Hot sand baths (psammotherapy): A systematic review

Exposure time as an influencing factor among rheumatoid arthritis patients subjected to traditional Siwan therapy

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term autoimmune disease characterized by intra- and extra-articular manifestations. Sand therapy is traditionally indicated for RA, chronic pain, skin diseases, and musculoskeletal disorders. Many places in the world use sand therapy, including Siwa, which is a famous place in Egypt. This study investigated the exposure time to Siwan traditional therapy as a factor influencing central sensitization, pain severity, pain threshold, and kinesiophobia in RA by measuring the central sensory inventory (CSI), visual analogue scale, pressure algometer, and TAMPA kinesiophobia scale, respectively. Twenty-four patients with RA were recruited from 6 traditional healing centers, 24 RA patients were recruited and randomly assigned to 2 equal groups (GI and GII). The first received Siwan traditional therapy for 3 days, while the second received the same program for 5 days. The results revealed a significant difference in CSI between pre- and posttreatment within the GII (P = .038). The Tampa Scale score improved significantly in both groups (P = .004 and P = .014, respectively). Pain severity and pain threshold at all sites showed significant posttreatment improvements in the GII. Significant posttreatment changes were only found for GI in terms of pain severity and the most painful joint (P = .010 and P = .035, respectively). Significant changes were observed in kinesiophobia, pain severity, and pain threshold in the most painful joint 3 and 5 days after Siwan traditional therapy. Despite the nonsignificant differences in all parameters between the 2 groups, all the measured parameters produced favorable results after 5 days of treatment, suggesting the need for a long-term effect investigation.

Rheumatic Diseases: New Progress in Clinical Research and Pathogenesis

Rheumatic diseases encompass a group of disorders that primarily target the musculoskeletal system, including joints, bones, muscles, and connective tissue [...].

MODELLING AND SIMULATION FOR RADIOLOGICAL DOSE ASSESSMENT OF PSAMMOTHERAPY AND CLIMATOTHERPY

Patient and occupational dose rates due to psammotherapy (sand therapy) and climatotherapy treatments in high natural background areas in Egypt have been evaluated. Monte Carlo mathematical simulations using adult human phantoms were applied to consider the effect of elevated 238U, 232Th and 40K concentrations and the nonhomogeneous distribution of natural radionuclides in beach sand. Three situations: phantom covered by sand or lying on the beach and points in air at several heights above sand level, were considered. The gamma-ray doses per treatment were calculated at a reference point located on the phantom surface centrally above the genital area. The thus calculated patient-absorbed-dose ranges at this reference point were 0.006-0.018 mGy and 0.004-0.023 mGy per climatotherapy and psammotherapy treatments, respectively.