Publishing house "Zdorov"ya", Kyiv, 1965.
Given with abbreviations

Narzan baths have a clear effect on many systems of the body of a sick person. In response to taking a narzan bath, reactions occur in the body, which are carried out mainly through the nervous system. Irritations caused by a carbon dioxide bath are perceived primarily by numerous exteroreceptors of the skin.

In action carbon dioxide baths The neuroreflex mechanism plays a primary role on the body, while the humoral mechanism occupies a subordinate position in relation to it. Under the influence of carbon dioxide, complex organic histamine-like substances are formed in the skin, which have a known effect on hemodynamics.

In addition to these factors, carbon dioxide entering the body through the skin also plays a certain role in the mechanism of action of narzan baths. Spread by blood throughout the body, it acts directly on the interoceptors of the cardiovascular system and nerve centers.

Carbon dioxide vapors are known to cause drowsiness in many people. After taking this vapna, patients usually fall asleep easily. This serves as evidence that narzan baths have a sedative effect on the higher parts of the nervous system, promoting the development of protective inhibition. Under the influence of carbon dioxide baths, changes occur in the act of breathing. As a result of irritation of the respiratory center by carbon dioxide, it becomes rarer and deeper. Due to increased contractions of the intercostal muscles and the diaphragm during deep breathing, the volume of the chest increases, which leads to an increase in negative pressure in it, which contributes to better movement of venous blood to the heart.

A characteristic feature of the action of Narzan baths is the redness of the skin of the part of the body immersed in water. Redness of the skin is caused, on the one hand, by the expansion of the superficial capillaries of the skin due to direct irritation with carbon dioxide, on the other hand, by the formation of histamine-like substances in the skin, which, acting on the vascular innervation devices, cause the expansion of the superficial arterioles and capillaries of the skin.

There is also evidence that, as a result of the reflex action of irritation with carbon dioxide, larger arterial vessels dilate. The pulse rate under the influence of narzan baths changes in most cases towards a decrease. A decrease in heart rate is observed while taking a bath and upon leaving it for 1-2 hours; this has a beneficial effect on the blood supply to the heart muscle. Slowing cardiac activity is one of the most effective and lasting manifestations of the effects of carbon dioxide baths. This decrease in pulse occurs primarily due to the lengthening of the diastolic phase, as a result of which the rest period of the heart muscle increases and its contractility increases.

Blood pressure value during administration Narzan bath fluctuates. According to O.N. Cheltsova, this fluctuation in blood pressure is three-phase. In the first 1-2 minutes of the patient’s stay in the bath, an increase in maximum and minimum blood pressure is observed. The second phase is characterized by a decrease in blood pressure within 10-15 mm Hg. Art. The third phase of blood pressure fluctuation occurs when the patient leaves the bath, when an increase in blood pressure is again observed.

People with low blood pressure may, on the contrary, experience an increase in blood pressure as a result of taking a narzan bath. Cool narzan baths stimulate the activity of the heart muscle and, causing vasoconstriction, lead to an increase in blood pressure. Baths at an indifferent temperature, by dilating peripheral vessels, facilitate the work of the heart and help lower blood pressure. Venous pressure increases during a carbon dioxide bath, and decreases after the patient leaves the bath.

Under the influence of a carbon dioxide bath, blood redistribution occurs due to the expansion of the vascular network of the skin. The latter causes a reflex narrowing of the blood vessels of the internal organs. As a result of this, some emptying of the depot organs occurs, which leads to an increase in the amount of circulating blood; the latter helps improve delivery nutrients to tissues and removal of metabolic products. During the aftereffect of the carbon dioxide bath, the amount of circulating blood decreases.

Simultaneously with the increase in the amount of circulating blood, the stroke volume of the heart increases, and in the aftereffect period it decreases. Thus, while the patient is in the narzan bath, the activity of the cardiovascular system is enhanced, and during the aftereffect period, conditions are created for its rest. Moderate training of the hemodynamic functions of the heart when taking narzan baths alternates with relative rest.

The influence of narzan baths has a beneficial effect not only on hemodynamics, but also on protoplasmodynamics. Carbon dioxide baths have a positive effect on the processes of assimilation and dissimilation. Often after narzan baths there is an increase in diuresis, especially during the day, and an increase in the excretion of chlorides and urea in the urine. The increase in diuresis is explained by improved heart function and dilation of the kidney vessels.

Under the influence of carbon dioxide baths, the coefficient of oxygen utilization in tissues and reserve alkali in the blood increases, and residual nitrogen and blood sugar levels decrease.

A course of treatment with carbon dioxide baths in combination with other therapeutic agents and a rational sanatorium-resort regimen improves the functional state of the cardiovascular system, increasing its adaptation, and leading to a decrease in the clinical manifestations of the disease. All this happens due to the positive reflex effect of the entire complex of resort factors on the central nervous system and, first of all, on the cerebral cortex and subcortex.

Carbon dioxide waters were perhaps one of the first to be used for therapeutic purposes, since bubbling springs with gas bubbles settling on the body when immersed in such waters attracted the attention of tired travelers. Before the duel, Pechorin plunged into the “cold boiling water of Narzan” and felt that his physical and mental strength was returning to him. Narzan is the most famous water of this type in Russia. Carbon dioxide waters are also found in other areas of the country. They are called “Arshans” in Transbaikalia, in Transcarpathia - “kvass” and “burkuts”, and in the Caucasus carbonated waters are called .

