Sulphurous Crenotherapy Is Effective at Reducing Pain and Disability in Overweight/Obese Patients Affected by Chronic Low Back Pain from Spine Osteoarthritis

Abstract

Crenotherapy is recognized as being effective in patients with osteoarthritis of the spine, but to date there is no indication if it is effective for patients who are overweight or obese. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of sulphurous crenotherapy on pain and disability in overweight/obese subjects affected by chronic low back pain from spine osteoarthritis. Forty-three patients (63 ± 8.8 years) affected by chronic low back pain from lumbar spine osteoarthritis were enrolled in this study. Subjects were treated with 2 weeks of sulphurous creno-treatments. Subjective pain was measured by a numerical rating scale score (NRS), and functional mobility of the lumbar spine was measured using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) before and after crenotherapy. Both crenotherapy groups (normal weight: A1; overweight/obese: A2) experienced significantly improved NRS and ODI scores (A1: p < 0.001 and p = 0.001; A2: p = 0.001 and p = 0.001). At end of the treatment, significant improvements were observed as a result of the crenotherapy in overweight/obese subjects in terms of pain reduction measured with NRS (p = 0.03) and in terms of function mobility of the lumbar spine measured with ODI (p = 0.006). This study highlights the beneficial effect of sulphurous crenotherapy on the painful symptomatology and disability in both normal weight and overweight/obese patients suffering from chronic low back pain associated with lumbar spine osteoarthritis.

Marked Reduction of Oxidant Species after Sulfureous Crenotherapy in Females with Joint Diseases and Psoriasis: A Retrospective Real-Life Study

“…Crenotherapy or spa salus per aquam has therapeutic effects on various disorders, especially in those triggered by oxidative stress, and in some cases, they represent an alternative approach to standard pharmacological treatments [14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. Based on their ionic compositions, mineral waters can be classified as sulfureous, sulfate, bicarbonate, sodium chloride, ferrous arsenic waters, and others [23].…”

“…Crenotherapy with sulfureous mineral water exerts beneficial effects in several diseases and also improves cellular redox state in both animal models and humans [2,[14][15][16][17][18][19][20]. Moreover, the sulfureous hydropinotherapy cycle significantly reduces circulating levels of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs) in patients with gastrointestinal disorders, likely protecting them from oxidative stress [21]. Hydropinotherapy relies on drinking mineral water in the morning by sipping during the fasting state to overcome possible interferences with digestive processes.…”

“…Hydropinotherapy relies on drinking mineral water in the morning by sipping during the fasting state to overcome possible interferences with digestive processes. Mineral water at room temperature or slightly heated should be assumed to avoid nausea or vomiting [21]. The type and the amount of mineral water to assume varies depending on the patient's disease and age.…”

“…At this stage, patients undergo a "reaction" step, as already described for balneotherapy. The therapeutic cycle consists of 12-day mud-bath applications with a rest day after 5-6 days of treatment [21][22][23].…”

The Potential Role of Spa Therapy in Managing Frailty in Rheumatic Patients: A Scoping Review

“…Pre-clinical studies and clinical trials have shown that spa interventions can be beneficial in subjects with rheumatic diseases [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ]. The effects of immersion and exercise in thermal mineral-rich water on symptoms and inflammation appear to be superior and longer-lasting than the effects of hydrotherapy [ 14 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. Furthermore, preliminary studies are evaluating the effects of thermal mineral-rich water on the skin’s microbiome, since bathing in thermal water could act on certain bacteria of the skin [ 21 ].…”