Does Salt Therapy Offer Healing Powers? with Melissa Young, MD

Podcast Transcript

John Horton:

Hello and welcome to another episode of Health Essentials. I'm John Horton, your host.

Way back in the 1800s, a doctor noticed something interesting about workers in the Wieliczka Salt Mine in Poland. They didn't have lung issues common to many mining jobs. That long-ago observation by Dr. Feliks [Felix] Boczkowski is the foundation for today's therapeutic salt rooms and the wellness trend known as halotherapy.

Does this age-old belief in the healing power of salty air hold up to modern scientific inspection? That's a question for functional medicine specialist Melissa Young, a regular guest on the podcast. Dr. Young is one of the many experts at Cleveland Clinic who visit us weekly to explore wellness trends.

Now, let's find out from her whether halotherapy health claims should be taken seriously or with a grain of salt. Welcome back to the podcast, Dr. Young. I always look forward to our paths crossing because I know it'll lead to an educational, a fascinating and, let's be honest here, always a fun conversation.

Dr. Melissa Young:

It is, absolutely, and thank you so much for having me back. I'm glad to be here.

John Horton:

Well, we're glad you are here. You're with us today so we can talk about salt rooms, or I guess they're also called “salt caves.” I always feel like these are the sorts of things that there's a lot of curiosity. I know I drive by them all the time, and I just wonder what is going on inside there. Can you fill us in a little?

Dr. Melissa Young:

Yeah, absolutely. And so, in Europe, it was found that miners who were working in the salt caves actually had less respiratory issues and better health. We're kind of taking some of that information to the U.S., where, to my knowledge, we don't have those salt mines. We're improvising and seeing if, through creating these salt rooms — and we'll talk about the active and the passive salt rooms — if maybe we might obtain some of that benefit.

John Horton:

Well, let's get into a little bit. So there's two kinds of rooms? I mean, what's an active salt room? I just don't think of salt as being all that moving around that much.

Dr. Melissa Young:

I agree with you. An active salt room is really a truer form of halotherapy. It uses a salt generator called a halogenerator to release these broken-up salt particles into the air so that these small particles then we can breathe in and maybe have lung benefits, and then have our skin exposed to it. This is really the truer, closest form of salt therapy or halotherapy.

John Horton:

You're kind of sitting in a room, and the salt's kind of swirling all around you like a salty maelstrom there?

Dr. Melissa Young:

Yeah, I didn't get much information on “Do you see anything sort of swirling around you?” I think this is less commonly used in the U.S. Really, most commonly, we're seeing these passive salt rooms, where you don't have that generator, they're filled with lots and lots of salt. It could be Himalayan salt, Dead Sea salt, rock salt. It's climate-controlled, and this is where, especially, it's a very meditative experience. Usually, there's low lighting. There may be some light music. There's a lot of, I think, definite benefit just alone from that meditative quality. Then, perhaps some benefits related to the large amounts of salt, but less impactful, say, to the lungs perhaps or to the sinuses than the true halotherapy.

John Horton:

It sounds like you're just sitting and chilling in a big salty room for however-

Dr. Melissa Young:

…yeah, and I think there can be benefit to that.

John Horton:

All right, so you've got your active salt room, your passive salt room, and so you've set the scene for us as to what we might be experiencing there. Now, let's get into how sitting in this salty environment might have some health benefits. How's it going to help somebody live their best life?

Dr. Melissa Young:

We think about … some of the studies seem to show that it may be helpful, especially for people with some respiratory issues, perhaps asthma, COPD, maybe even a cold and a sinus infection, in that you're going to breathe in these small particles. It appears they may be helpful in an anti-inflammatory way.

It also is going to make you more likely to move the mucus that we might have in our lungs or even the sinuses up and out. You may be more likely to have a bit of a cough to bring that up, so those seem to be suggestive of the studies. It's interesting … obviously, the studies are mixed. We don't have any true clinical trials, but there are some studies that are suggestive that it actually may be helpful in asthma and COPD.

John Horton:

Well, you could see where your breathing this in might have some sort of effect. That does kind of make sense. I thought I read, where these rooms are said to maybe even fight infection?

