Dry carbon dioxide baths
Dry Carbon Dioxide Baths: The Essence of the Process
Dry carbon dioxide baths (hereinafter referred to as DCDB) are fundamentally based on the effect of carbon dioxide (CO2) contained in a steam-air mixture on the human body through the skin. As a powerful biological stimulant, carbon dioxide significantly affects the regulation processes of the body's vital functions, particularly those related to circulation and respiration.
Unlike wet carbonic acid baths, the therapeutic effect of carbon dioxide on the patient occurs directly without thermal or mechanical (liquid pressure) influence from water, meaning with less stress on the body. In any case, treatment should always begin with diagnosis and consultation with specialists.
These baths are administered in specially designed installations that create an enclosed space around the patient’s body filled with a steam-air mixture enriched with an increased concentration of carbon dioxide. At the same time, the patient’s head remains in the normal indoor air environment of the room where the DCDB unit is located.
The main active agent in DCDB — carbon dioxide — when acting through unbroken skin, causes vasodilation and enhances blood flow through capillaries and small vessels. As a result, metabolic processes accelerate, stagnation phenomena decrease, and blood viscosity is reduced.
Air temperature during DCDB is about 30 degrees Celsius, gas supply reaches up to 20 liters per minute, and the procedure lasts up to 20 minutes, typically prescribed as a course of approximately 15 sessions.
The favorable impact affects the heart and blood vessels, normalizing respiratory and heart rates and increasing diastole. Vascular tone and venous outflow also improve.
DCDBs demonstrate pronounced antiseptic properties and accelerate recovery processes during post-burn rehabilitation.
Indications and Contraindications for Treatment
DCDBs are used at the "Berezoviy Gai" health resort for patients suffering from the following conditions:
Heart and vascular diseases:
- Ischemia (atherosclerosis, cardiosclerosis, angina);
- Hypertension;
- Rheumatism;
- Atherosclerosis of the lower limbs;
- Varicose disease (thrombophlebitis, varicose veins);
- Raynaud’s disease.
Skin disorders:
- Psoriasis;
- Dermatitis;
- Ecema (dry form);
- Neurodermatitis;
- Consequences of burns.
Diseases of the nervous system:
- Vasculovenous dystonia;
- Sleep disorders;
- Migraine (headache).
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system:
- Osteochondrosis;
- Intervertebral disc herniation;
- Disc protrusion;
- Schmorl’s nodes;
- Gonarthritis;
- Spondyloarthrosis;
- Post-traumatic conditions.
Endocrine system diseases and metabolic disorders:
- Gout;
- Diabetes mellitus;
- Hypothyroidism (compensated stage);
- Obesity (Stage I-II).
In addition, DCDBs are well tolerated by elderly individuals experiencing weakened immune function. They enhance the body's resistance to harmful external influences and slow down aging processes.
Contraindications for DCDB include:
- Heart failure (Stage II and higher);
- Cardiac arrhythmias;
- Cardiac asthma;
- Malignant tumors;
- Aortic aneurysm;
- Acute myocardial infarction (exacerbation);
- Lung and bronchial diseases (acute inflammation);
- Bronchiectasis;
- Skin diseases (purulent forms).
Procedure at the Health Resort
Specialists at the "Berezoviy Gai" health resort have created comfortable conditions for administering DCDB treatments to patients. The cost of one session is listed in the price list available on the resort's official website.
Carbon dioxide dry baths are not only used for therapeutic purposes but also as a preventive measure. If you are healthy, it is still beneficial to undergo these procedures to relieve the consequences of a stressful lifestyle — such as stress and chronic fatigue. Many procedures can be combined with each other, and more details can be provided by the resort staff.