Carbon dioxide mineral waters are natural waters that have different ionic composition, mineralization and temperature and contain at least 0.75 g/l carbon dioxide(carbon dioxide - CO2).

“It's as if it's just carbonated water that cures heart disease, but it's not that 'simple'. This is champagne springing straight from the earth. Natural champagne - exciting, slightly intoxicating... You sit in the bath, and your body is instantly covered with bubbles - like silver scales. These bubbles rise in streams from the bottom, more and more - the water seems to boil from the presence of a human body in it, and it seems that the body, in connection with narzan, begins to radiate warmth, boils in the gentle needles of narzan,” he wrote about these amazing waters Osip Mandelstam.

In the mechanism of action of carbon dioxide waters of various chemical composition The content and concentration of carbon dioxide are of primary importance.

Carbon dioxide, carbon dioxide, or carbonic anhydride, or what we used to call “carbon dioxide” ( Аcidum carbonicum аnhydricum; Сarbonei dioxydum, CO2), is constantly formed in the tissues of the body during metabolism and plays an important role in the regulation of respiration and blood circulation. Carbon dioxide was the first among all other gases to be opposed to air under the name “wild gas” by the alchemist of the 16th century. Van Helmont, and his discovery marked the beginning of a new branch of chemistry - pneumatochemistry (chemistry of gases). Carbon dioxide was found in caves, mines, cellars, as well as in some mineral waters - “the waters of sleep emit wild air.” The credit for determining the properties of carbon dioxide belongs to the English chemist J. Priestley. The English physicist and chemist G. Cavendish, true to his rule of defining everything by “measure, number and weight,” in 1766 discovered two characteristic physical properties carbon dioxide: its high specific gravity and significant solubility in water.

Carbon dioxide does not simply dissolve in water, but partially combines with it, forming carbonic acid. G. Cavendish was the first to notice that an aqueous solution of carbon dioxide has a pleasant sour taste. He demonstrated to the Royal Scientific Society a glass of "extremely pleasantly sparkling (fizzy) water, scarcely different from Seltzer water" and received the society's gold medal for this discovery. This was the first practical use carbon dioxide.

The famous Seltzer water, which the ancient Romans called “dancing” - Aqua Saltare, was the most famous natural carbonated water. After they learned to saturate any water with carbon dioxide, almost all artificial mineral waters began to be called “seltzer”. The bottle of seltzer was an indispensable attribute still life or description of an action scene in many novels. Carbon dioxide, according to P. Zhams, is a “passport for mineral waters.”

Carbon dioxide waters are currently recognized as one of the most effective methods spa therapy for diseases of the cardiovascular system. Meanwhile, the therapeutic effect of the waters of Nauheim in Germany, the most famous resort for cardiac patients, dates back to the middle of the 19th century. was attributed not to the carbon dioxide contained in these waters, but to salt, and for greater effectiveness, mother brine and magnesium bromide were added to the bath waters.

The first official indications for treatment with carbonic waters - Narzan - were published in 1893 by the Office of the Mining Department, which was then in charge of Mineralnye Vody. The indications included atonic catarrhs ​​and bladder stones, changes in the sensory and motor spheres during neuroses, if the cause of the disease does not lie in lesions of the nervous system, chronic rashes with lax skin, a general decline in nutrition during prolonged treatment with sulfur and alkaline baths, iodine, mercury and other drugs. By this time, narzan baths were already prescribed for women’s diseases. Only in 1903, at the Second All-Russian Congress of Balneologists, diseases of the cardiovascular system were included in the indications for treatment. Since 1904, it began to develop as a cardiological resort, after a hundred years it was intended for the treatment of various, and primarily gastrointestinal diseases. In 1959, the Scientific Resort Council, together with the Balneological Institute, developed another version of the specified indications, which legalized the treatment of neuroses with a predominant disturbance of cardiovascular activity (cardialgia, angioedema, cardiac arrhythmias).

Mechanism of action of carbonic waters

The mechanism of action of carbon dioxide water when used externally consists of temperature, mechanical and chemical factors, each of which is distinguished by its specific action due to the presence of carbon dioxide.

Mechanical action of carbon dioxide baths is explained by the difference in sensations that is caused by simultaneous irritation of the skin with carbon dioxide and water. A kind of micro-massage of the skin with gas bubbles landing on it and breaking off causes tactile irritation of the skin and is an important component of the therapeutic effect. Gas bubbles with a temperature of 12 ° C alternately stick to the skin and burst, and water flows in their place. high temperature. When taking a carbon dioxide bath, even with a water temperature of 35 °C, the body is in conditions of greater heat loss than when taking baths from fresh water.

Water temperature has a significant effect on changes in blood pressure. Baths at a temperature of 34-35 °C cause a hypotensive effect during the procedure; when leaving the bath, the systolic arterial pressure may increase followed by a decrease within half an hour and a slow return to the original level. The opposite effect is characteristic of carbon dioxide baths at relatively low temperatures (28-29 ° C). At the beginning of the procedure, there is an increase in blood pressure, which reaches the initial level or decreases by the end of the procedure.

