Managing obesity in resorts
Greetings, dear friends! In this article we will tell you about the spa treatment of patients with obesity. Among the resorts presented on sanatoriums.com, the main ones to undergo treatment with this endocrine disorder are: Karlovy Vary, Marianske Lazne, Vrnjacka Banja, Rimske Terme, Portoroz. Treatment of obesity is also possible at many other resorts, their complete list you can see on our website, using the filter by disease.
The etiology of obesity, the purpose of its treatment in the resort conditions
Obesity is a metabolic disease, characterized by excessive accumulation of fat in places of its physiological deposition. There are alimentary-constitutional, hypothalamic, endocrine and heterogeneous obesity. The objectives of the spa treatment of obese patients are a moderate reduction of their body weight and risk factors of obesity, improvement of the course of related diseases with the subsequent stabilization of body weight and quality of life of the patient.
Indications and contraindications for spa treatment of obesity
Spa treatment is indicated in patients with primary obesity I-III degrees of alimentary and constitutional obesity without signs of decompensation of cardiac activity. Contraindications are types of secondary obesity: hypothalamic-pituitary, cerebral, endocrine (of organic origin), as well as IV degree obesity with circulatory insufficiency above II stage.
Medical consultation
My name is Elena Khorosheva, I am the chief doctor of sanatoriums.com, specializing in pediatrician, physiotherapist and balneologist, candidate of medical sciences, practicing since 2004
I personally visit the resorts presented on our website, communicate with doctors and study the treatment bases of spa hotels in order to give you the most comprehensive and useful advice!
Elena Khorosheva
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Methods of spa treatment for obese patients
The treatment program for patients with obesity mainly includes therapeutic nutrition, exercise and physical therapy procedures. The main thing in the spa treatment of obesity is drinking mineral water, patients are prescribed drinking treatment with bicarbonate-chloride-sodium-calcium mineral waters. The temperature of these waters is 40-45 °C, they are taken in small sips on an empty stomach 35-60 minutes before a meal. The initial dose of water is 100 ml and gradually increases to 200 ml, it is taken 3-4 times a day, the course of treatment lasts 21-26 days. The course of treatment includes air baths in the amount of 20 procedures, which are carried out in a gentle mode. Thalassotherapy is carried out in the weak cold load, followed by lowering the temperature of the water so that in the second half of the treatment was already carried out by a strong cold load. In one day the patient may receive 2-3 such treatments of 30 minutes each, the course of treatment includes 12-20 procedures.
Patients with obesity are prescribed contrast baths with a water temperature of 38-42 °C in one swimming pool and 10-24 °C in the other. For the procedure to be effective, the patient is immersed in the warm pool for 2-3 minutes until a pronounced vascular reaction occurs. Then the patient moves to the cold pool and stays there for 1 minute, moving actively. The patient moves from one pool to the other 3-6 times, the procedure is completed by immersion into the cold pool, after which the patient leaves it and actively rubs the towel until the state of hyperemia (increase in the blood supply to the tissues or organs). The course of treatment includes 10-12 such procedures. In addition, a contrast shower is used: at the beginning of the procedure the water temperature is 32-35 °C, then - reduced to 15-20 °C. The pressure of the jet is 200-300 kPa, the course of treatment includes 15-20 treatments lasting from 1-2 to 3-5 minutes.
Electrical stimulation of the abdominal muscles and thighs with sinusoidal modulated currents, the frequency of which varies depending on the severity of the subcutaneous fat layer, is used. For a more pronounced effect, the course of treatment includes 10-15 sessions of 17-25 minutes. Appointed visit sauna for 1.5-2 hours, of which the patient a total of 15-30 minutes in the steam room. The air temperature in such saunas does not exceed 60 °C, you can visit them once every 3-4 days, the course includes 5-8 procedures.
If there are no contraindications, patients with obesity are prescribed hydrocolonotherapy based on fresh (with the addition of medicinal substances) or mineral water. The created pressure in the large intestine is 10-12 kPa, the total volume of fluid injected at a temperature of 37-39 °C is 10-15 liters. The course of treatment includes 6-10 such procedures, which are performed 1-2 times a week. Besides enemas are performed 2 to 3 times a week, during which from 300 to 600 ml of fresh water at 38-40 °C under pressure of 10-12 kPa is administered to the organism once, the course of treatment includes 6-8 such procedures.
Vibrovacuum therapy and segmental barotherapy are used as lipocorrective methods. The following types of kinesiotherapy are practiced: therapeutic gymnastics with involvement of large muscles, metered walking and breathing exercises, sports games, walks, exercises on simulators. In this case, therapeutic gymnastics classes shall be long - from 45 to 60 minutes. When forming a set of exercises in the course necessarily include running and walking.
Speaking about the therapeutic diet, we should note that in the diet of obese patients the amount of refined carbohydrates and fats is reduced, salt intake is limited, foods rich in essential oils, spices, smoked foods and alcohol are excluded, which can weaken self-control of eating, but the use of beets, apricots and prunes will be useful, as these products contribute to the emptying of the bowels. Patients should eat 5-6 times a day, and may eat fruits and vegetables between meals.
Basic criteria for the effectiveness of spa treatment of obesity
The main criteria for effectiveness of treatment of obesity in the resort are a decrease in body weight of the patient, reducing shortness of breath when walking, improving the overall health of the patient, as well as indicators of the glucose tolerance test.
