on a standard set of medical services, but on an individual treatment program. Another feature is that people of the older age group traditionally go to resorts when chronic illnesses worsen or the weakening body is unable to cope with everyday stress at work and at home. Accordingly, these tourists make a choice between resorts specializing in the treatment of a specific disease and mixed-type resorts, which have a general strengthening effect on the body and promote recuperation.

A week-long tour, one-day hiking and excursions combined with comfort (trekking) in the mountain resort of Khadzhokh (Adygea, Krasnodar Territory). Tourists live at the camp site and visit numerous natural monuments. Rufabgo waterfalls, Lago-Naki plateau, Meshoko gorge, Big Azish cave, Belaya River Canyon, Guam gorge.

Poor ecology, health problems, stress... To improve your health and restore strength, doctors advise going to resorts with such sources of health as salt grottoes, thermal waters, healing mud and more, where you can not only relax, but also cope with chronic illness.

You can do this by visiting the best health resorts in the world. Thanks to such a trip, you will not only see a new country and get acquainted with an interesting culture, but also fully relax and improve your health.

Montecatini Terme (Italy)

The picturesque region of Tuscany is home to the famous Italian thermal resort of Montecatini Terme, which is located between the Tyrrhenian Sea and Florence. The resort is interesting for its mineral springs with medicinal waters, springs with iodine waters (used for balneotherapy and mineral baths), thermal mud, which includes volcanic clay.

The resort of Montecatini Terme can offer 11 thermal centers, which are designed to carry out all types of therapeutic procedures, as well as drinking courses.

The most popular health and wellness procedures at the resort are various types of massages, mineral water drinking courses, mineral baths, mud compresses and wraps, acupuncture, aqualux course, cryotherapy and cosmetic programs.

Szechenyi Bath (Hungary)

In the center of the Hungarian capital is the popular Széchenyi Bath, which is the hottest and largest thermal bath in Europe. Healing water The baths have a temperature of about 77 degrees Celsius.

Here you can go through an effective treatment with thermal waters or just relax. The bathhouse has three huge outdoor pools: a standard swimming pool, a surprise pool (the favorite among vacationers) and a hot one with radon.

In addition, in the bathhouse building you can see many mini-pools with waters of different temperatures, baths, saunas, pools with romance and whirlpools. For example, one thermal pool is equipped with music, it is dark and you cannot see others, and the ceiling is covered with stars, like the sky.

Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic)

The largest thermal spa in the Czech Republic is Karlovy Vary, which has 12 medicinal sources, temperature regime is 41-73 degrees Celsius.

If you decide to go to Karlovy Vary, then you are guaranteed an excellent vacation, recovery and good mood, since everything is provided here so that the vacationer gets a lot of good impressions, treatment and feels full enjoyment of the vacation. It is thanks to this that this resort has remained quite popular among tourists for a long time.

Frantiskovy Lazne (Czech Republic)

Frantiskovy Lazne is located 65 kilometers from Karlovy Vary and is the smallest resort town in the West Bohemian triangle. The resort is popular mineral springs with a huge content of sulfur-iron mud and carbon dioxide.

This resort provides very effective treatment for women's diseases, as well as circulatory disorders. Therefore, people with this kind of impairment should go to these places where the best specialists and the healing atmosphere will do their job.

Baden, Austria

The resort of Baden is very much loved by the creative intelligentsia of the world; it is located near Vienna and is famous for its sulfurous water springs.

The above mentioned Baden sources are a real panacea for many diseases. They have city baths, which have turned into a large health complex. When taking long baths, sulfur enters the body through the skin and has a healing and healing effect, and also speeds up metabolism.

Even the ancient Romans noticed the healing properties of water, which is located in Baden, however, it was brought to world recognition by Frederick III, who in 1804 appointed this glorious town as his summer residence.

Bad Ischl, Austria

Among the salt springs, near Salzburg in a picturesque area is located ancient Austrian mountain and mud spa resort Bad Ischl. This place has long been considered the summer residence of Franz Joseph I and his wife (Austro-Hungarian Emperor).

The resort has such healing resources as sulfur and salt thermal waters, mineral mud and Glauber's salt. A person suffering from any disease or simply wanting to improve his health will feel comfortable here and will get good results.

Baden-Baden, Germany

In the warm embrace of the Black Forest, among the miraculous thermal springs and centuries-old fir trees, lies the resort of Baden-Baden.

