We found silver level evidence ( www.cochranemsk.org ) concerning the beneficial effects of mineral baths compared to no treatment .
Of all other balneological treatments no clear effects were found .
BACKGROUND Balneotherapy ( or spa therapy , mineral baths ) for patients with arthritis is one of the oldest forms of therapy .
One of the aims of balneotherapy is to soothe the pain and as a consequence to relieve patients ' suffering and make them feel well .
In this up date we included one extra study .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effectiveness of  balneotherapy  for patients with osteoarthritis ( OA ) .
Double-Blind Trial on the Effectiveness of the Puspokladany Thermal Water on Arthrosis of the Knee-Joints
THE AUTHORS examined the effectiveness of the thermal water of Puspokladany on 62 patients suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee in a double-blind , placebo controlled study . Thermal water decreased pain in movement and tenderness of the knee significantly compared to that of the control group . Bath-reaction ( increase of ESR , leukocyte number and spontaneous pain ) was observed only in the group treated with thermal water . The results indi cate , that the thermal water of Puspokladany is suitable for treating patients suffering from degenerative arthopathies . In a previous announcement , Varga and his colleagues had established that a 20-days bath treat ment in the thermal water of Puspokladany signifi cantly reduced the pain of spondylosis patients when the treatment was applied in the undiluted thermal water . Bath reaction was shown on the patients who were treated in the undiluted thermal water , which was proved by the significant increase of the leucocyte number . The present paper deals with the study and tests we conducted to establish the effect of Puspokla dany 's thermal water on patients with osteoarthritis of the knee
We found silver level evidence ( www.cochranemsk.org ) concerning the beneficial effects of mineral baths compared to no treatment .
Of all other balneological treatments no clear effects were found .
BACKGROUND Balneotherapy ( or spa therapy , mineral baths ) for patients with arthritis is one of the oldest forms of therapy .
One of the aims of balneotherapy is to soothe the pain and as a consequence to relieve patients ' suffering and make them feel well .
In this up date we included one extra study .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effectiveness of  balneotherapy  for patients with osteoarthritis ( OA ) .