Drinking mineral waters: problematic issues and prospects of use in treatment and rehabilitation

Abstract

The article is devoted to the use of drinking mineral waters in the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with various pathologies. The results of numerous studies carried out in previous years have proven the ability of mineral waters to positively influence the functional state of the digestive system, eliminate various metabolic disorders, and affect the processes of hormonal and immune regulation. However, due to the current lack of educational programs for the training of doctors at medical universities, as well as further training in the basics of balneology, medical workers often encounter difficulties in determining the most suitable schemes for the use of mineral waters for a specific pathology. It is known that today there are quite a lot of bottled waters on the market that do not have a healing effect, but are quite suitable for use as table waters. The latter circumstance, combined with not always correct information about the real healing properties of waters, creates certain difficulties even for doctors. In addition, there is a need for a certain clarification of the methods of prescribing mineral waters, taking into account the magnitude of mineralization, the main cation-anionic composition, the nature of the disease and the phase of its course. Taking into account the fact that drinking mineral waters are actively used in the treatment of many diseases, including in children and the elderly, the task of fully and competently informing doctors of different specialties, and with their help, patients, about the features of specific mineral waters available in different regions of the Russian Federation, their unique capabilities, optimal methods of therapeutic use.