Thanks to the high quality of service - in clinics, sanatoriums and hospitals there are the best specialists and equipment, a variety of procedures, this medical resort has become popular among tourists. In addition, Baden-Baden is located against a backdrop of picturesque nature.

The main emphasis of this resort is restorative rehabilitation procedures, treatment of diseases of the blood, nervous system and respiratory tract, as well as cleansing the body. Tourists who have visited this resort admire the results obtained and the restoration processes.

Carinthia, Austria

Carinthia is located in the south of Austria and borders Italy. Traditionally, this land is famous for its ski slopes, but there are also wonderful health areas. Continues to gain enormous popularity local thermal baths, which are located on the slopes. The main advantage of this resort is that here In addition to skiing, you can get medical treatments.

Albena, Bulgaria

Many tourists know Bulgaria with its balneological centers, the largest of which is located right in the Dobrudzha hotel in Albena. Despite the fact that rooms here are being snapped up at lightning speed, guests of other hotels can also attend the procedure. But do not forget that the prices at this resort are slightly inflated, since it has long been in demand among Europeans.

Budapest, Hungary

Everyone who vacations in Hungary definitely wants to go to the ancient Budapest Baths. All 27 baths here operate on a permanent basis, and in 13 of them the water is medicinal. Drinking springs, grottoes, saunas – there are dozens of ways in Budapest you can improve your health.

One of the main attractions of the city is the bathhouse of the same name and Mount Gellert. In addition, in these places you can go to the Szechenyi Bath, located on a very hot spring in Europe (the water that comes out of the ground reaches +77 degrees Celsius). If you want to please not only your soul, but also your body, and improve it a little, then feel free to choose this resort. After relaxing in such a wonderful place, you will gain vitality, a surge of energy and a great mood!

Medical and health tourism, in terms of importance, can be called the main type of tourism, since it is based on concern for human health as the main value of life. Medical tourism has a rich history. In the 20th century, a whole resort industry emerged in the world, covering almost all countries and continents. On the basis of traditional climatic, balneological, and mud resorts, new forms of healing have appeared - SPA, wellness, fitness. The list of services provided by modern resort and sanatorium establishments often includes check-up programs.

European centers of medical and health tourism are widely known throughout the world.

The Czech Republic tops the list European countries, leading in the number of tourist arrivals for resort and sanatorium treatment. Every year it is visited by 50,000 people from more than 70 countries. The largest and most famous Czech health resort is. It is located in the west of the country. There are 12 springs in Karlovy Vary. The most powerful is Vrzhidlo. Diseases of the digestive tract and metabolism are mainly treated in Karlovy Vary. The resort of Frantiskovy Lazne is located in the western part of the Czech Republic. It is one of the oldest and largest resorts in the country and is of global importance. Diseases of the circulatory system, heart defects and diseases of the musculoskeletal system are treated at this resort. 20 km north of Karlovy Vary at an altitude of 650 m above sea level is the resort of Jáchymov. It can be considered one of the largest resorts of world importance. Thermal radioactive springs, whose water temperature reaches 28°C, have healing properties. Such sources are very rare in the world. Jáchymov is the world's first radon spa resort. Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and some diseases of the nervous system are treated here.

There are more than 300 resorts in Germany, which welcome over 1 million people from Europe, the USA and Canada. The most famous resort is Baden Baden, located in the Black Forest. In Baden-Baden, they focus on restorative procedures for rehabilitation, cleansing the body, and treating diseases of the blood, respiratory tract and nervous system.

The mountain and balneological resorts of Austria and Switzerland are also the main European destinations for health tourism. Located near Vienna, the resort of Baden is famous for its sulfurous water springs, and is also considered a favorite holiday destination for the world's creative intelligentsia. Natural sulfur springs of Baden are a panacea for many diseases. They are home to the city's thermal baths, which have recently turned into a huge health complex. During long baths, sulfur penetrates the body and has a healing and healing effect, improving metabolism.

Many world famous resorts and centers are located in France.

Italy has a number of excellent balneological resorts.

Medical and health tourism is developing rapidly in Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and Bulgaria. Romania and Croatia also offer health programs at seaside and balneological resorts. Balneotherapeutic resort Naftalan, located 30 km south of Zagreb, in the small town of Ivanic Grad. It gained worldwide fame at the end of the 20th century, when rare sources of naphthalan were discovered while drilling an oil well. ABOUT healing properties naphthalan has been known for more than 600 years. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. ointment made from naphthalan oil by the German engineer E.I. Eger and named “Naftalan” has found wide use in Western European countries, America, Japan and partly in Russia. It was used primarily to treat skin diseases.