Chemical action of carbonic waters is that during a bath, about 30 mg of carbon dioxide per minute penetrates into the body. Carbon dioxide enters the body in two ways: with inhaled air and through the skin, as a result of which its content in arterial blood increases. Inhalation of carbon dioxide leads to increased exhalation, the lungs are freed from its excess and are more saturated with oxygen. At the beginning of immersion in the bath, ventilation of the lungs increases, and breathing becomes deeper and less frequent.

The effect of a carbon dioxide bath on thermoregulation processes consists of increased heat transfer due to intense expansion of skin capillaries, a decrease in internal body temperature and venous blood. Cooling of the body is accompanied by a feeling of warmth as a result of intense dilation of skin vessels, which makes it possible to carry out balneotherapy in conditions of lower temperatures. Carbon dioxide changes the conditions of heat exchange: it increases the activity of heat receptors and inhibits the activity of cold receptors, reduces body temperature, and increases skin blood flow.

Carbon dioxide affects the receptors and effector apparatus of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, promoting the formation of active biological substances: active acetylcholine, histamine, serotonin and cholinesterase. Skin capillaries expand, their number increases, and capillary blood flow accelerates. An important aspect of the effect of carbon dioxide baths is their ability to reduce the tone of venous vessels.

The effect of carbon dioxide baths on the cardiovascular system. In cardiac patients, a carbon dioxide bath causes an increase in minute volume, the changes of which are not sharply expressed (up to 40-50%), which makes it possible to consider carbon dioxide baths as a low-stress procedure for the heart. Depending on the saturation of blood with carbon dioxide entering the right or left heart, the minute and systolic volume of the heart changes, coronary blood flow, blood oxygenation and myocardial metabolism improve. Under the influence of a carbon dioxide bath, blood pressure increases moderately for a short time (in the first 5 minutes of the bath), and then decreases. The listed effects are more pronounced during the aftereffect period. A course of balneotherapy leads to an increase in the oxidative functions of myocardial mitochondria, mobilization of aerobic and anaerobic energy production.

Carbon dioxide baths have a unique effect on the nervous system. Carbon dioxide can enhance metabolism in the brain, resulting in an increase in the content of gamma-aminobutyric acid, adenosine triphosphoric acid, a decrease in the content of norepinephrine in the diencephalic parts of the brain and in the walls of cerebral vessels, while the bioelectrical activity of the brain improves, and mental performance increases. Unlike other mineral waters, carbonated waters increase the excitability of the central nervous system and have a tonic effect on the cerebral cortex. Under the influence of carbon dioxide baths, reactivity to physical and mental stress decreases.

Carbon dioxide baths have a pronounced positive effect on the autonomic nervous system, mediated through central regulatory mechanisms (hypothalamus, reticular formation of the brain stem, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system). As a result, the excitability of the sympathetic nervous system decreases and the tone of the parasympathetic nervous system increases, which leads to economization of the activity of the heart, brain and other organs and systems, to improving their nutrition and oxygen supply.

Carbon dioxide baths and lipid metabolism. Under the influence of carbon dioxide baths, lipid metabolism increases, the level of cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins in patients with atherosclerosis decreases, and the breakdown of fats and fat-like substances increases. Conducted experimental and clinical studies indicate the prospects of using carbon dioxide mineral waters in the primary and secondary prevention of atherosclerosis.

Carbon dioxide baths have a pronounced positive effect on various clinical manifestations of atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries and cerebral vessels: angina attacks are reduced or stopped, electrocardiogram indicators are improved, systolic and diastolic blood pressure is reduced, sleep is improved, endurance to physical and mental stress is increased, memory is improved, or Irritability, headache, dizziness, and lack of coordination completely disappear.

Carbon dioxide baths in sports medicine. When taken no earlier than an hour after a workout or 3 hours before the next workout, carbon dioxide baths increase the tone of the nervous system, have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, and improve metabolism. In addition, the elimination of lactic acid is accelerated, and recovery after physical activity is faster.

Carbon dioxide baths. The concentration of carbon dioxide in mineral water used for carbonic baths ranges from 0.5 to 1.5-2 g/l, the water temperature is 35-36 ° C, for some diseases (arterial hypotension, neuroses, neurocirculatory dystonia) the water temperature is reduced to 34-32 °C; procedures are prescribed every other day or 4-5 times a week, for a course of treatment 10-12 baths.

Drinking treatment with carbonated waters

Carbon dioxide makes mineral water pleasant to the taste; sparkling water quenches thirst better. “The water that has just been scooped up (from the source) releases a large number of small air bubbles with a hiss, like the best champagne wine... It stings the tongue, hits the nose and, finally, becomes completely clear... This water hisses with everyone wines. You can drink it as much as you want without disgust or harm,” wrote P.S., a member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, in 1773. Pallas.

Carbon dioxide largely determines the therapeutic effect of waters of complex gas composition: carbonic-hydrogen sulphide waters (Zheleznovodsk), carbonic-nitrogen (Buryatia, Primorye, Kamchatka), carbonic-arsenic (Chvizhepse -).

