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 ) .
[Dead Sea bath salts for osteoarthritis of the knee].
26 patients with osteoarthritis of the knees were r and omly divided into 2 groups of 13 each with patients of similar ages , sex distribution and duration and severity of disease . All were treated with daily baths at 34 - 35 degrees C for 20 min . containing Dead Sea bath salts ( Group I ) or sodium chloride ( Group II ) . The study was double-blind and of 2 weeks duration . Patients were evaluated by a rheumatologist before , at the end of treatment and 1 month later . Clinical parameters evaluated included index of severity of osteoarthritis , patient 's assessment of disease severity , range of movement of knees , soft tissue swelling , effusion and crepitus . There was significant improvement in the index of severity of osteoarthritis at the end of the treatment in both groups ( p < 0.01 ) . 1 month later , in Group I the significance of the index was still p < 0.01 , but p < 0.05 in Group II . Patient 's assessment of improvement was significant only in Group I at the end of the treatment period ( p < 0.01 ) . There was no statistical improvement in either group in the other parameters assessed
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 ) .