Slovakia is rich in resort areas that are world famous. Such resorts include Piestany, a balneological resort in Southwestern Slovakia. It has healing thermal springs that help cure rheumatic and nervous diseases, and it is also a balneotherapy center for children over three years of age.

Spain, Portugal and Greece attract tourists as seaside resorts.

Traditional places of health tourism for residents of the CIS countries remain Israel (Dead Sea resorts), Egypt and Turkey with their sea climatic resorts.

Over the past 10 years, taking into account the growing needs of vacationers and the latest trends in the development of global health tourism, this area has been developing rapidly in India and the countries of Southeast Asia (Singapore, Thailand, China, Malaysia). As a rule, wellness in newly built luxury SPA hotels and wellness centers also includes methods of oriental medicine, which are increasingly in demand among supporters of a healthy lifestyle.

China is famous for its health and healing capabilities. Thanks to sea water, mild climate, gentle sun, traditional Chinese medicine and mineral springs (there are about 2 thousand springs in total). Acupuncture, aromatherapy, mud therapy, inhalations, therapeutic baths and wraps, balneotherapy, etc. are widely used in Chinese sanatoriums. Thanks to radon springs, sciatica and rheumatism are cured, and potassium-sodium sources are used to prevent and treat diseases of the nervous system, skin and respiratory organs. Hot springs attract thousands of people seeking to improve their health and recharge with positive energy.

On the American continent, the leader in health tourism is the United States. Most North American resorts are balneological, but they are visited mainly by Americans themselves. There are also climatic resorts, but US residents prefer to receive treatment and relax in the resorts of Cuba, the Bahamas and Central America.

Cuban climate therapy has a healing effect on the body through the central nervous system, skin and respiratory tract. The country's maritime climate helps increase metabolism and treats respiratory diseases. The high mountain climate will cure tuberculosis, respiratory diseases, nervous disorders and diseases of the cardiovascular system. You can also undergo a course of treatment and prevention of cardiovascular and endocrine systems, digestive tract and orthopedic diseases. Thalassotherapy and SPA treatments can be offered at the Thalassotherapy Center in the province of Cayo Coco. Thalassotherapy has a beneficial effect on rheumatism, hypertension, arthrosis, and effectively combats stress and fatigue. Cuba's mineral and thermal springs provide excellent healing skin diseases and arthritis.

Australia has all the natural resources for health tourism, but due to the remoteness of the Green Continent, its resort hotels, like in the USA, are focused on receiving “domestic” tourists.

In Africa, health tourism began to actively develop not only due to an increase in the number of tourists in already known recreation and health areas (for example, in Egypt) but also in Tunisia, Morocco, Kenya and South Africa.

A fairly developed resort infrastructure is also available in the CIS countries. The resorts of Crimea and Truskavets (Ukraine), Jurmala (Latvia) are also widely known in neighboring countries. However, due to the discrepancy between the level of service and the high international standards most of these resorts only attract residents of these countries.

Currently, there are about 5.5 thousand health resorts in Russia, capable of simultaneously receiving 810 thousand vacationers. No other country in the world has a resort system of this scale. Russian resorts have almost all types of medicinal mineral waters, medicinal mud and other natural medicinal factors known in the world, including those that have no analogues in the world. The sanatorium-resort network covers almost the entire country, with the exception of certain sparsely populated regions of the North and Siberia.

Russian resorts have a real opportunity to compete not only in the domestic but also in the international tourism market. There are the following prerequisites for this:

The price of services is much lower than in Western resorts;
- the Russian school of balneology is more advanced than the Western one;
- the level of service is gradually approaching Western standards;
- excursion programs offered by our resorts are of higher standards.

Table 1

The most popular health resorts in the world

The resorts reviewed cover a wide range of diseases. The specialization of resorts depends on their location. For example, many resorts are located near mineral springs, which help with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and kidney diseases and Bladder. Some resorts specialize in the use of therapeutic mud, which helps to cope with many skin diseases.

In each country, medical and health tourism developed taking into account the availability natural resources, socio-economic conditions. At the same time, there is a trend in the world towards realizing the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Caring for health and increasing vital activity has become an integral part of the modern value system. There is a growing number of people seeking to maintain good physical fitness along with spiritual enrichment.

