Impact of radon and combinatory radon/carbon dioxide spa on pain and hypertension: Results from the explorative RAD-ON01 study

Abstract

Objectives: Therapies with low doses of radon have beneficial effects on patients suffering from chronic painful degenerative and inflammatory diseases. We already showed that this is accompanied by systemic immune modulations. We here focus on pain-reducing effects of very low doses of radon by adding carbon dioxide water and its impact on heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure and free radicals.

Methods: 97 of 103 patients receiving radon spa (1.200 Bq/l at 34 °C or 600 Bq/l, 1 g/l CO₂ at 34 °C) were monitored before and at three different time points after therapy. Individual pain perception was analyzed and the capability to process radicals. At each time point, the hypertensive patients (n = 46) were examined over 24 h for blood pressure and HRV.

Results: Long-term pain reduction was observed in the majority of patients. A modulation of superoxide dismutase was identified, presumably representing a priming effect for lowering radiation stress. Further, lowering of blood pressure, especially in those patients who additionally received carbon dioxide, was seen. Radon did in particular impact on HRV implying lasting relaxation effects.

Conclusion: Radon/carbon dioxide spa efficiently reduces pain. In particular, patients simultaneously suffering from painful and cardiovascular diseases should be treated by combination of radon and CO₂.

Keywords:

• Chronic painful musculoskeletal diseases
• hypertension
• pain reduction
• radon/carbon dioxide spa
• superoxide dismutase

Conflict of interest

None.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit Bayern (LGL), the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research [BMBF; grant 02NUK017G and 02NUK050E, GREWIS and GREWIS-alpha], the Bayerisches Staatsbad Bad Steben GmbH, the community Bad Steben and the health resort research association, as well as the European Commission [European Network of Excellence, DoReMi; grant FP7-249689].