We found no statistically significant differences in pain on the McGill Question naire or in physical disability ( very low level of evidence ) between balneotherapy and the other interventions .
Overall evidence is insufficient to show that balneotherapy is more effective than no treatment , that one type of bath is more effective than another or that one type of bath is more effective than mudpacks , exercise or relaxation therapy
BACKGROUND No cure for rheumatoid arthritis ( RA ) is known at present , so treatment often focuses on management of symptoms such as pain , stiffness and mobility .
Treatment options include pharmacological interventions , physical therapy treatments and balneotherapy .
Balneotherapy is defined as bathing in natural mineral or thermal waters ( e.g. mineral baths , sulphur baths , Dead Sea baths ) , using mudpacks or doing both .
Despite its popularity , reported scientific evidence for the effectiveness or efficacy of balneotherapy is sparse .
This review , which evaluates the effects of balneotherapy in patients with RA , is an up date of a Cochrane review first published in 2003 and up date d in 2008 .
OBJECTIVES To perform a systematic review on the benefits and harms of balneotherapy in patients with RA in terms of pain , improvement , disability , tender joints , swollen joints and adverse events .
Long-term efficacy of radon spa therapy in rheumatoid arthritis--a randomized, sham-controlled study and follow-up.
OBJECTIVE To quantify the efficacy of a series of baths containing natural radon and carbon dioxide ( 1.3 kBq/l , 1.6 g carbon dioxide/l on average ) versus artificial carbon dioxide baths alone in patients with rheumatoid arthritis . SUBJECTS Sixty patients participating in an in-patient rehabilitation programme including a series of 15 baths were r and omly assigned to two groups . DESIGN Pain intensity ( 100 mm visual analogue scale ) and functional restrictions [ Keitel functional test , Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales ( AIMS question naire ) ] were measured at baseline , after completion of treatment and 3 and 6 months thereafter . To investigate whether the overall value of the outcomes was the same in both groups , the overall mean was analysed by Student 's t-test for independent sample s. RESULTS The two groups showed a similar baseline situation . After completion of treatment , relevant clinical improvements were observed in both groups , with no notable group differences . However , the follow-up revealed sustained effects in the radon arm , and a return to baseline levels in the sham arm . After 6 months , marked between-group differences were found for both end-points ( pain intensity : -16.9 % , 95 % confidence interval -27.6 to -6.2 % ; AIMS score : 0.57 , 95 % confidence interval 0.16 to 0.98 ) . The between-group differences were statistically significant for both overall means ( pain intensity , P : = 0.04 ; AIMS , P : = 0.01 ) . CONCLUSION Marked short-term improvements in both groups at the end of treatment may have masked potential specific therapeutic effects of radon baths . However , after 6 months of follow-up the effects were lasting only in patients of the radon arm . This suggests that this component of the rehabilitative intervention can induce beneficial long-term effects
We found no statistically significant differences in pain on the McGill Question naire or in physical disability ( very low level of evidence ) between balneotherapy and the other interventions .
Overall evidence is insufficient to show that balneotherapy is more effective than no treatment , that one type of bath is more effective than another or that one type of bath is more effective than mudpacks , exercise or relaxation therapy
BACKGROUND No cure for rheumatoid arthritis ( RA ) is known at present , so treatment often focuses on management of symptoms such as pain , stiffness and mobility .
Treatment options include pharmacological interventions , physical therapy treatments and balneotherapy .
Balneotherapy is defined as bathing in natural mineral or thermal waters ( e.g. mineral baths , sulphur baths , Dead Sea baths ) , using mudpacks or doing both .
Despite its popularity , reported scientific evidence for the effectiveness or efficacy of balneotherapy is sparse .
This review , which evaluates the effects of balneotherapy in patients with RA , is an up date of a Cochrane review first published in 2003 and up date d in 2008 .
OBJECTIVES To perform a systematic review on the benefits and harms of balneotherapy in patients with RA in terms of pain , improvement , disability , tender joints , swollen joints and adverse events .