Dmitry Petrov, project manager of LLC "Balneological resort" MATSESTA "(HOLDING) of the city of Sochi", told us about the peculiarities of treatment with natural hydrogen sulfide water.
- Dmitry, how long has more or less clear medical statistics appeared, which speaks of the effectiveness of treatment with local water?
“Matsesta has been operating for over a hundred years, but structured data on diseases began to accumulate since the 1940s, when the main bath building was built. In Soviet times, physiotherapy spa treatment was quite widespread, people of various social status came here from all over the Soviet Union. It was the only wellness project in the world in terms of its scale.
In 1940, the development of methods for general health improvement and health promotion began. Almost simultaneously, programs for the treatment of joints and spine appeared - and for a long time Matsesta was considered, first of all, a “musculoskeletal” resort.
Then there was evidence of the effectiveness of this hydrogen sulfide water for the treatment of skin diseases - psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and the consequences of burns.
And gynecology became the third major area. Hydrogen sulfide has shown itself well in the treatment of infertility and many inflammatory diseases of the female genital area. Today we have a large program that includes not only hydrogen sulphide but also radon baths.
- So, you make full use of the achievements of Soviet balneology?
- Of course, this is a unique medical material. Outstanding scientists and doctors worked in our hospital, they created not only a scientific concept of water treatment, but also designed special equipment. For example, we have a system of irrigation for post-burn and postoperative keloid scars, developed by our specialists in the Soviet years, we still use it, there is no analogue superior in efficiency yet.
- Is it worth coming to Matsesta prophylactically?
- Of course. If we talk, for example, about an adult, then he should definitely maintain the health of the musculoskeletal system: hydrogen sulfide baths will definitely be useful both for women walking in heels and for men carrying weights or doing strength training. Matsesta starts the processes of activating blood flow, normalizes metabolism, both in the muscle and in the joint. If you combine Matsesta's procedures with the general effects of the Sochi resort, healthy eating, walking, moderate physical activity, this will in any case lead to an improvement in blood flow, tissue nutrition, and activation of regenerative processes.
We talked in more detail about the principles of treatment at the resort with Natalia Evgenievna Bezugla, head of the Matsesta physiotherapy department.
- How does Matsesta water work?
- Hydrogen sulfide dissolved in the water of the Matsesta spring has several effects. After the water is fed from the source to the bath, it only works for 15 minutes. Actually, it is for this reason that it is impossible to be treated with this water anywhere except in our resort, and it is pointless to pour it with you. The first thing that happens when a person is immersed in a bath with such water is an improvement in blood flow, vasodilation, the so-called "Matsesta reaction" occurs. The next stage is cellular. Matsesta acts on the mitochondrial link, activates cellular respiration. Hydrogen sulfide affects the tissue, cellular link, and in terms of women's health - also hormonal: it normalizes the level of hormones and improves the state of the reproductive system by improving blood flow in the ovarian tissues. But all procedures, their frequency and exposure time, are selected strictly individually.
- Does this water affect men?
- Of course, but, as you understand, in a different way. And therefore, the procedures for correcting men's health are different: in addition to general baths, water is also applied locally, for example, in the form of microclysters or a rising shower. This is an excellent and very effective method that helps in the treatment of prostatitis, the effects of inflammatory reactions and, of course, erectile dysfunction.
- How many procedures are required for an effective course of treatment?
- Eight is the minimum. Since the water works very actively, we gradually increase the residence time and the concentration of hydrogen sulfide. A person receives the full dose, as a rule, only in the third or fourth bath: earlier it is impossible.
- What methods of using Matsesta water are still used in medicine?
- A lot of the most different. For example, if we talk about the treatment of psoriasis, then there is such a method: we combine baths with irrigation of the scalp - psoriatic plaques appear there, and with the help of irrigation we can effectively and safely influence them. By the way, we recommend such irrigation for purely cosmetic purposes - after all, everyone wants to have thick, healthy and shiny hair.
Irrigation is generally a great procedure for many situations. For example, in case of problems in the oral cavity, we recommend local irrigation of the gums with Matsesta water, there are gynecological irrigations. We also do inhalations with our water - they are effective for solving bronchial problems. But I will not tire of repeating - all procedures are carried out strictly according to indications and only after examination.
- The study of the properties of Matsesta water continues, or is everything about it already clear?
- Of course, we are constantly studying the effect of the source on people with various diseases. Our latest research is related to metabolism.
- Does Matsesta help with metabolic disorders? And with diabetes?
- This is a very difficult and delicate question. Diabetes is of two types: when a person does not synthesize insulin, or when his body tissues are insulin resistant. Hydrogen sulfide does not interfere with the exchange of insulin, but against the background of a normal, not elevated blood sugar level, many procedures with Matsesta water are not prohibited for diabetics. But first, the doctor must carefully weigh the risks.
- How often does it make sense to repeat the spa treatment on Matsesta? Or does it depend on the diagnosis?
- Depends, of course - for example, with psoriasis, the maximum effect is achieved by repeating the courses of treatment 2 times a year. Therefore, up to 70% of our vacationers come to us from year to year: they see a stable remission, their quality of life increases significantly. The same applies to diseases of the musculoskeletal system. People begin to move freely, without pain, walk, their difficulties associated with work and personal life disappear.
We spoke with Svetlana Dmitrievna Tomikova, an obstetrician-gynecologist of the outpatient department, about the approach of the specialists of the Matsesta resort to the treatment of gynecological diseases and infertility.
- Svetlana Dmitrievna, with what problems do women come to you, and how do you help them?
- As a rule, in most cases, women also deal with chronic inflammatory processes, adhesions in the pelvic organs, small uterine myoma, adenomyosis and endometriosis. At our resort, for the treatment of such diseases, mineral waters are used - hydrogen sulfide, radon, iodine-bromine. They have both anti-inflammatory and fibrinolytic effects - they dissolve adhesions. In addition, our waters have a good effect on the hormonal status of the body - and after all, many diseases of the female genital area are associated precisely with a violation of the hormonal status. One of our key areas of focus is infertility in marriage. After contacting us, in many cases, a long-awaited pregnancy occurs. Our procedures, based not on chemistry, but on the natural forces of nature, help women finally find the happiness of motherhood.
- Do you keep any statistics on this issue?
- When patients come here who underwent a course of treatment, and two months later they had a pregnancy - we record this. There are many such cases. Of 100 women who underwent a course of balneological procedures for infertility on Matsesta, 37-38 became pregnant.
- Is Matsesta useful for older women, for example, during menopause?
- Certainly. The climacteric syndrome is of varying severity, and with a mild or moderate degree, we are ready to help. Our baths help to normalize hormones during menopause, to remove symptoms that bother the patient: hot flashes, irritability, nervousness, insomnia. In fact, regular treatment on Matsesta at this age can replace hormone replacement therapy, which is not always safe. A woman's quality of life improves after the first procedures. By the way, women over 50 come to us just to correct menopause, even from abroad. We look at the map - it says that the lady is 70 years old, and she looks at 50 maximum. It turns out that the woman went to Matsesta for the last 30-40 years, and she literally saved her not only health, but also youth. In general, we select an individual program of procedures for each woman, which may include general hydrogen sulphide baths, gynecological irrigations, and gynecological massage. As a result, the patient receives the maximum healing effect.