C8: INNOVATIVE MEDICAL SPA SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Application summary:
Our main aim is to present the research activities of the Institute of Spa and Balneology, which was founded in 2019 by the Karlovy Vary Region.
We want to focus on the complex work of our research institution on the spa industry development without highlighting a particular study.
Our field of research includes:
– medical research to investigate the impact of spa treatments on human health,
– natural science research that includes the study of the environment of spa towns and natural healing resources,
– sociological research on the behaviour of potential spa clients
-cultural and historical research.
1. Project description:
The Institute of Spa and Balneology is a public research institution established by the Karlovy Vary Region. The institution aims to renew research in the field of spa and balneology in the Czech Republic. Research projects focus mainly on the objective effects of spa treatments on human health, research into natural medicinal resources, and cultural, historical and socio-economic aspects of the spa industry. A more detailed description of the projects can be found in the attachment.
2. Originality:
The researchers of the Institute are working on original scientific research, such as:
• research on the properties of disintegrated peat prepared in a completely new, patent-protected way (CZ Pat. No. 308971 “Method of treatment of peats and their use in balneology and wellness treatments and transdermal applications of health-promoting substances”);
• a clinical study of the effects of inhaled hydrogen in post-COVID patients treated in a spa after severe pneumonia with hospitalization.
• use of Virtual Reality technology in spa treatments, which allows not only the possibility of remote treatment but above all to tailor rehabilitation based on monitoring the patient’s movement and evaluating individual progression;
• study of the effect of one-week complex spa treatment on the mood states of older adults;
• definition of a therapeutic spa landscape based on measurements of atmospheric ions and essential medicinal substances in the air;
• socio-economic surveys.
3. Use of medical methods and created new medical programmes
Institute of spa and balneology use modern methods and state-of-the-art equipment:
• Virtual reality technology;
• Hydrodynamic cavitation;
• Machine learning methods, CHAID (Chi-square Automatic Interaction Detector) decision trees, to analyze the collected data;
• Business intelligence methods;
• For measurements, the following equipment is used: iontometer Kathrein MGK 01; air ion counter AIC2; RaySafe 452.
4. Importance of the research for the medical spa sector
The unfavourable development of the spa industry in the Czech Republic, when for more than 30 years there was no scientific research base, led to the stagnation of the Czech spa industry. The effective transfer of R&D results from the research sphere to the application area and their subsequent use is of key importance for the development of spa and balneology. Our institute’s researches aim to develop the spa industry in all fields, from medicine to culture and history.
Contact:
Institute of Spa and Balneology
info@i-lab.cz
+420 731 618 273
nábř. J. Palacha 932/20, Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic
i-lab.cz