Have you ever covered your legs in hot sand on the beach? Well ! The principle of sand therapy, also called psammatotherapy or arenotherapy, is a bit the same thing. This alternative medicine consists of enveloping the body entirely in sand heated either by the sun or artificially in thalassotherapy. This practice, not widespread in France, has many virtues.
Sand therapy comes to us from northern African countries such as Egypt, Algeria or Morocco. In these countries, sand therapy is practiced in the dunes of the Sahara between June and September, where the sand reaches temperatures above 40 degrees. In recent years, this practice has conquered tourists who come to enjoy the benefits of the desert sand, in a supervised manner.
But what are the effects of sand on the body?
The benefits of the “sand bath” lie in the great heat it can release without burning, combined with its weight which causes an increase in blood pressure. The minerals it contains (magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, sulfur and strontium) and its exfoliating effect are also part of its strengths.
Thus, sand therapy would make it possible to:
- relieve rheumatism, osteoarthritis, low back pain or polyarthritis (see also: Osteoarthritis or arthritis? We teach you to tell the difference)
- stimulate blood circulation
- activate sweating and thus eliminate toxins and fats like a sauna while allowing the body to assimilate trace marines
- remove dead skin and help fight certain skin diseases.
How does a sand therapy session take place?
At the gates of the desert, near Merzouga (Morocco) for example, dozens of inns offer sand therapy sessions. The staff then dig in the dune, where the patient will settle. It is then covered with sand around 45 degrees and will stay there for 10 to 15 minutes. During this time, the patient’s head is protected from the sun by small tents and he is regularly rehydrated. The medical staff take care to avoid any risk of sunstroke. When coming out of his sand bath, and in order not to cool down too quickly, the person is rolled up in a heating blanket.
In a thalassotherapy, this practice (widespread in Italy), has some variations. First of all the sand is purified and sanitized. It is then artificially heated up to 40-43 degrees and distributed over the whole body in a layer of 3 cm. The treatment lasts more than twenty minutes and the temperature of the sand gradually decreases to 37-38 degrees.
Are there any recommendations to follow?
Sand therapy is not to be tried alone during a beach vacation. Burying yourself in the sand, leaving only the head protruding, runs the risk of not being able to dislodge. Several accidents of this kind have already been recorded. Finally, staying in the sun without supervision leads to dehydration and a risk of sunstroke.
This practice is also not recommended for people who suffer from cardiovascular problems, hypertension or uncontrolled hypotension, peripheral respiratory failure, varicose veins Where renal failure. Thus, before embarking on sand therapy, it is recommended to go see a doctor.
Read also :
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5 questions to ask yourself before choosing a thalassotherapy center