Carbonic-arsenic waters

Arsenic-containing mineral waters (As) are natural waters that have different ionic composition, mineralization, temperature and arsenic content of 0.7 mg/l or more, in waters for drinking treatment no higher than 0.2 mg/l. They belong to quite rare varieties of mineral waters. In arsenous carbonic waters, arsenic is contained mainly in the form of arsenous acid, which is due to the corresponding redox conditions. Application of arsenic carbonate mineral water gives high healing effect for common diseases, the pathogenesis of which involves disruption of cellular metabolism. These waters have a pronounced preventive and, to some extent, therapeutic effect in case of radiation injuries. The participation of arsenic in the processes of hematopoiesis also determined the use of these mineral waters for patients suffering from various anemias. Under the influence of carbonated arsenic-containing waters, general tone increases, night sleep improves, headaches and irritability disappear, metabolism and ovarian function are normalized, and glucocorticoid function of the adrenal glands increases. Arsenic has a beneficial effect on the hematopoietic system, as well as the functions of the liver and skin. Arsenic carbonate waters are most often used for external balneotherapy. Indications: diseases of the circulatory system (atherosclerosis, ischemic disease heart disease, hypertension, rheumatism); diseases of the blood, skin, nervous system, musculoskeletal system, stomach, intestines, nervous and endocrine systems. Contraindications: general, excluding going to a resort.

Narzan - mineral water with medicinal properties, which enjoys a long-term proven reputation and in some cases is recommended as a method of general complex treatment. The water is obtained from a source formed by the melting waters of the huge glacier of Mount Elbrus. The exact channel through which the groundwater flows is still unknown, but it is believed that this, possibly winding path, explains the saturation of Narzan with mineral components that give it unique medicinal properties.

Kislovodsk rightfully bears the title of the pearl of Russian resorts, because people from all over Russia come here to undergo treatment mineral water from the source. Indications for the use of the sanatorium-resort method of treatment are determined by the attending physician, who decides on the advisability of its prescription and the method of its use. Modern industry has long established the production of water from famous springs in hermetically sealed bottles. Now, to undergo treatment, you just need to go to the pharmacy and purchase the required drink.

The origin of the name “Narzan” is etymologically associated with a word in the Kabardian language, literally translated, meaning “drink of heroes.” This mineral water was appreciated by the Russian Tsar Peter I. The optimal indications for use, dosage, subtleties of the healing process and how to drink it correctly in order to obtain the desired therapeutic effect, it became possible to determine only after medical research.

Mineral water "Narzan"

The basis for the development of the source was the report of a physician sent by Peter I to the current North Caucasus region in order to find healing springs similar in effect to the water resources of Carlsbad.

He didn't have to do a long search. Detailed description the spring was made only towards the end of the 18th century, and in the 19th the development took place natural treasury, and preparations began for its large-scale operation.

Kislovodsk was founded as a resort in 1803, and 99 years after its founding, Narzan was awarded first prize at a French competition. Until 1928, only one variety was considered known, but subsequently other mineral waters, identified as carbonic, were explored in the Kislovodsk region.

Indications for use are determined by the ratio of ions and the degree of mineralization of each of the identified subgroups, but their therapeutic effect receives consistently positive reviews:

1. General (from the banks of the Berezovka and Podkumok rivers) mineralization is about 2 g/l, carbon dioxide 1.2-1.4 g/l, partly for drinking, but mostly for external use;
2. Dolomitny (Kislovodsk deposit) carbon dioxide 2 g/l, and mineralization about 5 g/l, hydrocarbonate, containing sodium, magnesium, sulfates and calcium;
3. Sulfate (from great depths, 350-400m), high level carbon dioxide, active iron, a little arsenic, mineralization 5.2-6.7 g/l.

“Dolomite Narzan”, “Sulfate Narzan” and “Narzan” are mineral waters classified as Kislovodsk deposits, containing magnesium, sodium, calcium, sulfate-hydrocarbonate.

Indications for use and use in medicinal purposes they differ somewhat, depending on the degree of mineralization. In Dolomitne there is a high concentration of sodium and chlorine, and an increased concentration of carbon dioxide; it has a more pronounced therapeutic effect and is drunk as prescribed by a doctor in certain cases.

Indications for use are determined by the concentration of magnesium, calcium, chlorine, sulfur, iodine, bromine, fluorine and even lithium, which are found in medicinal waters. The price depends not only on a certain type of water, but also on the region in which it is sold, in what container it is packaged, and what trade markup retail and pharmacy chains have decided to charge.

Healing properties and general prerequisites for use

Narzan is prescribed by a doctor depending on the type. Each type has not only general medicinal qualities, but also certain properties due to the characteristics of its composition. Mineral water with a high calcium content has indications for use during pregnancy, children with diabetes mellitus and during the period of increased growth, because it contributes not only to the improvement of the condition, but also to the growth of bones, teeth, hair, and nails.

During pregnancy, calcium in a woman’s body is very intensively spent on the formation of the fetus, and if there is a shortage of it, building element taken from the body.

