Balneotherapy in dermatology and rheumatology: a systematic review
review Grade D 2025 Open access
Authors: Kiereta, K., Cichowska, Z., Chmielowiec, L., Wacławek, K., Janawa, K., Ciesielka, A., Bacik, M., Rechcińska, A., Głodowska, K., Rdzanek, B.J., Żelazo, J.
Journal: Quality in Sport 42 : 60807
Key Findings
- Narrative literature review of balneotherapy across psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, acne, seborrheic dermatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and fibromyalgia
- Cites a German radon-water RCT (60 patients) showing sustained 6-month improvement in rheumatoid arthritis versus only short-term improvement with a carbon-dioxide-water control
- Cites three fibromyalgia RCTs where mineral water baths, with or without mud compress, improved pain and symptom scores versus pharmacotherapy-only or no-treatment controls
- Cites three ankylosing spondylitis RCTs where balneotherapy combined with exercise or TNF-inhibitor therapy outperformed exercise or TNF-inhibitor therapy alone
- General mechanism summary attributes anti-inflammatory, keratolytic, antimicrobial, and myorelaxant effects to the mineral content and thermal/mechanical properties of peloid and mineral-water baths
A narrative review published in a sports-science and management journal rather than a medical one, self-described as a “systematic review” but without a PRISMA flow diagram, dual-reviewer screening, or risk-of-bias assessment — best read as a student-authored literature summary rather than an independently authoritative review. Despite that caveat, the primary trials it cites (a German radon-water RA RCT and several fibromyalgia and ankylosing spondylitis RCTs) are real, previously published studies. None are peat-specific — they cover general mineral-water and mud balneotherapy — and none are treated here as more than review-level corroboration for the existing balneotherapy evidence base.
balneotherapydermatologyrheumatologyreviewjournal-quality-caveat