Dr. Melissa Young:

I didn't see too much specific data on that, but in my mind, if we're thinking about it medically, if you are getting some of that mucus moving where we might see bacteria, and you're getting that up and out or clearing some of the mucus, then the body can actually fight infection better, perhaps.

John Horton:

Well, it seems like it's like a walk-in form of those saline sprays.

Dr. Melissa Young:

That's the wet therapy. This is more the dry therapy, but yes.

John Horton:

All right. What about skin is another thing? It sounds like it might be something where it can help with skin hydration. Everyone's always looking for better skin, so is this a possible solution?

Dr. Melissa Young:

I really didn't see any studies supporting that. I think that I'm always open that we will learn new information in the future, and perhaps, sitting in the rooms with the salt and the relaxation might be helpful there. That, I think, really remains to be seen.

John Horton:

Well, you mentioned relaxation, and I know every time you're on, we seem to eventually get there. Can it help with stress reduction? Is that a byproduct of the salt, or is it just that environment that you're put in that does it?

Dr. Melissa Young:

It's the environment, and we are living in such a stressful world. Any opportunity we have to slow down, take a few minutes, calm our nervous system, I think it's clear it's going to benefit overall health, help us feel better, have better quality of life. And then perhaps the added benefit of the salt room and our lungs, our sinuses might add to that. Certainly, anything and everything we do to calm the stress response in the body actually helps our health.

John Horton:

We've been going over a bunch of these health claims, which, these are the things you see when people tout what salt rooms can do, and they all sound fabulous. As we were rolling through those, I noticed you kept mentioning there's not a lot of scientific proof behind these. Is this more of a situation where people are sharing all these good things that can happen there out of Yelp reviews and anecdotal evidence?

Dr. Melissa Young:

I think it's a combination, in that I find it very interesting that the observations and studies of the miners who were in the salt mines, where that was really more true halotherapy and more of these active rooms that I'm not familiar with in the United States, probably have more benefit. That may be what we're seeing in the studies. The passive rooms, I'm not sure that's clear, and I think it's more, maybe, community relaxation. Then, maybe, we'll learn in the future there is additional benefit.

I have patients who've done these salt rooms, and anecdotally, they love them. They feel good. It's unlikely to be harmful. Certainly, some people, if you have an active infection, you're not going to want to go into one of these rooms for yourself or for anyone else. It can stimulate a little bit of coughing, so that may be difficult for some people who have more severe breathing problems. Generally, it's very safe, and so I don't see anything wrong with it for most people.

John Horton:

We've been talking salt therapy, and that stuff is fascinating. I want to take a little side detour and touch on Himalayan salt lamps. I've actually got one. It's here right behind me.

Dr. Melissa Young:

I can see it behind you.

John Horton:

Usually, I am in my office. From what you just said, I'm guessing I should view that more as, like a mood light than giving me any health boost.

Dr. Melissa Young:

Yeah, and I have one as well. It's also not Himalayan salt. It's salt from Pakistan that can actually have a glow when it's lighted. I think of these salt lamps as, again, relaxation response. But it is interesting when we think about, could it be generating some negative ions? Again, not a lot of great randomized clinical trials on negative ions, but we know when we're by the ocean or in the forest, in nature, these negative ions are abundant, and so it is relaxing. Maybe it helps a little bit with mood.

I think those salt lamps can be great, but bring plants into your home, go into nature for the best benefits. It was interesting in reading a little bit more about the salt lamps. The only two caveats are it can be toxic to pets if they lick it.

John Horton:

I'll keep my dog away from it.

Dr. Melissa Young:

Yeah, and the cat.

John Horton:

Make sure Charlie keeps his distance.

Dr. Melissa Young:

They're potentially a fire hazard if you leave them on unattended, but otherwise, I think they're very safe. I love mine. It creates kind of an ambience. But if you want the real benefit from negative ions, sure, we can try the salt lamp, but definitely go into nature.

John Horton:

Now, in hearing all of this, the whole idea of that salt therapy, and we talk, you go to the ocean, you sniff that air, and you do just feel better.

Dr. Melissa Young:

You do.

John Horton:

I always just thought it was the ocean and being at the beach that was doing it.

Dr. Melissa Young:

I think it's a combination.

John Horton:

Maybe it is the salt, too. I guess you understand then why this whole notion of salt caves and salt lamps and getting that into our lives might be beneficial or might be something people want.

