Resumen de The Natural Mineral Water of Unhais da Serra as complementary therapy for lumbar spondylarthrosis
M. I. Ferreira, A. J. Silva, A. Almeida
Introdution: Lumbar spondylarthrosis represents an important factor in disabling chronic pain and poor quality of life in the adult population and a devastating problem of Public Health for his remarkable social and medical costs. Balneotherapy with sulphurous water shows up as a complementary therapy, less toxic and traumatic.
The number of studies assessing the effect of natural mineral waters in the treatment of chronic low back pain is relatively small and this type of treatment is still viewed with some scepticism by the scientific community.
Objective: Determine whether treatments with Unhais da Serra natural mineral water are effective in low back pain for spondylarthrosis.
Methodology: A descriptive, longitudinal, observational, uncontrolled prospective study was conducted. The 51 study participants underwent 14 days of treatment with Unhais da Serra natural mineral water. Assessment criteria were: pain intensity (Visual Analogue Scale), quality of life (SF36v2), disability (ODIv2), absenteeism, acute outbreak, drug consumption. The evaluation was conducted in four distinct stages:
the first day before, 14 days, 3 and 6 months after the spa treatment.
Results: The mean age of the sample was 60.53 years, 60.8% were female. The duration of illness was, on average, 7.35 years. There was a statistically significant improvement (p <0.05) in pain intensity, quality of life, disability, absenteeism and drug consumption, 14 days, 3 and 6 months after treatment compared to baseline. There was no effect on the number of acute outbreak.
Conclusion: Treatment with natural mineral water of Unhais da Serra Spa, proved to be effective in selected patients with lumbar spondylarthrosis to short and medium term.