As indications for use in urolithiasis, in the healing process, the properties of Narzan can be used to regulate and normalize metabolism in the body, strengthen the immune system and evacuate toxins and waste from the body. However, this issue can only be resolved by a doctor. Hydrocarbonates, sulfates, chlorides, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, other chemical elements in large quantities, give the opportunity to recommend different types to resolve problems:

• cardiovascular system (coronary artery disease, post-infarction and post-phlebitis conditions, hypertension, rheumatic carditis, myocarditis, varicose veins);
• Gastrointestinal tract (colitis, gastritis, enterocolitis, stomach and duodenal ulcers, chronic digestive disorders);
• biliary system (chronic diseases of the liver and gallbladder, hepatitis, cholecystitis, pancreatitis in remission);
• urology (cystitis, prostatitis and impotence;
• ENT and respiratory organs (sinusitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, bronchial asthma, etc.);
• VNS and central nervous system (neuritis, neuropathies, polyneuritis, damage to nerve endings due to osteochondrosis and joint pathologies);
• gynecology (endometritis, menopausal syndrome, post-inflammatory infertility, parametritis and ovarian dysfunction).

The range of problems resolved with the help of Narzan, like helper method in the general complex of therapeutic measures is much wider than in the above list. Indications for the use of mineral water can be used even for insomnia, and its therapeutic effect will vary depending on the characteristics of use and frequency. When cold, an hour before meals, it will enhance the secretory function of digestion and stimulate all processes.

Warm water, on the contrary, will dull the feeling of hunger and reduce intestinal irritation. Washing and bathing trigger skin regeneration processes and help improve its condition. They promote rejuvenation, cessation of inflammation and purulent complications.

Medical resort "Narzan" in Kislovodsk

Therapeutic effects can be achieved following medical recommendations, but do not think that Narzan is a panacea that heals by drinking it daily instead of plain water.

At the resort, clean mountain air, comprehensive procedures, lack of stress and diet play a role. Narzans in pharmacy sales also require correctly selected treatment.

Proper use of mineral water

Narzan, which is mined in Kislovodsk springs, often has little in common with the products that end up on store shelves. It is imperative to pay attention to all the indicators on the label in order to obtain the expected therapeutic effect for a particular disease. Drinking mineral water with this name can be bottled from the Kumsky spring, the waters of which are mixed with Kislovodsk in a certain proportion.

Indications for use are determined not by the label on the bottle, but by the qualitative composition of the water, the concentration of sodium, chlorine, magnesium, calcium, chlorine, sulfur, iodine, bromine, fluorine in it. For teeth and bones, doctors recommend water with a high calcium content for pregnant women, children, and patients with joint pathologies. Sulfate water is good for obesity and diabetes.

To avoid mistakes and not get a negative effect instead of the expected benefit, the dosage of Narzan should be agreed with your doctor. In particular, this applies to diseases of the cardiovascular system, hypertension and pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.

There are a number of contraindications in which the use of mineral water from an indication for use turns into a factor that can provoke an exacerbation or worsening of the condition due to the large amount of a certain substance contained therein. chemical element. Only a pediatrician or a specialized doctor who treats the disease can decide how to drink for children.

Self-medication in such cases is fraught with consequences, despite the fact that the water is sold in a pharmacy, and its label indicates all the necessary parameters, from composition to indications. The main thing is the correct dosage and use. Gastrointestinal pathologies require removal of gases from the bottle; pancreatitis is treated only in a state of remission, and only with warm narzan, in a minimal amount.

Mineral water drunk in large quantities “for benefit and prevention” can provoke the onset of hyperkalemia, cause an exacerbation of pancreatitis, or cause the transition of chronic renal failure to a severe form. You can independently determine the indications for the use of Narzan only for use in inhalations, and even then, if you are not particularly zealous and carry them out correctly. Some rules are common to everyone:

• Narzan is found only in Kislovodsk; it is a water unique in its composition, generated by the peculiarities of its climatic and geographical location;
• reference Narzan is considered table water and does not have a special taste or smell;
• for preventive purposes, you can drink no more than 250 g per day;
• to relieve alcohol intoxication - no more than 300-350 per day;
• for chronic gastritis - 3 times a day, in small sips a quarter of an hour before meals;
• chronic cholecystitis, pancreatitis, biliary dyskinesia - in small sips, warmed;
• highly carbonated, with different flavors - also medicinal, and children should be given it in limited quantities, with medical approval (natural gases are added using a special factory setting directly from the source).

The main indications for use for medicinal purposes are gastrointestinal and cardiovascular diseases, but this is only part of the therapeutic method. In other cases, the decision on admission is made by the attending physician, who is guided by anamnesis, history of the development of the disease, and chronic pathologies present in the body. You should not drink Narzan daily in large quantities instead of plain water or table mineral water, especially if the medical examination was carried out a long time ago.

Contraindications for use

Excessive amounts of minerals in the body can not only cause undesirable consequences, but also intensify the acute stages of diseases. Any metabolic processes in the body are determined by the presence of biological substances, which in some reactions are calcium, magnesium, sodium and sulfates. Therefore, it is strictly not recommended to drink Narzan during periods of exacerbation of a chronic disease, or in its acute phase. It is better not to resort to mineral water if:

• oncological diseases;
• active stage of tuberculosis;
• acute periods of articular pathologies;
• liver cirrhosis;
• exacerbation of urolithiasis and stones requiring removal;
• metabolic problems;
• lung abscess;
• some mental disorders.

Conditional contraindications include the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy.

