Therapeutic Use of Mineral Waters
No matter how interesting the composition and properties of water manifestations may be, it is clear that it is not these properties themselves that interest the curious reader, but rather how they will affect, first and foremost, those who will use a particular water.
To answer questions related to the therapeutic use of mineral waters, there exists an entire field of specialized knowledge.
Carbonated waters have a very wide range of therapeutic effects because their mineralization, macro- and micro-component compositions, temperature, quantity, and composition of dissolved and spontaneously released gases vary widely, and each of these indicators of the balneological activity of water or each combination of them affects the body differently. Sensitivity to mineral water also depends on accompanying deviations in health related to the primary disease. In general, the treatment with carbonated waters is recommended in the following cases.
Diseases of the cardiovascular system:
— myocardial dystrophy due to overstrain of the heart muscle, as well as metabolic, endocrine, toxic, or infectious origins;
— cardiosclerosis;
— atherosclerosis of coronary vessels;
— hypertension with a slowly progressive course in the absence of vascular crises and pronounced sclerosis of the vessels of the brain, heart, and kidneys;
— condition after a previous myocarditis in the absence of signs of active process no earlier than 8–10 months after the end of acute and subacute phenomena from the heart;
— neuroses with a predominant disturbance of the cardiovascular system function and moderately expressed general neurotic symptoms.
Diseases of the respiratory organs and upper respiratory tract of non-tuberculous nature.
Endocrinopathy with decreased function of endocrine glands.
Diseases of the digestive organs and metabolic disorders, including:
— stomach diseases with impaired secretory and motor functions;
— chronic gastritis with low and high acidity;
— chronic colitis;
— chronic diseases of the gallbladder and bile ducts.
These and a long list of other diseases could be treated using the mineral carbonated waters of Kyrgyzstan. Most manifestations and deposits of mineral waters in the republic are located in high-altitude and hard-to-reach places, which obviously significantly reduces the possibilities of their resort therapeutic development. The deposits along the valley of the river Yassy (Kara-Shoro and others) are in the most favorable position in this regard.
Thermal waters vary in their therapeutic effects depending on the composition and quantity of dissolved substances in them. As shown in the description of the manifestations and deposits of these waters, Kyrgyzstan has a wide variety of their types.
Nitrogen-thermal weakly mineralized siliceous waters have a therapeutic effect in the following cases:
Diseases of the joints, bones, and muscles:
— arthritis and polyarthritis of non-tuberculous origin;
— diseases of the spine of non-tuberculous origin;
— diseases of the bones, muscles, and tendons, including fractures with delayed consolidation, painful bone callus; osteitis, infectious and traumatic periostitis without pronounced disturbances in the function of the musculoskeletal system; chronic hematogenous (except for tuberculous) and gunshot recurrent osteomyelitis; trophic ulcers after long non-healing wounds — before or after surgery; chronic myalgias, myositis, myofascitis, fibromyofascitis, fibromyositis, bursitis, tenosynovitis, professional epicondylitis, periarthritis, stilonditis.
Diseases of the nervous system:
— radiculitis;
— polyneuritis;
— consequences of injuries and other traumas of the peripheral parts of the nervous system, phantom pains of amputated limbs;
— meningoencephalitis, residual phenomena after tick-borne encephalitis;
— meningo-myelo-radiculitis.
Gynecological diseases.
Skin diseases:
— chronic urticaria;
— skin itching;
— all forms of chronic eczema;
— neurodermatitis;
— seborrhea.
Joint diseases (consequences of thrombophlebitis, phlebitis).
Chronic professional poisoning (with lead, mercury, and other heavy metals) and consequences of specific treatments (with salvarsan, bismuth, etc.).
Waters of this type in our republic are both widespread and used more widely compared to waters of other types: Jalal-Abad, Jergalan, Issyk-Ata, Alamedin, Altyn-Arashan, Teploklyuchenka, Chon-Kyzylsu — these are just the active resorts and health resorts.
Mineralized thermal waters have a beneficial effect on the body in the same diseases as weakly mineralized siliceous waters, except that in skin diseases their capabilities are somewhat limited due to the irritating effect of brines on the skin; however, they can be consumed as drinking water, aiding in the treatment of stomach, intestinal, liver, pancreas diseases, diseases related to metabolic disorders, urinary tract, and endocrine glands.
Radon waters are effectively used for diseases of the joints, bones, muscles — the same as nitrogen-thermal siliceous waters, but often more effectively. They are used in the treatment of diseases of the nervous system, skin, gynecological diseases, and especially for diseases of the cardiovascular system. In Kyrgyzstan, radon waters are used at the resort of Jety-Oguz and in the balneotherapy center of Jili-Suu; they are also known in other places in the republic, but have not yet found practical application there.
Sulfide waters have a therapeutic effect in diseases of the cardiovascular system, joints, bones, muscles, nervous system, female reproductive organs, chronic intoxications, and are particularly effective for a wide range of skin diseases (psoriasis, neurodermatitis, various dermatitis, early forms of scleroderma, ichthyosis, pruritus, skin itching, keratodermia, chronic urticaria).
Iron waters are among the drinking therapeutic waters and are used in their "pure" form very rarely; more often, the presence of iron in the water enhances the therapeutic effect of its use without fully determining this effect. The consumption of iron water stimulates the processes of hematopoiesis, so it is usually recommended for the treatment of iron deficiency anemias.
Iodine-bromine waters usually have a sodium chloride composition and increased mineralization, so their effect on the body is complex, and the list of diseases for which they are used is quite extensive, including diseases of the cardiovascular system, nervous system, skin, digestive organs, gynecological diseases, diseases of the joints, bones, and muscles.
Therapeutic waters without "specific" components are used for therapeutic purposes as thermal baths; their therapeutic effect manifests similarly to the above-mentioned thermal waters, as well as in the form of therapeutic drinking waters, their action is similar to that of therapeutic drinking carbonated waters, providing a positive influence in diseases of the stomach, intestines, liver, bile ducts, pancreas, endocrine glands, urinary tract diseases, skin diseases related to digestive organ diseases and metabolic disorders.
It often happens that water without "specific" components deserves attention as therapeutic even for healthy people. This is usually observed in areas where fresh and very fresh waters are predominantly found, typical for mountainous and high-altitude territories, quite common in Kyrgyzstan. For people accustomed to drinking melt water, which is almost distilled in mineralization, even gypsum water with a mineralization of 1–2 g/L has a distinct specific taste and has a refreshing effect on well-being and a stimulating effect on the stomach.
