The change of well-being associated with spa therapy

Objective: The present exploratory study sought to examine the changes of w ell-being associated with 3 weeks of resort based spa therapy. This is a tr aditional form of health enhancement incorporating balneotherapy, physical therapies, and health education in an inpatient setting. Patients and Metho d: Subjects were spa patients (n = 153, mean age 58 years) with chronic pai n and other age related complaints of moderately higher than normal prevale nce, The well-being variables were vegetative complaints, pain, fatigue, po sitive and negative mood, and health satisfaction assessed at the beginning and end of spa treatment as well as 5 weeks and 12 months thereafter. Resu lts: Well-being improved significantly in all variables during spa therapy, the improvement continuing with a slight deterioration at 5 weeks after th e stay. After 12 months, vegetative complaints and fatigue had again reache d pre-spa levels, whereas pain, positive and negative mood as well as healt h satisfaction remained improved. Both patients with high and low levels of pain increase their well-being, although pain patients showed greater impr ovements in some of the measures. Subjects not responding to spa therapy we re older and showed less health satisfaction. Conclusions: The results sugg est that spa therapy may be a powerful tool in enhancing well-being in prog ressed middle aged adults with common health impairments.