Each year, hundreds of thousands of people travel to Europe to visit medical spas and weight loss spas. They take advantage of curative remedies while enjoying the majestic landscape and unique culture found only in Europe. While American spas treat you like a guest and focus on relaxation and beauty, European spas treat you like a patient and focus on medical wellness treatments that improve overall health. Many European medical spas use natural resources as part of treatment.
What is a Medical Spa?
The term “medical spa” is a little misleading. Is it a fancy hospital or a spa for sick people? It turns out that medical spas are a little bit of both. A medical spa (or “medi-spa”) combines a traditional, relaxing spa experience with techniques and procedures you’d typically find in a doctor’s office. A licensed health care professional is on-site at all times. The staff is committed to improving their patients’ overall health through the use of alternative and holistic medical therapies. The use of medical spas and alternative medicine has increased drastically over the past 20 years.
Some medical spas are built around natural springs or have their own source of natural minerals. These spas offer hydrotherapy treatments, which use water for pain relief and treatment. The physical properties of water, like pressure and temperature, are used to stimulate blood circulation and treat diseases.
What are the most popular spa treatments?
A thermal spring bath is excellent for those with circulation disorders, spinal column issues, arthritis, paralysis, metabolism disorders, osteoporosis, gynecological problems, and recovering from surgery. Europe’s hot springs contain lots of salt and sulfur (a “universal remedy”). Minerals dissolve in salt water, which eventually comes to the surface from deep underground. Thermal springs are cooled down from their natural temperature of about 160 degrees. When used for medical treatment, minerals are absorbed through the skin and deposited in certain body areas. As you relax into a thermal spring bath, you will find muscle and join pain relieved. You can find a thermal spring at the Hotel Drei Quellen Therme in Germany.
If you suffer from a nervous disorder, joint disease, spinal pain, gynecological issue, arthritis, or simply want to rejuvenate your skin, consider a moor mud bath. Europeans have been using warm moor mud since the 14th century. Also called “therapeutic peat,” moor mud is a combination of organic remains from grass, herbs, and flowers. Deposited at the bottom of a swamp, these materials did not decompose entirely due to a lack of oxygen. Over time, these remnants slowly become peat. The peat is exposed and removed when moorlands are drained. The peat is then cut into small pieces and combined with purified water, forming a thick paste. When the mud is heated, a combination of acids, minerals, vitamins, hormones, and trace elements are released, absorbed into the skin, and deposited into certain parts of the body. You can find this treatment at the Tree of Life Spa Resort in the Czech Republic.
Other popular treatments include water cure therapy, climate therapy, fango mud, Kneipp therapy, thymus/fresh cell therapy, Stanger bath therapy, Aslan therapy, and cryotherapy.
Some of Europe’s best medical spas:
- Gellert Hotel and Spas (Hungary)
- Baden-Baden (Germany)
- Schloss Elmau Luxury Spa & Cultural Hideaway (Germany)
- Viva Mayr and F.X. Mayr & More (Austria)
- LeFay Resort & Spa (Italy)
- Grand Resort Bad Ragaz (Switzerland)
Baden-Baden, One of the Best Spa Towns in Germany
One of the top luxury spas in Europe is in Germany at Baden-Baden, situated on the Black Forest’s edge in a lush green valley on the Oos River. It has been a popular spa destination since Roman times. Being close to both Switzerland and France, it is the perfect location for those taking a tour of Europe and want to have some time out for relaxation and regenerating.
The Brenners Park Spa Resort is a five-star complex that provides everything that today’s demanding traveler could want. With a full medical spa and a team of experts on hand, they will put together the perfect wellness plan for you. The center specializes in dentistry, gynecology, and physio for medical treatments at a fraction of North American prices. For travelers seeking total peace and relaxation, why not consider booking one of the exclusive spa suites, including a Japanese blossom bath and personal Finnish sauna with a large secluded private terrace overlooking the mountains and forest it is the perfect location to unwind. There are lots of treatments on offer. The massage menu is extensive and includes Thai massage, which will help boost your energy levels. Shiatsu which concentrates on pressure points. Lomi which is also known as a Hawaiian massage and is a mixture of grip and deep tissue. You can also indulge in sports and aromatherapy massage.
Other treatments on offer include facials, again there is a large menu, and there are now facial therapies for men. For those seeking a complete spa package, you could opt for one of the specialist programs, which includes various treatments tailored to your needs. For example, you could opt for microdermabrasion, or high-frequency facial treatments sell at home microdermabrasion machines that you can bring back for DIY treatment). Fitness, along with diet, are all part of the packages. The head chef works alongside the nutritionist to provide delicious organic meals, which will suit all dietary requirements.
Baden-Baden could easily be combined with one of the spa resorts in Switzerland, France, Italy, or Austria with their unique spa towns. Or you could also consider one of the stunning spa resorts found in the UK, one of the most luxurious beings in Bath, England. People have been bathing and enjoy the spa since Roman times, and this could be combined with a visit to Stonehenge and is very close to London. There are so many possibilities and options available for anyone searching for the perfect spa vacations in Europe.
