[Not Available]. / Das Potenzial der Sauna im Rahmen der Prävention - eine Übersicht neuerer Erkenntnisse.

The benefits of using sauna in prevention and therapy could be enhanced. In this paper, new findings are reported underpinning the preventive and therapeutic potential of this intervention. Sauna can be helpful in toughening up and in supplementing pain management of e.g. fibromyalgia as well as in preventing and treating common lifestyle diseases, such as stress, metabolic diseases, or type 2 diabetes.

[Study of the composition of steam condensate at the Yangan-Tau health resort].

Investigation into the composition of steam condensate from gasothermal baths at the Yangan-Tau health resort showed that it contains a large amount of organic substances. The overwhelming majority of these compounds were shown to be products of thermo-oxidative breakdown of bituminol. They were studied with a view to identifying potential carcinogenic agents. Eight compounds found in the gasothermal baths of the health resort are known to be on the list of carcinogenic agents. However, their concentration does not exceed the maximum permissible levels which confirms that these baths pose no carcinogenic risk for the patients. The sole radioactive agent present at an elevated concentration is radon considered to be a therapeutic factor of the Yangan-Tau gasothermal baths.

[Is Turkish bath water potable?: The baths of Sidi-Bel-Abbes]. / Peut-on boire les eaux de bains maures << Hammam >> ? : cas des bains de la ville de Sidi-Bel-Abbès.

In Algeria, large numbers of people regularly go to Turkish baths or "Hammams". The cold tap water of the baths in the town of Sidi-Bel-Abbes (Algeria) comes either from wells or from a mixture of potable waterworks water and well water. Its principal use is for personal hygiene (washing). However, the steam heat generates thirst that can cause users to drink cold water during the steam bath. In addition, the wells feeding the baths are often poorly protected and especially badly treated. To ascertain whether their water quality, particularly bacteriological, meets the requirements for drinking water, we studied the characteristics of water from ten Turkish baths in Sidi-Bel-Abbes. Bacteriological analyses of cold water showed signs of contamination of fecal origin in 50% of the samples analysed. Moreover two water points from two of the baths appeared to have permanent fecal contamination. The physicochemical analysis showed that the water was very high in calcium (up to 550 mg/L) and magnesium (up to 299 mg/L). The maximum nitrate level observed was 68 mg/L. This study thus showed the existence of a health risk due to deterioration in the quality of the bath water and demonstrated the need for protection of the wells, frequent purification, and regular microbiological testing.

Detection of Legionella pneumophila at thermal spas.

Water samples were collected at three therapeutic thermal spas in the area of Brescia, between February and October 2000: 34.8% of the samples contained Legionella pneumophila; the predominant isolates (30%) belonged to Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1. The microorganism was present in the spa water at high concentrations, generally higher than 10000 cfu/l. The large number of positive Legionella pneumophila samples indicates a potential risk of infection to patients, especially those undergoing inhalation treatment with thermal water, or those using a whirlpool or taking a shower even if, during the study, no clinical cases of Legionnaires' disease were observed. In some inhalators in use we detected Legionella pneumophila: after a treatment to eradicate the microorganism, no sanitary fittings currently show contamination. Thus, in our opinion, they are not sources of infection when they are mantained and serviced properly. Thermal disinfection and service checks at regular intervals are suggested for contaminated systems.

Benefits and risks of sauna bathing.

Although sauna bathing causes various acute, transient cardiovascular and hormonal changes, it is well tolerated by most healthy adults and children. Sauna bathing does not influence fertility and is safe during the uncomplicated pregnancies of healthy women. Some studies have suggested that long-term sauna bathing may help lower blood pressure in patients with hypertension and improve the left ventricular ejection fraction in patients with chronic congestive heart failure, but additional data are needed to confirm these findings. The transient improvements in pulmonary function that occur in the sauna may provide some relief to patients with asthma and chronic bronchitis. Sauna bathing may also alleviate pain and improve joint mobility in patients with rheumatic disease. Although sauna bathing does not cause drying of the skin-and may even benefit patients with psoriasis-sweating may increase itching in patients with atopic dermatitis. Contraindications to sauna bathing include unstable angina pectoris, recent myocardial infarction, and severe aortic stenosis. Sauna bathing is safe, however, for most people with coronary heart disease with stable angina pectoris or old myocardial infarction. Very few acute myocardial infarctions and sudden deaths occur in saunas, but alcohol consumption during sauna bathing increases the risk of hypotension, arrhythmia, and sudden death, and should be avoided.

[Hygienic standardization of temperature parameters of sauna effects on pre-school children]. / Gigienicheskoe reglamentirovanie temperaturnykh parametrov vozdeistviia sauny na doshkolnikov.

Critical temperature (70 degrees C) of hot air exposure of children aged 4-5 was determined by physiological investigations. Determination of isothermal skin sites of children is useful for hygienic standardization of sauna air exposure.

[Health requirements of sauna facilities in East Germany]. / Hygieneanforderungen an Saunaanlagen in der DDR.

There was a considerable increase in sauna attendance in the GDR in recent years. For excluding the risk of an infection transfer when attenting the sauna it is necessary to pay particular hygienic attention to this special type of sports and recreational facilities. The special hygienic requirements to the staff and sauna users are explained. The tasks and responsibilities of the state sanitary inspection when opening and controlling public saunas are described.

The sauna and bathing in different countries.

Hot baths have been popular at different periods in different countries, although the sauna in Finland, has been popular for two thousand years. Bathing practices and the use of the sauna differ, though a common feature is inducing sweating followed by cooling off to create a sense of wellbeing. But in many places the sauna has been used to mask other practices, including those which pander to people's sexual appetites. It would be advantageous therefore for supporters and advocates of the sauna to try to correct the abuses.