New study Radon reduces back pain

Study shows: Back pain can be alleviated by radon therapy

02/19/2014

It sounds like a blessing for people with chronic back pain: after just one cure, pain relief lasting for months. Now, a recently published study shows that treatment programs with the noble gas radon in the form of baths, inhalations or driveways in patients with chronic back pain, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis can produce this positive effect.

The International Randomized Multicentre Radon Study (IMuRa Study) [1] commissioned by EURADON, the European Radiation Spas e.V., confirms the positive effect of radon treatments on the pain situation in chronic pain. In addition, the alternative form of treatment study confirms that it significantly reduces the use of painkillers for a period of nine months. Thus, the patient's organism can be relieved of adverse drug side effects. This is good news for patients who are in need of analgesics because of incurable back or rheumatic diseases.

Radon has been used in therapy in Europe since the beginning of the 20th century. Of course, radon exits the earth's crust and is only found in certain geographical areas in the correct dosage for medical use. Spas for radon therapy are available, for example, in Germany, Italy, Austria, Poland and the Czech Republic. When bathing, drinking spring water or staying in former mine tunnels, radon enters the body through the lungs and skin. „In principle, it is an extremely low-dose radiotherapy, which stimulates the body's own repair mechanisms and inhibits painkillers“, explains Dr. Ina Furch, established orthopedic surgeon and bath doctor in Bad Schlema, who was the overall medical director. However, the exact mechanisms of action of radon therapy are still not fully explored.

„Although studies on the lasting, pain-relieving effects of radon therapy have been available for many years, their results were not sufficient from today's scientific point of view“, says study author Prof. dr. Thomas Franke from Bad Elster. „In contrast, the IMuRa study meets class 1b of the concepts of evidence-based medicine.“ The initiators of the IMuRa study are hoping for the positive results that Radontherapien will be reimbursed in the future as part of the outpatient care of statutory health insurance. In the German health system, it is currently only accepted for inpatient rehabilitation measures. (Pm)