Senior Physician Hiking, mountain air and a healing tunnel relieve pain

People with chronic pain usually struggle through everyday life. Family, work and household demand their full strength. As the holiday is often a lifeline, in which important resources can be replenished. Best suited for a holiday in the mountains. Hiking on the mountain improves mobility and the alpine elevation trains the cardiovascular system. In addition, many sufferers also find help in the interior of the mountain. In the Gastein Valley, for example, nature has created a healing climate of heat, high humidity and radon.

Health hiking - recreation for body and soul
Hiking in the great outdoors reduces stress hormones, gently trains endurance and strengthens individual muscle groups. "Especially patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain benefit from the smooth movements of walking," says Univ.-Doz. Dr. Bertram Hölzl, scientific director of the Gasteiner Heilstollen. Pain is so relieved and stiffness in joints counteracted. These effects are enhanced by the addition of treatment programs that consist of exercise therapy, muscle relaxing and physiotherapy programs. They help to strengthen important muscle groups by stretching and strengthening and to relieve diseased joints. A new trend is the so-called health hiking. During the walks, targeted strengthening, mobilization, coordination and relaxation exercises improve physical fitness. Find tips on those affected by cure doctors or the local physiotherapist.

Hiking as an endurance sport is ridiculed by some contemporaries. It was only walking. But walking is actually almost as effective as jogging. (Image: blas / fotolia.com)

Höhenluft boosts the cardiovascular system
Athletes regularly complete their training sessions in the mountains, because it improves the condition almost by itself. But for all the others, staying in alpine heights brings proven health benefits. Due to the lower atmospheric oxygen in the alpine situations, the body is in endurance training - this has a long-term antihypertensive effect, although it is initially often a temporary reactive increase in blood pressure. The blood pressure should therefore be checked in advance and adjusted correctly. The height also has a positive effect on the blood count, oxygen transport, blood sugar, blood pressure and pulse behavior. "Thin, dry air and increased sunshine also strengthen the body's immune system," explains Dr. med. Hölzl. Added benefit: the lower oxygen content curbs the appetite. And every kilo less relieves overused joints and promotes well-being.

With the swimming trunks in the stollen train
Anyone who also wants to sustainably reduce their consumption of medicines should pack their bathing trunks on vacation and head towards the mountain's interior. Studies have confirmed the long-lasting, pain-relieving effects of so-called radon heat therapy in former mines. Who wants to use the natural climate, drives in the context of an outpatient cure with a train into the mountain. Patients absorb the naturally occurring noble gas radon through the skin and lungs in low quantities. "Radon activates anti-inflammatory messengers in the body, so relieves pain and concomitant symptoms," emphasizes Dr. med. Hölzl. The effect usually lasts for several months, so that pain patients usually benefit from it for a long time at home.