Poor environment, stress, health problems... Sooner or later, we all face the need to relax and improve our well-being. This can be done at the best health resorts in the world. Such a trip will allow you not only to see a new country and get acquainted with a foreign culture, but also to improve your health and have a good rest.

Carinthia, Austria

Carinthia is located in the south of Austria, right on the border with Italy. This land, traditionally famous for its ski slopes, also has excellent health areas. Local baths located on the slopes were popular three centuries ago, and now their fame is only growing. The main advantage of Carinthia is that tourists here can combine skiing and medical procedures.

Carinthia, photo i.prinke

Bulgaria is known for its balneological centers, the largest of which is located in Albena, or more precisely, in the Dobrudzha Hotel. Although rooms here are being snapped up at lightning speed, guests of other hotels also have a chance to get in for the procedure. However, it is worth remembering that the prices at this resort are inflated, since it has long been popular among Europeans.

Albena, photo Soma Biswas

Budapest,

It is impossible to relax in Hungary and not visit the ancient Budapest Baths. There are 27 baths constantly operating here, the water in 13 of which is medicinal. Grottoes, saunas, drinking springs - in Budapest you can improve your health in dozens of ways. Well, the most important symbol of the city is Mount Gellert and the bathhouse of the same name. Also in Budapest you can visit the Széchenyi Bath, which is located at the hottest spring in Europe - the temperature of the water bursting out of the ground here reaches +77 °C.

Budapest, photo Days of Speed

Wiesbaden,

One of the oldest thermal resorts in Europe is Wiesbaden, Germany. Situated on the banks of the Rhine, it was famous back in the 18th century and attracted many celebrities. There are more than 25 thermal springs in the city, but the most popular are Adlerquelle and Kochbrunnen. Also, all vacationers consider it their duty to visit the baths of Emperor Frederick, built a hundred years ago.

Wiesbaden, photo Ralf Krause

You can combine a wellness holiday with an excursion in Chianciano Terme. Four mineral springs that help in the treatment of dozens of diseases are scattered throughout the city. Based on this cold and hot water and local mud, cosmetics are produced, this water is drunk and used for bathing. Well, in between procedures you can go on an excursion to Rome, Florence or surrounding cities.

Chianciano Terme, photo Jorgen Bjerring

Vrnjacka Banja, Serbia

But you shouldn’t expect any special entertainment at the famous Serbian resort, but the health benefits will be significant. Seven mineral springs help solve problems with the digestive organs, liver, kidneys, help in the treatment of diabetes and gynecological diseases. The resort is focused on a healthy lifestyle, so you will find many sports grounds and complexes here and, alas, not a single nightclub.

Vrnjacka Banja, photo Aleksandar Djurekovic

Yasmine Hammamet,

Every third tourist traveling to Tunisia plans to get acquainted with local thalassotherapy. The resort, located six kilometers from Hammamet, is the optimal place for this. Almost all hotels offer their guests an excellent wellness program, and good nature, clean beaches, lack of noise and fuss complete the vacation idyll.

Yasmine Hammamet, photo 1.7 Million

The legendary Turkish travertines, forming one of the most important attractions of the country, are not only a beautiful landscape, but also a health resort. These hot springs high level Calcium oxide affects cardiovascular, nervous, skin and other diseases. In addition, one of the sources is famous for providing an excellent cosmetic effect. Unfortunately, due to the influx of tourists, the travertines began to collapse, and now most of them are closed to access. But the healing waters and mud have not gone away, and you can still swim in some snow-white pools.

Pamukkale, photo John Brackett

Yverdon-les-Bains,

In the area of ​​Lake Geneva there is an elite thermal resort that is suitable only for wealthy travelers. It has everything for a perfect holiday - a sandy beach, untouched nature, historical attractions and luxury hotels. Spa centers have been built around each spring in Yverdon-les-Bains, offering dozens of different beauty and wellness services.

Yverdon-les-Bains, photo Izakigur

Smrdaky, Slovakia

But the Slovak resort of Smrdaki, on the contrary, is inexpensive and homely. There are only a dozen hotels here, there are no nightclubs or discos, but there are more than enough areas for sports and walking. In local water the most high content hydrogen sulfide throughout Central Europe, and the sapropel mud used in the resort is ideal for the treatment of skin and muscle diseases.

Smrdaky, photo abst

By the way, these are far from the only health resorts - you can find something similar in dozens of countries, and, by the way, this is no exception.