Like any medicinal product, Narzan cannot be used in any quantity, because it has its own indications and contraindications. It never occurs to anyone to drink liters of medicine or simply take it at will.

Healing mineral water should also be used purposefully, in a certain dosage. For its administration, methods have been developed that have been tested through many years of clinical experience and scientific research.

The practice of using Narzan baths is widespread today, so the real impact of procedures of this kind can be assessed in many sanatoriums. The process of taking such baths looks quite simple. The procedure consists of the patient taking a bath of mineral water saturated with carbon dioxide. But how great is the effect of this method of influence on the body and the organism as a whole? Understanding this will be incredibly useful and instructive.

Characteristic features of baths

It is possible to name the most characteristic indications and contraindications for performing such a procedure only if its mechanism is well understood. It is not difficult to explain, since the baths themselves are a common and to some extent elementary method. Although the treatments demonstrate a wide variety of effects, the process of taking them is extremely simple. Its most important aspects are as follows.

1. The main "equipment" used in in this case, this is a bath filled with mineral water with a high carbon dioxide content.
2. The time spent in such a bath may vary. Usually it ranges from 10 minutes to half an hour. This is enough for carbon dioxide to be absorbed through the skin and affect, among other things, the internal organs. The period that the patient has to spend in the bath is determined by the concentration of carbon dioxide in the water, the volume of the liquid, its pressure, and so on.
3. It is necessary to take a bath at intervals a day for one to two weeks. In total, during this time you can complete 8-12 sessions.

As you can see, this technology does not require any complex actions from the patient or the sanatorium staff. But to whom such procedures can be indicated? Without an accurate understanding of the indications for such a treatment method, it is impossible to say exactly how effective it will be.

Indications for taking baths

There are many situations in which baths can have a positive effect. Even those people who do not experience any health problems find such procedures useful. But still, the best possibilities of baths with mineral water are revealed for such indications.

1. Disturbances in the functioning of the heart and blood vessels. We are talking about almost any pathology associated with this organ system. Helps with hyper- and hypotension, arrhythmia, ischemia. These are just the main diseases that can become an indication for this method of treatment.
2. Pathologies of the nervous system of various types. They are also effectively used in neurological practice. They can be useful, for example, for neuroses. But this does not mean that they can be prescribed for mental disorders.
3. Difficulties with metabolic processes. The ability to stabilize metabolism is also guaranteed.
4. Skin diseases. You should not use baths only if you have open ulcers or ulcers.
5. Lack of tone, general exhaustion. One course is enough to recover from a protracted illness or serious surgery. Naturally, in this case, special caution is necessary, since there may be quite dangerous contraindications.

You can get the best results from the procedures if they are performed correctly, as well as if there are no factors interfering with the treatment. It’s worth talking about them further. Since the baths themselves are quite effective, the contraindications to them are also very diverse and dangerous.

Contraindications for baths

The excellent therapeutic effect that can be obtained from such activities is combined with certain risks. They are talked about when some contraindications to this treatment method are observed. The doctor must determine their presence or absence. By contraindications we mean.

1. Any infectious and inflammatory processes in the acute stage.
2. The presence of unhealed wounds or stitches after surgery.
3. Cirrhosis of the liver or other extensive lesions of this organ.
4. Diagnosed neoplasms.
5. A history of heart attack, hypertensive crisis or stroke.
6. Tuberculosis in the acute stage.
7. Blood diseases and serious pathologies of circulatory processes.
8. Ulcers and extensive skin lesions.

It should be noted that these contraindications are only basic. In fact, narzan baths should not be taken in many other, less serious cases. Therefore, careful preparation is always required before prescribing such a procedure. During it, the doctor finds out everything important aspects, affecting efficiency. Only if there are no obstacles to the procedure can treatment begin. A responsible approach guarantees that the result from a course of such bathrooms will be excellent.

Kislovodsk, thanks to Narzan, deservedly enjoys worldwide fame. The desire of a huge number of heart patients to go on vacation to Kislovodsk is caused by the hope of finding in “Bogatyr Narzan” an all-healing remedy for a number of diseases.

In fact, narzan treatment, along with other medicinal means of the Kislovodsk resort, is a non-specific method of treatment and, like other means, requires great attention and caution. From many years of practice and experience, we know that at the Kislovodsk resort you can have a wonderful rest and restore your health with the help of a number of therapeutic agents, provided that the disease is indicated for treatment not in a resort and if the patient’s body is adapted (compensated) for resort treatment. Narzan treatment is considered one of the responsible links in the entire complex of resort treatments, and elucidating the essence of its action is an extremely responsible and important task.

life itself and scientific experiment proved that narzan baths - despite the short duration of action - produce profound changes in the patient’s body. Both a single bath and a whole course of narzan baths cause appropriate responses from the cardiovascular, nervous and endocrine systems.

