After a week-long hospitalisation and heavy dosage of prescribed medication, Bengaluru-based entrepreneur Gayathri Thirugnanam was struggling with her post-covid recovery. All she was seeking was a non-invasive, natural therapy to clear and soothe her respiratory track and strengthen her frail lungs. That’s when the 45-year-old first heard of halotherapy or salt room sessions being conducted at the HSR layout-based centre called Salt World. Little did she know something as humble as salt could come to her rescue. The sessions here promised non- invasive, alternative therapy for improving respiratory health.
Intrigued by this novel concept she began her research only to realise that all the procedure entailed was sitting in a salt cave-like room, just breathing and relaxing. She was quick to sign up for the sessions and reckons it was the best thing to happen to her lung health. While Thirugnanam opted for a six months package, she could feel a difference in her breathing in just two to three days. “From restricted breathing, I could breathe freely and my muffled voice also started opening up,” she explains. Over six months, these alternate day sessions helped her breathe easy, quite literally. Five years down the line, she still occasionally indulges in salt room therapy sessions which she finds soothing and calming and feels they’ve helped improve her sleep cycle as well.
Thirugnanam isn’t alone; she’s part of a growing population of health-conscious Indians who are embracing salt therapy. With several Indian cities grappling with polluted air, it isn’t just people with respiratory issues who are signing up, but also those who are struggling to breathe easy in the current air quality. According to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, India bears the highest burden of chronic respiratory diseases in the world, with over 100 million people suffering from conditions like COPD and asthma.
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING
While halotherapy may seem like a novel idea, experts say that the discovery of therapeutic properties of salt caves, dates back to the early 19th century. That was when researchers realised that miners working in the salt caves in Eastern Europe rarely encountered respiratory issues and had better skin health. This reaction was attributed to the long hours they spent amidst salt particles that lingered in the caves as a result of salt drilling and mining. Cut to the present-day world,and you have halotherapy centres offering spa goers and people with respiratory issues a new haven. These spaces are also highly recommended for smokers who are looking to quit and take their lung health seriously.
Experts claim that consistent sessions can help treat an array of respiratory issues like snoring, asthma, wheezing, chronic bronchitis, allergies, sinusitis and even COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Dinesh Dasgoswami, director of spa, J Wellness Circle, Taj Palace, New Delhi, has seen a noticeable rise in interest around halotherapy at the hotel’s Lavana Salt Room, owing to rising awareness of air quality and respiratory wellbeing. “With increasing pollution levels, more guests are seeking natural wellness experiences that support breathing comfort and overall relaxation,” he says.
BREATHE EASY
The science and technique behind halotherapy is quite simple. A machine called a halogenerator grinds pharmaceutical-grade sodium chloride salt (NaCl) which meets strict purity standards, into micron sized particles which are dispersed into the salt room. The room turns slightly misty with the particles floating in the air.“This experience entails inhaling air laden with microscopic particles of pharmaceutical-grade salt (sodium chloride). These particles are known to thin mucus in the airways and reduce congestion,” explains Dr. Hrishikesh Ashok, chief Ayurveda consultant at Naad Wellness in Haryana.
According to Dasgoswami, halotherapy might not be a medical treatment, but is valued as a restorative therapy that may help support respiratory comfort. Deepthi Babu, founder of Salt World in Bengaluru couldn’t agree more. She adds that apart from improving lung health, halotherapy also aids skin wellness and helps the mind and body relax. Experts explain that halotherapy’s efficacy lies in the natural anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and mucolytic (mucus-thinning) properties of pharmaceutical-grade salt.
As you enter Saltword’s pristine white, salt therapy room, you are greeted by walls and floor coated and textured with salt. Much like Thirugnanam’s experience, there’s little for you to do than sit on a relaxing chair and inhale the air effortlessly. You could read a book or probably take a nap as you lounge on the chair for a 60-minute session. The therapy also helps in improving sleep quality. “Salt is also considered to be hypnotic in nature which helps soothe and calm the mind as a result of which you get a sound sleep,” adds Babu.
At Naad Wellness too, the walls and surfaces are lined with natural Himalayan salt bricks and crystals that create a warm, amber glow when softly illuminated. According to Dr. Ashok, the microscopic particles not only help draw out impurities, reduce inflammation, and promote clearer breathing, but the act of breathing in a pristine surrounding also helps the nervous system shift into a calmer state. “As a result, halotherapy is often experienced not only as a respiratory therapy but also as a restorative wellness practice,” he adds.
Getting hooked to salt therapy sessions worked wonders for Aishwarya Sharma, 31, a marketing manager in Gurugram. Sharma swears by the beneficial effects of halotherapy after she recovered from the constant fatigue and congestion she had been experiencing due to exposure to pollution in Gurugram. Curious to try something natural that could support her breathing and overall well-being she opted for halotherapy at Naad Wellness centre at Sonipat, Haryana. “What I appreciated the most was that it didn’t feel like a treatment in the clinical sense,” explains Sharma.
In Delhi, which has been notorious for its AQI, you will find the Lavana Salt Room booked for people looking to build their respiratory health and get additional benefits that come with it.
Dasgoswami says that apart from its respiratory benefits, salt particles that settle lightly on the skin aid natural purification and improve skin texture with every session. “The anti-inflammatory properties soothe the skin, kill bacteria, and exfoliate dead skin cells,” adds Dasgoswami.
Referring to research journals and review articles on Halotherapy Dr Ashwitha Shruti Dass, health check physician Manipal Hospital, Old Airport Road says micro salt particles released in the salt room some have some kind of anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties which are found to be helpful in clearing the mucus in the respiratory tract. People with respiratory problems like COPD, asthma and sometimes even sinusitis seem to have benefited from it. However halotherapy cannot be completely relied on alone to treat a respiratory condition. Probably further studies would be needed to understand its effectiveness. She says it cannot replace conventional medicine or medical treatment but probably could help like an additional therapy. For some people there could be side effects like throat irritation, coughing or even skin irritation because every body is different and their body may respond differently to it so consulting a doctor is recommended.
Chitra Papnai is a Bengaluru-based journalist.