Salt pipes.: Hello, Just curious as to...

17 years ago

hi ken, glad you brought this up - I've been curious too - especially as seaside air really helps - will it be the same sort of thing. Hoping someone knows something about these pipes.

17 years ago

Hi Ken,

There's abundant amounts of media hype about these, but I can't find a single evidence based study to say that they are helpful at all - although I'm prepared to be corrected if anyone else knows of one.

I can't think of any reason why one of these would actually do any harm, although I would probably consult with your doctor, and people who react badly to nebulised saline or hypertonic saline should probably approach with caution.

I would be very wary about spending money on such an unproven treatment, though.

Sorry not to be more helpful

Em H

S4LT• in reply to7 years ago

Heres a list of clinical studies..

PUBMED STUDIES:

Chervinskaya AV, Zilber NA. Halotherapy for treatment of respiratory diseases J Aerosol Med. 1995 Fall;8(3):221-32. Complete study is available PMID: 10161255 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Gorbenko PP, Adamova IV, Sinitsyna TM. [Bronchial hyperreactivity to the inhalation of hypo- and hyperosmolar aerosols and its correction by halotherapy] Ter Arkh. 1996; 68(8):24-8. Russian. Abstract is available PMID: 9019826 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Grinshtein IuI, Shestovitskii VA, Kuligina-Maksimova AV. [Clinical significance of cytological characteristics of bronchial inflammation in obstructive pulmonary diseases] Ter Arkh. 2004; 76(3):36-9. Russian. Abstract is available PMID: 15108456 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Grigor'eva NV. [Halotherapy in combined non-puncture therapy of patients with acute purulent maxillary sinusitis] Vestn Otorinolaringol. 2003;(4):42-4. Russian. Abstract is available PMID: 13677023 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Abdrakhmanova LM, Farkhutdinov UR, Farkhutdinov RR. [Effectiveness of halotherapy of chronic bronchitis patients] Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 2000 Nov-Dec ;( 6):21-4. Russian. Abstract is available PMID: 11197648 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Maev EZ, Vinogradov NV. [Halotherapy in the combined treatment of chronic bronchitis patients] Voen Med Zh. 1999 Jun; 320(6):34-7, 96. Russian. Abstract is available PMID: 10439712 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Chernenkov RA, Chernenkova EA, Zhukov GV. [The use of an artificial microclimate chamber in the treatment of patients with chronic obstructive lung diseases] Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 1997 Jul-Aug ;( 4):19-21. Russian. Abstract is available PMID: 9424823 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Chervinskaia AV. [The scientific validation and outlook for the practical use of halo-aerosol therapy] Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 2000 Jan-Feb ;( 1):21-4. Review. Russian. Abstract is available PMID: 11094875 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Farkhutdinov UR, Abdrakhmanova LM, Farkhutdinov RR. [Effects of halotherapy on free radical oxidation in patients with chronic bronchitis] Klin Med (Moscow). 2000;78(12):37-40. Russian. Abstract is available PMID: 11210350 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Borisenko LV, Chervinskaia AV, Stepanova NG, Lukian VS, Goncharova VA, Pokhodzei IV, Krivitskaia VZ, Vishniakova LA, Pokhaznikova MA, Faustova ME, et al. Maliavin AG, Filiaeva IuA, Umakhanova MM, Chervinskaia AV

[The use of halotherapy for the rehabilitation of patients with acute bronchitis and a protracted and recurrent course]

Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 1995 Jan-Feb ;( 1):11-5. Russian.

Abstract is available

PMID: 7785211 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Roslaia NA, Likhacheva EI, Shchekoldin PI. [Efficacy of therapeutic use of ultrasound and sinusoidal modulated currents combed with halotherapy in patient with occupational toxic-dust bronchitis] Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 2001 Jan-Feb ;( 1):26-7. Russian. Abstract is available PMID: 11530404 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Maliavin AG, Filiaeva IuA, Umakhanova MM, Chervinskaia AV. [Halotherapy-a new treatment of bacterial vaginosis] Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 2004 May-Jun ;( 3):35-7. Russian. Abstract is available PMID: 15216790 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Kendavis35917 years ago

Shall i say these salt pipes are no good by the lack of resdponse from this website, or maybe people just dont use them. Are they a new item or been out a long time.

17 years ago

Hi Ken

I actually have a salt pipe at home and I find it quite helpful when I have a cough/cold, it seems to make breathing easier, but with regards to my overall asthma I have not really seen any difference

Lejaya

p.s. feel free to pm me if you would like anymore information

17 years ago

Salt pipes have been around for a few years, but they've not made their way into conventional medicine and I haven't heard any rave reviews.

I would imagine they have a similar effect to saline nebs, etc. Sometimes these can cause adverse effects, so do be cautious, as EmH has advised.

As for it being ""natural"" therefore can't interfere with other meds - don't fall into the trap of assuming that just because something is a ""natural"" remedy it can't interact with prescription medication. Not so, I'm afraid. The most obvious thing that springs to mind is St John's Wort, a commonly-used flower remedy which has moderate anti-depressant properties; it interacts with a good number of prescription medications, sometimes dangerously.

17 years ago

cathbear, I used the word 'shouldn't' I didn't actually say that it defintly wouldn't interfere with other medications, and from what I have read in the catalogue it came from, on the box and instruction manual there is nothing to suggest that it will interfere with asthma medications or any other meds. If this was the case I would of consulted a phamacist or my GP

Lejaya

17 years ago

Lejaya, I would suggest that you always consult a doctor or pharmacist before using any sort of complementary or alternative medication or remedy, whether or not it advises you to do so on the packaging. Some of these remedies are not labelled very well, particularly if they are classed as 'supplements' rather than medication.

As CathBear says, it's a complete myth that 'natural' substances are by necessity safe - both aspirin and digoxin, two commonly used drugs, were originally derived from plants, as are some of the most powerful chemotherapy agents. All of them can cause significant harm or even loss of life if used in the wrong way.

Em

17 years ago

You're not going mad, Em - Lejaya had made a couple of posts here! And then there were none...

17 years ago

Ahah, thanks Steve... thought I was replying to imaginary posts again for a minute then...

17 years ago

byw-just bumped up a verrry old thread fromlast year regarding these.

HPH!

Vicky

17 years ago

...I do hope that no one minds me bringing this thread back. I am very curious to know if there are any new views good, bad or otherwise on these salt pipes. I have just been to a website promoting one version, which also has lots of testimonials - but I am taking these with a pinch of salt at the moment (sorry about that)!

Twizzle

17 years ago

Thank you Vicky for bumping this thread, you've saved me some typing. Personally, I'm afraid that my opinion of salt pipes hasn't changed at all since we last discussed them.

As you have observed, twizzle, there are abundant personal testimonials supporting their use, but I am still unable to find a single properly conducted trial. Some of the websites that sell these products reference trials supporting their use, but these trials do not actually seem to exist - or at least not as they are referenced.

This is an expensive, unproven treatment. The best I can say of it is that it is *unlikely* to cause any harm, although as I commented before, people who have had problems with bronchospasm secondary to saline nebs should probably approach with caution. I would always suggest that *any* new treatment is discussed with your doctor first.

Hope this helps

Em H

S4LT7 years ago