The main active elements of narzan are carbon dioxide, mineral salts and radioactive emanation. It has been proven that the skin has the ability to absorb gases that come into contact with it. The leading role in the mechanism of action of a narzan bath on the body belongs to carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide enters the blood through the skin and through inhalation lungs of air. As it is absorbed by the skin and lungs, carbon dioxide enters directly into the bloodstream. Mansfeld, Sribner and others believe that absorbed carbon dioxide is a specific causative agent of automatism in cardiac activity, and it also stimulates the respiratory center. As a result of this irritating effect of carbon dioxide, the pulmonary capillaries expand (when inhaled) and the huge network of skin capillaries (when carbon dioxide is absorbed by the skin surface). Thanks to this expansion of the skin capillary network, a significant amount of oxygenated blood passes through the pulmonary circulation into the large circulation. As a result, the so-called “depot” is unloaded from stagnant blood and the nutrition of all cells of the body improves.

This redistribution of blood occurs due to a special redness reaction resulting from the thermal, mechanical and chemical effects of the narzan bath on the skin.

The mechanism of the balneological reaction of redness is as follows: 20-30 seconds after the patient sits in a narzan bath, the surface of his body is covered like pearls with bubbles of carbon dioxide. A feeling of pleasant warmth spreads throughout the body. This thermal sensation that appears from a narzan bath occurs as a result of the expansion of the diameter of the capillaries and the deeper located subcapillary veins, and also due to the inclusion of a huge number of capillaries in the current blood circulation. To judge the length of the skin capillary network, you need to remember the calculations of anatomists who believe that a stretched thread from this capillary network can wrap the globe around the equator two and a half times.

The full reaction of redness of the body usually occurs 1 - 2 minutes after immersion in a narzan bath, lasts 10 - 12 minutes and then undergoes reverse development. Redness of the body is a response from the body to a physical and chemical irritant in the form of narzan applied to the skin and is called a positive balneological reaction. This reaction does not occur in the same way in different individuals and, for the most part, passes quickly. In some patients, while taking baths, a short period of an opposite reaction sometimes appears when the body turns pale and the feeling of warmth disappears. In these cases, a temporary spasm of the capillaries occurs and part of the blood seems to go back to its “depots”.

This condition, the opposite of skin hyperemia, is called ischemic or anemic (negative balneological reaction). Fortunately, in the majority of those treated, it quickly disappears and is replaced again by a redness reaction or hyperemia. Upon leaving the bath, the redness of the body usually disappears after 2-5 minutes, and the feeling of warmth lasts much longer in the skin. As a result of a positive balneological reaction of redness, a more correct distribution of blood circulating in the body occurs with the unloading of internal organs (liver, spleen, intestines) from stagnant blood. Among the various theories that explain the essence of the occurrence of the redness reaction, we will analyze one of the main ones.

Lewis was the first to suggest that when the skin is irritated by the sun, chemical, thermal or simply mechanical stimuli, a redness reaction occurs. This filling of the skin capillaries with blood, in his opinion, occurs due to the expanding action of special chemical substances on them, which are called vasoactive, histamine-like substances. They arise in the capillary network as a result of the disintegration of part of the endothelial cells of these vessels under the influence of skin irritants. Experiments have shown that there is always a small amount of histamine-like substances in the circulating human blood. During the period of the Narzan bath, more of them appear in the blood. Along with them, during the action of a narzan bath, others appear in the bloodstream of the skin. chemical substances- acetylcholine, which mainly act as a slower on the pulse, slowing down the activity of the heart

A negative or negative reaction to a narzan bath serves as a signal that either narzan baths are generally contraindicated for this patient, or a change in the concentration of narzan, temperature, etc. is required. With a positive reaction, the internal organs are relieved of stagnant blood and the venous pressure in the post-bath period decreases - a good sign of the effect of the narzan bath. The opposite relationship occurs in the case of a negative balneological reaction, when, due to a spasm of the capillary network (palning and coldness of the skin), proper blood circulation does not occur and in the post-bath period the venous pressure increases - an undesirable effect of a narzan bath.

The movement of blood from large arteries to smaller ones, capillaries and veins is accomplished by central blood pressure. The amount of blood flowing through the vessels obeys Poiseuille's law, according to which the amount of fluid flowing through a tube under a certain pressure decreases or increases by the square of the decrease or increase in the diameter of this tube. For example, when the diameter of a tube is halved, the amount of liquid flowing through it decreases by 4 times.

In the human body, the greater the spasm of the capillaries, the higher the resistance to advancing blood and, naturally, the greater the load on the working heart muscle. Depending on the magnitude of the narrowing of the small arteries of the internal organs, blood pressure will also increase. Vascular tone (tension) is of great practical importance in human life.

The narzan bath, expanding the huge capillary network, thereby reduces the resistance to moving blood and facilitates the work of the heart. As a result, there is an increase in blood circulation energy, and the cells and tissues of the body receive more nutrients and oxygen.

During narzan treatment, the heart muscle rests due to a decrease in the number of heart contractions and a slower pulse. The period of rest of the heart (its diastole) is lengthened - this is the time when the heart muscle itself is fed with blood and the performance of the heart thereby increases. Thus, the beneficial effect of the Narzan bath comes down to improving blood circulation in the periphery and increasing the rate of blood turnover (bleeding). The latter occurs due to the expansion of peripheral vessels, narrowing of deeper vessels and a decrease in deposited (stagnant) blood.

