Key Takeaway
Speleotherapy (underground salt mine therapy) combined with exercise significantly reduced airway inflammation markers in allergy and asthma patients compared to controls.
Summary
This randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of speleotherapy -- therapy conducted in underground salt mines -- combined with winter exercise on patients with allergy and asthma. The study was conducted in the Gastein healing gallery in Austria, a well-known speleotherapy site with naturally occurring salt aerosol, radon, and elevated humidity.
Participants were randomized to either a speleotherapy-plus-exercise group or a control group. The primary outcome was fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), a well-validated biomarker of eosinophilic airway inflammation commonly elevated in allergic asthma. Secondary outcomes included white blood cell differentials and other inflammatory markers.
Results showed that the speleotherapy group experienced significant short-term reductions in FeNO levels compared to the control group, indicating meaningful decreases in airway inflammation. Changes in white blood cell counts also suggested an anti-inflammatory immune response. The authors noted the complex, multi-factorial nature of speleotherapy environments, where salt aerosol, humidity, temperature, and trace elements may all contribute to therapeutic effects.
While the study was limited by a relatively small sample size, and the authors acknowledged the difficulty of blinding participants to the intervention, the RCT design represents a meaningful step toward higher-quality evidence for salt-based therapies in respiratory conditions.
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