Contents
Therapeutic mud is a natural product formed over thousands of years under the influence of climate, water, soil, plants and microorganisms. It has an anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving and immune-stimulating action, improves circulation and metabolism and strengthens the bones. And mud baths bring something everyone feels from the very first time: calm and relaxation.
In brief
- Therapeutic mud comes in three types — liman, peat and mineral — and the Pomorie variety is liman mud.
- It works best for chronic pain in the joints, back and muscles, for disc disease and for certain skin conditions.
- There are four methods: the Egyptian mud bath, the mud bath tub, the application and the cavity method.
- Before your first treatment, carry out a skin patch test — on the wrist or behind the ear.
An ancient pleasure carried through the centuries
The healing properties of mud have been known for at least two thousand years. The ancient Egyptians, Romans, Greeks and Indians used mud mainly to treat joint pain, swelling, chronic inflammation and haemorrhoids. Later they discovered that mud also has a cosmetic and relaxing effect.
During the Middle Ages mud treatments were largely forgotten, but in the 16th and 17th centuries healers in France, Russia, Bohemia and Germany made them popular once again. In Bulgaria, mud therapy spread in the 19th century around Pomorie, where the deposit of liman mud lies. It was there, in 1925, that the country’s first mud therapy centre was built.
What is peloid therapy
Mud therapy, or peloid therapy, is one of the most sought-after spa treatments. The name comes from the Greek pelos — mud, silt, clay — and therapia — treatment. Therapeutic mud cleanses, nourishes, firms and restores the skin — something that matters just as much to the ladies as it does to the more image-conscious gentlemen.
The three types of therapeutic mud
Therapeutic mud is a uniform, plastic mass that retains heat for a long time and contains a wealth of biologically active substances and living microorganisms. It is found near mineral and thermal springs and on algae-rich sea beds. According to its composition, it is classified as:
- Liman mud — black, oily to the touch, with a smell of hydrogen sulphide and a high iron content. It has an alkaline pH, is readily absorbed by the skin, acts as a bactericide and strengthens the body’s defences. This is the Pomorie mud.
- Peat mud — formed in marshland. It stimulates metabolism in the tissues, eases allergic skin reactions and has an antimicrobial effect. It is often used for conditions of the musculoskeletal system.
- Mineral mud — lighter in colour and without an unpleasant smell. It is used in baths and applications to relieve pain, to nourish and moisturise the skin and in anti-cellulite care.
How mud works on the skin and joints
The microparticles in the mud penetrate the skin and gently compress the tissues. This stimulates circulation and helps the body flush out toxins. At the same time, the skin absorbs minerals and biologically active substances that nourish the body and aid muscle recovery.
Mud treatments reduce pain in conditions of the peripheral nervous system — disc disease, plexitis, periarthritis. The effect is best for:
- chronic degenerative and inflammatory joint conditions;
- injuries to the joints and soft tissues;
- arthrosis, osteochondrosis and lower back pain;
- skin conditions, including psoriasis.
Mud treatments activate the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, thereby boosting the body’s defences. According to some specialists, mud from thermal and mineral springs also improves the function of the pituitary gland, the adrenal glands and the liver.
The four methods of mud therapy
Egyptian mud bath
The oldest and most popular method. It is done outdoors after sunbathing: the body is coated with about 1 cm of warmed, thick mud, which is left to dry and crack. The body is then rinsed with sea or mineral water. The treatment takes around 2 hours and uses liman mud or mud from mineral springs.
Mud bath tub
About 20% mud mass is diluted in a bath of mineral or sea water at a temperature no higher than 38 °C. The course usually lasts two weeks, and the advantage is that it can be done all year round. It is particularly suitable for joint conditions.
Application
The method most commonly used in spa centres. The body is coated with warmed mud, wrapped in plastic film and a blanket, and after 15 minutes the mud is washed off with warm water.
Cavity method
Used in medical facilities for conditions of the reproductive system in both men and women.
When mud baths are not suitable
- acute infectious diseases;
- cardiovascular conditions, especially after a heart attack;
- sexually transmitted diseases;
- pregnancy, especially in the final months;
- certain mental health conditions;
- frequent bleeding;
- malignant conditions.
Skin patch test: before your first treatment, apply a little mud to the inner side of the wrist or behind the ear. Although mud helps with many allergic conditions, it can occasionally trigger an allergy itself.
Mud baths as a ritual
Mud therapy can be done whenever the body is tired and in need of fresh energy — and it is one of the finest cosmetic treatments there is. It supports immunity, anti-cellulite care and weight control. Even so, do consult a specialist at the spa centre — in some cases this is essential.
This is how mud baths become a ritual: preparing body and mind, relaxing, cleansing and restoring the whole system.
Author: Irena Stefanova. Source: bb-team.org
Contraindications
Mud therapy is not suitable for people with cardiovascular conditions — a previous heart attack, stage two or three hypertension — or for those with varicose veins, during pregnancy, or with certain malignant diseases. A medical examination is essential before starting a course of mud treatments. Read more: Dr Stefan Shishkov on Pomorie mud.
About Luga.bg
Maker of natural products with Black Sea lye and liman mud from Pomorie. We have been writing about lye, mud and sea minerals since 2015 — with doctors, physiotherapists and our own experience.
