Look, the idea that salty air has magical healing properties does sound a little dubious. But we recently had a bad cold—we’re talking deep coughing, sneezing and a throat so sore and body so achy that we couldn’t get out of bed—and we were ready to try anything. After an urgent-care visit ruled out strep, we visited a local day spa where we reclined alone in a quiet, dimly lit room with salt-encrusted walls and took deep, peaceful inhales as little bursts of salty air were pumped into the space.
Forty-five minutes later, we left breathing freely for the first time in days, with a happily lightheaded feeling. (The ten-minute cat nap we stole may have helped a bit too.) So…why is that? We asked industry experts to explain why we’re just now discovering halotherapy and how it works.
So what is actually happening in halotherapy?
Dry, micron-sized, pure pharmaceutical-grade salt particles go deep into the respiratory system, according to Steve Spiro, founder of Global Halotherapy Solutions. The treatment aims to reduce inflammation and absorb mucus in the airways.