Spa treatments are among the most sought-after therapeutic sessions by most of those who want to relax. In many or even most cases, spa treatments are a great treat for body, mind and soul. But be aware of the fact that it is always advisable to consider the advantages and disadvantages of spa treatments, depending on your physical, medical and mental condition before booking a spa treatment.
The question is, is it truly good for you? What are its pros and cons? This article will inform you about many of the positive effects as well as potential risks of spa treatments.
Advantages of Spa Treatments
Access to a wide range of services
One of the many great things about visiting a spa is that you can gain access to a wide range of services that can address many mental and physical conditions. This means that you can find spa treatments designed to improve your body, mind and soul.
Relax and unwind
Visiting the spa can also help you relax and unwind. Aside from getting your body trained, your look styled and your skin pampered, a professional spa treatment will leave you feeling mentally refreshed and reinvigorated. It can even help clear your mind.
Professionals take care of you
Spas are usually run by trained professionals and experts on the field. You are literally in the right hands. You can learn many new ways to take care of your body, mind and soul. Many of the treatments and trainings you can get from a spa can later be implemented wherever you are.
Individualized treatments
Spa treatments are also usually customized according to the clients’ needs, which is a big advantage. Your treatment schedule will be based on the particular conditions that you want to treat.
Goodbye Insomnia
What is the first thing that you think of when you hear about a spa? Steam? Hot rooms? Water? Maybe all of them. The thing is that all of these elements are very helpful to your sleeping pattern: hot and warm water gives you an immediate feeling of relaxation, helps your body temperature increase that softens your muscles, and releases the tension. It also reduces fatigue and, in other words, you’ll be sleeping like a Roman god.
Reduces muscles and joint pain
Muscle pain has to be checked in first and foremost by a doctor, but if you happen to have confirmed that your pains are not related or because of any physical condition, you can use warm waters and spa treatments with steam to ease them.
Improves heart health
Beware, these are all recommendations for people with absolute certainty that they do not suffer from any heart condition and that they have checked with their doctors the approval of taking spa treatments as a way to improve heart health.
Now, the fun part about this is that it involves water, but in great amounts. Being inside a pool or a tub filled with warm water also means cardiac exercises, because water can increase cardiac volume through its pressure on the body. In short: your heart will have to do more work and this is a long-term beneficial activity to keep the organ healthy and pumping blood efficiently.
Helps the body with fighting diabetes
This refers to recent studies that show that hot tub treatments in spas can help patients with type 2 diabetes because it improves blood flow and has to do with more complex processes in the body involving heat conditioning and heat shock proteins. This focuses on patients that are specifically unable to exercise, but others in general too, according to the England Journal of Medicine. Remember to check with your doctor before trying anything out!
Eliminates toxins
If you dream of porcelain skin, then spas are the way to go. Ok, maybe not “porcelain”, because our skin has texture and layers, but it sure can help with a smooth and clean feeling of it, since the steam of hot water opens up your pores and let the dirt and toxins out of your face and the rest of the body as well.
A lot more self-love
Mental health is just as important as physical health, and this is just not a way to say that you might need a couple of minutes with no phone or a small break from work, but with much more than that. People are ashamed of admitting they need to rest, and this leads to pains, stress, and mental exhaustion. To avoid all of this you have to take mental health seriously and book a day in the spa since it will make you feel relaxed, and when you feel relaxed you feel good about yourself. You can think better and organize your ideas in a better, more calm way. This is also a priority, so don’t take it for granted. It is not frivolous, and to be honest, if it is, who cares? Take care of yourself, it’ll be so worth it.
Reduces severe headaches
Warm water relaxes your body and enlarges your blood vessels as it also reduces the pressure of the pain you might be feeling. This is also related to better sleep and feeling serene and energized.
Disadvantages of Spa Treatments
Despite the number of benefits spas have on our mood and health, there are, however, some important precautions to consider before visiting any of these facilities. This doesn’t mean that spa treatments are bad, not at all, but there are some risks to prevent and we have them all here for you to know and make your relaxing experience something to repeat and not regret.
Spas and hot tubs come from ancient times when Romans built them to send their soldiers to relax and help with their pains and fatigue. However, nowadays we have to make sure some measures are taken into account when going to one of these places. Webmd.com has a very interesting insight that we are going to follow for the purpose of this article: “Certain spa treatments can worsen chronic and acute health conditions. All spas can pose risks to the general public, particularly when operated in a state of uncleanliness.”
Chronic Conditions (Diabetes-related)
The name might sound like a big deal, and with a reason. Pedicures are not always harmless and it is very important that you know the risks of paying for one, especially if you have an autoimmune disease like diabetes. According to Webmd.com “any break in the skin, potentially from the aggressive trimming of a callous or cuticle, can increase the risk of foot infections called cellulitis,” is the first thing the source indicates. Clean supplies and water are also a very delicate thing to look at, and the main recommendation for this is that, in the case of diabetic patients, to bring your own container of water and your own equipment.
The wrong massage spot
You’re probably thinking that is obvious, but not so much. The experts of Webmd.com refer to massages as just as risky as the “level of touch”, meaning that “the most important adaptation for chronic diseases, like cancer, is touch level”. Massages have to be very light because if something is harshly touched, then the person can suffer from various consequences to their condition. Even if you don’t have anything to look into, specialists recommend people to only get massages from licensed professionals who know the anatomy of the body and understand how to move without harming you.
Acute Conditions
Like pregnancy, for example. Pregnant people can experience high levels of discomfort and it is imperative that, if taking any spa treatment, they look for someone who understands the limits of the condition. Pregnant people should look for “pregnancy massage therapists and avoid massage techniques that involve long strokes along the legs or pressure between the ankle and heels”. Also, if a person is menstruating, attention must also be paid, since massages can increase the menstruation flow.
Respiratory Infections inside saunas
If you have a cold, asthma, or any other related condition, then the dry heat from wooded rooms in saunas is not for you. This can also lead to respiratory infection as a result of breathing difficulties.
Conclusion
Is a Spa Treatment Right for You? Please make sure you consider your personal medical situation before booking a spa treatment. You need to do some research to find out which spa and which treatment in your area is actually worth spending your money on. Also, you need to find out which treatment is good for you. That way, you will not regret your spa treatment and for sure enjoy its benefits.