The carbon dioxide of the Narzan bath also slows down breathing, increasing the suction effect of the chest. Due to this, blood flow to the right heart also increases and the systolic tension of the heart increases. This reaction to a narzan bath lasts whole line hours, when the heart, on the one hand, has an extended rest period (increased diastole), and on the other, a more powerful systole (increased contraction of the heart muscle). As a result of such rational work, the heart acquires a more normal rhythm and is relieved of excess blood flow, this is the gentle training effect of narzan baths on the cardiovascular system.

So, under the influence of carbon dioxide from narzan baths, the heart muscle itself is better nourished and thereby increases its contractility. This training effect of narzan baths on the entire circulatory system improves metabolic processes in the tissues and cells of the body

If each narzan bath has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system, then there is a corresponding limit for the optimal number of them. The total number of narzan baths that a patient can take depends on the form of the disease and the general condition of the whole organism. The effect of treatment is determined not by the number of procedures, but by their correct use. Some authors believe (Polonsky) that after 14 narzan baths the body’s reaction of fatigue begins; the positive balneological reaction of redness no longer occurs. Experiences of the clinic named after. Lenin showed that on the 18th bath, in the majority of patients, by the end of treatment, fatigue of the heart muscle appeared, which led to diastole (the period of rest of the heart) and a weakening of the sound phenomena of the heart. The treatment method of “paired baths” (2 days in a row and the third day of rest) also had a negative effect on patients.

Along with the balneological reaction of redness, which characterizes the positive side of the action of narzan baths, the so-called bathing reaction often occurs. During narzan treatment, patients sometimes experience various kinds exacerbation of pain in joints, muscles and nerves, temporarily worsening general health. Pain suddenly appears in places that were affected by some process in the past. Diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, etc. are also extremely often exacerbated. Usually, these exacerbations occur during the 3-5 narzan bath. Heart pain intensifies, palpitations appear, general nervous excitability increases, and sleep worsens. As a rule, with the appropriate regimen, all these exacerbations soon pass and a corresponding improvement occurs in the state of health. Thus, narzan baths are considered a strong provocateur of attenuated inflammatory processes.

Most often, such a swimming reaction occurs in patients during periods of sudden meteorological changes (cyclones - anticyclones). Quite often, in case of sharp exacerbations of painful symptoms, it is necessary to temporarily interrupt narzan treatment, replacing it with soothing physiotherapeutic procedures. All of the above leads us to the conclusion that the effectiveness of Narzan treatment depends mainly on a number of conditions for using Narzan baths.

First of all, it is recommended on the day of the Narzan bath to avoid any excursions, walking in the mountains and anything that can cause fatigue, especially fatigue of the heart muscle. On the day of taking a Narzan bath, it is not recommended to take other physiotherapeutic procedures, even a hygienic shower, otherwise the beneficial effect of the Narzan bath is reduced. Great importance is attached to the concentration of the bath, its temperature and duration. Both before a bath and especially after it, adequate rest (at least 2 hours) is required.

When is it better to take narzan baths - after meals or on an empty stomach? It is recommended to take them after a light breakfast, or no earlier than 2 hours after lunch. The degree of reaction of the body depends on the depth of immersion in the bath. Generally, it is recommended to sit in the bath up to your nipples. If possible, the support points should be the back of the head, toes - the rest of the body is freely washed by narzan. Excessive movements in the bath are not recommended to avoid abrasion of gas bubbles from the surface of the body. Despite the particularly pleasant sensation, you should lie in the bath for as long as prescribed by your doctor. When the negative phase of the balneological reaction occurs, you must leave the bath with a feeling of chilling. ahead of schedule. The process of immersion in and out of the bath should be done without sudden movements. It is recommended to wipe the body with a sheet by applying it, without the usual rubbing and irritation of the skin. Why is a short rest (15-20 minutes) in the relaxation room necessary after taking a Narzan bath? From the above, it should be clear that the change in blood circulation that occurs under the influence of a single narzan bath in a favorable direction must be supported by freeing the body from excessive workload. It is not for nothing that in the future it is recommended to lie down for an additional 1.5-2 hours upon returning to your room (depending on the instructions of the attending physician). For a certain group of patients with a high diaphragm, it is more useful to spend the post-bath rest in a comfortable chair in a sitting or semi-sitting position. Electrocardiographic observations carried out within 2-3 hours after the bath proved the need for post-bath rest. Only if these conditions are met, the full effectiveness of the narzan bath and the normalization of cardiac function are ensured.

The above general rules The use of narzan baths can be changed by the attending physician, depending on a number of characteristics of the sick organism. It should be pointed out that an extremely harmful aspect in the treatment process is the pursuit of unnecessary

number of narzan baths. It must be remembered that the task of every patient who comes to the resort is to free the body from those health problems that interfere with productive work and a quiet life. From what medicinal means healing will occur, after how many narzan baths - it does not matter, you just need to achieve the goal: to achieve healing in the shortest possible time of spa treatment. We must not forget the fact that the full post-resort effect does not occur earlier than 2-3 weeks after the end of treatment. This is called the consistent effect of balneological treatment, the beneficial effects of which last up to 6 months or more. It is not for nothing that repeated treatment at a resort earlier than six months is not recommended. If during the period of treatment at the resort the patient does not experience noticeable improvements in his health, he should not despair. This serves as a signal that the layering of one irritation reaction on top of another causes a temporary aggravation of the process, which usually disappears 2-3 weeks after the end of treatment at the resort.