A similar effect has been found in chronic pelvic inflammatory disease .
The review also revealed that  balneotherapy has some beneficial effects on antioxidant status , and on metabolic and inflammatory parameters .
Based on the results , we conclude that balneotherapy with Hungarian thermal-mineral waters is an effective remedy for  lower back pain  , as well as for knee and h and osteoarthritis
Balneotherapy is appreciated as a traditional treatment modality in medicine .
Hungary is rich in thermal mineral waters .
Balneotherapy has been in extensive use for centuries and its effects have been studied in detail .
Effect of balneotherapy on the antioxidant system--a controlled pilot study.
BACKGROUND Balneotherapy is among the most widely used modalities of physical therapy in countries rich in mineral waters . This trial was intended to ascertain whether balneotherapy ( i.e. , therapeutic bath in mineral water ) has any influence on the antioxidant system and whether there are any differences compared to bathing in tap water . METHODS The ten subjects in Group I bathed in alkaline thermal water , Group II  used alkaline , chlorine-containing mineral water , whereas Group III  bathed in tap water .  Catalase , superoxide dismutase , malondialdehyde protein and glutathione peroxidase levels were measured at baseline and after concluding the course of balneotherapy . RESULTS Balneotherapy with either of the two mineral waters reduced the activity of all four enzymes studied . Using tap water , however , had no influence on either catalase or superoxide dismutase activity after one session or glutathione peroxidase levels after a course of ten balneotherapy treatments . CONCLUSIONS Thermal water may have a beneficial effect on the formation of free radicals . The therapeutic efficacy of mineral vs. tap water is different , although bathing in hot water itself reduces enzyme activity
A similar effect has been found in chronic pelvic inflammatory disease .
The review also revealed that  balneotherapy has some beneficial effects on antioxidant status , and on metabolic and inflammatory parameters .
Based on the results , we conclude that balneotherapy with Hungarian thermal-mineral waters is an effective remedy for  lower back pain  , as well as for knee and h and osteoarthritis
Balneotherapy is appreciated as a traditional treatment modality in medicine .
Hungary is rich in thermal mineral waters .
Balneotherapy has been in extensive use for centuries and its effects have been studied in detail .