Dr. Melissa Young:

Yes, and I think generally, as we were talking about, these things are safe, so that's the most important. Then, hopefully, we'll learn more about better studies in the future. I think there are elements of truth to this, and again, it's not causing harm. I think it could be worth trying for people who are interested.

John Horton:

Now, you said, “low risk,” which, obviously, does not mean no risk. Just wanted to go over a little bit of there's maybe some people who should avoid salt room therapy or if there's any other kind of concerns that might come up.

Dr. Melissa Young:

Sure. Some of them can be on the small side. So, if you tend to be claustrophobic, it may not be ideal for you. If you have an active infection, one, you don't want to expose anyone else to that. I mean, a respiratory infection, maybe as you're recovering, and if you have a cold or bronchitis at the end of that, when you're not contagious, see if it might have benefit.

For people who have more chronic lung disease, asthma, COPD, where it's suggestive in the studies there might be some benefit, know that since it can stimulate a little bit of coughing and because you're clearing some of the mucus or moving the mucus, that may be uncomfortable for some. And so using judgment on whether that's a good fit for you.

John Horton:

There's no standards on these sort of salt rooms either. I hate to say, you don't really know what's in there.

Dr. Melissa Young:

Well, I absolutely agree with you. Some of them, if they're not really well climate-controlled, you could have overgrowth of bacteria or mold as a possibility.

John Horton:

Make sure it looks like a reputable place and things. Just use your senses when you walk in and you look around a bit.

Dr. Melissa Young:

Look around a bit, do some research, ask them about their experience in creating those salt rooms.

John Horton:

Now, I know when we were talking at the start with a lot of these sorts of treatments, these alternative treatments, there's a hint of proof in all this where you see that benefit, and there's a little bit of proof there. We always get to the point where people should not, maybe, substitute these sorts of things for professional medical care. If you've got breathing issues, you don't want to get rid of your machines or some medication you've been prescribed because you're going to a salt.

Dr. Melissa Young:

Absolutely, and we never want to substitute these therapies for our traditional allopathic therapies. I think we can run into a lot of trouble. What we're looking at is this: Can this be complementary to your regular treatments? Coming back as well to that calming of the stress response, when we're in fight or flight or in a stress response all the time, that production of cortisol, one of our main stress hormones, drives inflammation. Whatever we're doing to kind of calm that is going to have a physiological benefit. Again, using common sense, but no, don't stop your medications. Don't use this in place of, say, asthma treatments. It could be fun to try, and it may have some benefit, but not in place of.

John Horton:

Just talk to your doctor. Tell them you want to try this halotherapy or salt room thing and just walk through it with them just to make sure you're not harming anything.

Dr. Melissa Young:

Always. Yes, please, always talk with your physicians and make sure they don't feel there's a contraindication that you would not be aware of.

John Horton:

Bottom line here, from everything that you're saying, it sounds like salt therapy is something that people can maybe give a try if they're interested in it. Salt doesn't just have to be left in the kitchen. You can maybe use it in another way.

Dr. Melissa Young:

Yes, absolutely. I agree with you, and some people have interest in trying these new things. As long as you're using common sense and thinking about the things we've discussed, I'd say see how that works for you.

John Horton:

If it makes you relax, which we have talked about so much in this program when you come on, it sounds like there's no harm that is going to come from that.

Dr. Melissa Young:

Exactly, yes.

John Horton:

All right, well, Dr. Young, you always manage to take the stress away from us and help us find our happy places. Appreciate you coming on again and sharing your wisdom, and can't wait to have you back.

Dr. Melissa Young:

Thank you so much.

John Horton:

The notion that breathing in salty air offers health benefits has been around for almost two centuries. While science may not support some of the claims, there's no shortage of people who swear by the alternative treatment method. If you want to try it, go ahead. Just don't expect miracles or substitute it for prescribed medical care.

If you liked what you heard today, please hit the subscribe button and leave a comment to share your thoughts. Till next time, be well.

Speaker 3:

Thank you for listening to Health Essentials, brought to you by Cleveland Clinic and Cleveland Clinic Children's. To make sure you never miss an episode, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or visit clevelandclinic.org/hepodcast. This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own physician.