Sulphur bath and mud pack treatment for rheumatoid arthritis at the Dead Sea area

Authors: Sukenik S (1) , Buskila D , Neumann L , Kleiner-Baumgarten A , Zimlichman S , Horowitz J

Affiliations:

(1) Department of Rheumatology, Soroka Medical Center and Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Source: Ann Rheum Dis. 1990 Feb;49(2):99-102

DOI: Not specified Publication date: 1990 Feb E-Publication date: Not specified Availability: abstract Copyright: Not specified

Language: English Countries: Israel Location: Not specified Correspondence address: Dr S. Sukenik,
Soroka Medical Center,
PO Box 151, Beer-Sheva, Israel

Keywords

Article abstract

Forty patients with classical or definite rheumatoid arthritis in a stage of active disease were treated for two weeks at a spa hotel. The patients were divided into four groups of 10. Group I was treated with daily mud packs, group II with daily hot sulphur baths, group III with a combination of mud packs and hot sulphur baths, and group IV served as a control group. The patients were assessed by a rheumatologist who was blinded to the treatment modalities. Statistically significant improvement for a period of up to three months was observed in the three treatment groups in most of the clinical indices. Improvement in the control group was minor in comparison and not statistically significant. No significant improvement was observed in any of the laboratory variables measured. Except for three mild cases of thermal reaction there were no side effects.

Download the file : Ann Rheum Dis-1990-Sukenik-99-102.pdf (728.0 KB) Find it online