Main Therapeutic Uses of Some Moroccan Hot Springs’ Waters

Abstract

Morocco has an important groundwater reserve, especially in the Atlas domain, corresponding to its largest water reservoir. This reserve comes from rainwater infiltrated into rocks and sediments to give rise to mineralized waters feeding many springs and having curative properties, which confer each spa-specific therapeutic indications, based on the medicinal properties of its waters. All over the world, mineral waters of thermal springs have interesting therapeutic uses to cure some diseases; unfortunately, such potential is underexploited in Morocco. This narrative review deals with the distribution of thermal springs in Morocco, the classification of their thermal waters, and their health effects, with the aim to enhance them. For this purpose, previous studies’ results on different aspects of thermal waters were searched in the most famous scientific databases, by using targeted specific keywords. Literature has shown that Morocco contains several thermal springs, scattered throughout the Middle Atlas, in the South, and in the Rif, which are regarded as waters of high therapeutic quality, whose thermal cures are often recommended to people suffering from rheumatism and locomotor system’s diseases, skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis, cardiovascular diseases, overweight, or respiratory troubles. However, apart from the unique and real thermal station of Moulay Yacoub, the other thermal springs are exploited in an empirical and artisanal way, mainly by a local population. So, as hydrotherapy constitutes a good choice of natural therapy using water components as a complement or alternative to conventional treatments, a better understanding of the thermal springs’ distribution in Morocco, their thermal waters’ classification, and their potential health effects may enable their valorization through a better use of their waters.

Beneficial Effects of Geological Materials: With Africa Case Descriptions

“…This treatment regime has shown significant effects for some diseases such as cardiovascular conditions and skin lesions (Gebretsadik et al, 2021;Gebretsadik, 2023). Recent pertinent references on the role of balneotherapy in the treatment regimen of a host of non-communicable diseases in Africa include those of: Pedrazzini et al, 2016;Sekome and Maddocks, 2019;Williams, 2019;Mangwane and Ntanjana, 2020;Ncube et al, 2020;Oluwaseun et al, 2020;Fikri-Benbrahim et al, 2021;Gebretsadik et al, 2021;Haji et al, 2021;Kgabi and Ambushe, 2023;Wang et al, 2023a).…”

Dr. Tayyar Kuşcu'nun Haymana Kaplıcası ve Faydaları Adlı Eserinin Değerlendirmesi

“…14 Numerous studies exist in the literature in the subject of the use of thermal and mineral healing waters in the treatment of various diseases. [15][16][17][18][19] Haymana Thermal Springs Spa treatment, which dates back to the history of humanity, is a method that has been developed with the use of thermal and mineral waters for the treatment of various diseases and has been used until today. 20 There are various thermal springs such as drinking, spa and hot springs with different characteristics and degrees in almost every corner of Turkey, where tectonic activities are intense.…”

Hydrogeochemistry and Therapeutic Effects of Thermal waters of Khenchela (North-East Algeria)

“…Their use is in particular indicated for hydroponic therapy for diseases of the gastrointestinal system. By bathing in and drinking these waters, it is believed it helps to heal from certain children's diseases including hypotrophy, respiratory infections and enuresis [23] .…”