Medicinal Waters

The major therapeutic effect provided by the health resort is unique mineral watersoriginated in the Girska Tysa region. The water is pumped from the resort’s own artesian well. The water is light-carbonated, arsenic, with low salt content; it is hydrocarbonate, calcic, sodic chloride. The water is cold and contains an increased level of metaboric acid.

The water in Girska Tysa health resort is the only natural mineral arsenic water found in Ukraine. It is composed of a unique content of valuable microelements and has unique healing properties which make it more advantageous in comparison to similar waters.

Medicinal mineral waters containing arsenic have been applied in the worldwide health resort practice for a long time. It is applied as drinks, baths, irrigations, douches, sprays, inhalations, and also for submerged massages. Health resorts with similar waters are found also in France (La Bourboule), Germany (Duerkheim), Italy (Rancenu and Levico), Chezh (Mariánské Lázně). Among external applications baths are most widespread. The baths appeared to be highly efficient to treat orthopedic diseases, diseases and conditions of the nervous system, endocrine diseases (hyperthyroidism), metabolism disorders (gout), gynecological diseases.

Basically, arsenic has a considerable biological importance for normal functioning of the human body and produces a valuable pharmacological effect if used in small doses. The arsenic has been known as a therapeutic agent since ancient times.  Small doses of arsenic gives energy and strengthens the body: it increases gastric juice secretion, improves digestion. The percentage of hemoglobin and number of erythrocytes get increased; at the same time nitrogen metabolism gets reduced (protein cleavage is reduced), also fixation of nitrogen and phosphorus from food increases. Coenaesthesia and condition of the body get improved.

The average quantity of arsenic in the body of a “standard weight” person (70 kg) is less than 0.1 g. Arsenic distribution in the body is not regular. The highest concentration of this microelement is found in the brain tissue, muscles and organs with a developed muscular coat, such as heart, larynx, vagina, uterus, urinary bladder, tongue.  The nervous and muscular tissues contain large quantities of arsenic due to the metabolic cost of the tissues, that is thinking and mechanical work. Even the name “arsenic” means “potent” and “masculine” in Greek. The name reflects the basic effect of the agent related to the muscular and mental activity, controlling the correct energy consumption by the body cells.

When an arsenic ion penetrates in the body by different ways, including through the skin at external application, it enter into the enzymatic reactions of the tissue respiration due to its high biological activity, so arsenic ions reduce intensity of the reactions and decreases the level of free radical oxidation. Consequently the energy potential of tissues and cells gets improved. This is associated with improvement of protective capabilities of the body and activation of adaptation and trophic systems.

Largely, the arsenic effect is associated with a reduction of tissue oxidations, metabolism improvement. According to Schulz and Binz, the arsenic impact on the body is explained by a continuous activation of oxygen metabolism produced by transformation of arsenite to arseniate in tissues, and of arseniate back to arsenite. It is believed that small doses of arsenic activate small quantities of oxygen and stimulate increase of tissue nutrition and growth being a moderate stimulus.

Based on extensive experience in health, arsenic and mineral waters containing the agent are effectively used to improve oxidation and metabolism processes in tissues.

The most widespread use of arsenic is a tonic. It improves appetite, gastric juice secretion, increases the quantity of erythrocytes, hemoglobin, improves hematopoiesis of iron, reduces nitrogen metabolism, improves fixation of nitrogen and phosphorus from food. General nutrition of the body gets improved.

Especially interesting are works studying the arsenic effect on the body affected with radioactive contaminations (Zeliakova D.I., 1960). It has been shown, for instance, that natrium arsenite has a positive therapeutic effect on a body poisoned with polonium.

Despite the fact that natural mineral waters containing arsenic have been used by health resorts worldwide for a long time, balneological interventions of such waters have not been studied and applied to the full.

The first scientific research conducted in the former USSR to study effect of mineral waters containing arsenic on a human body was conducted in 1933. In 1976, the USSR Central Scientific and Research Institute for Balneology and Physiotherapy conducted research studies the objective of which was experiment-based and clinical justification for use of waters containing arsenic for treatment and prevention purposes. The balneological importance of mineral water originated in the Girska Tysa region in Kvasy village was studied by the Uzhgorod branch of Odessa Balneology Institute since 1960. Later, M.D. Torokhtincontinuedthestudies.

The studies showed that arsenic penetrates the body from mineral waters containing arsenic not only if used orally, but also through the skin in 2-3 hours after taking mineral arsenic bath. When arsenic gets in cells it has a positive impact on metabolism processes in cells. Larger amounts of arsenic penetrate the body at the end of the therapy course. In any case, a relatively steady coat of this agent forms on the skin.

The arsenic coat formed on the skin reduces impulse discharge of the skin receptors to some extent. This helps normalize excitation and inhibition in the central nervous system.

A specific effect of arsenic contained in mineral waters is associated with a change of tissue respiration. Arsenic baths produce first of all distress effect. Generally, the effect is perceived after completing a bath course. The distress effect is conditioned by the attack of arsenic blocking the skin receptors. The effect after completing a full course is explained by gradual accumulation of arsenic and change of the level of energy processes in tissues. Consequently, the physiological functions of the body adapt to a new metabolism and get normal. So, the system of the body adaptation is activated and functions of the nervous, vascular and endocrine systems become stable.

The therapeutic effect of taking baths with mineral water containing a unique content of useful microelements, gases and salts in our health resort is not limited to the effect of arsenic only. The entire balneological complex produces a beneficial effect on the body and stimulates local nervous, reflex and neurohumoral processes. So, the entire human body receives an efficient complex therapy with mineral water.

The doctor’s dissertation of M.D. Torokhtin (1973) proves that carbonated chalybeate manganese arsenite hidrocarbonate natrium chloride water in the Transcarpathian region are highly effective specific medicinal waters that have a wide range of healing effects, and so they are recommended for treatment and prevention of a number of diseases.

So, neuro-reflex processes developing in the body when taking arsenic baths include hormonal regulations; the baths improve tissue metabolism and ameliorate different inflammatory and allergic diseases. Especially positive effect is improvement of the musculoskeletal system and peripheral nervous system.

Arsenic baths help normalize metabolism even if a person has such a complicated condition as chronic and combined gout. The function of the pituitary-adrenal system gets improved, the liver and kidneys have better performance. The duration of gout attacks is reduced, they become less intense, and intervals between attacks get longer. And our healing waters have a positive therapeutic effect for 6 to 12 months.

In arthritis and polyarthritis patients arsenic waters help eliminate metabolic disorders, strengthen protective and compensatory regulation of metabolism, and also improve the motor function of joints.

The Kvasy mineral water has a positive therapeutic effect on patients with disorders of the peripheral nervous system. The therapy course includes 12-13 bath procedures. The cure is monitored with the help of the results of ECG and functional tests.

The water containing arsenic are effective also for women with inflammation of genitals and ovary disorders as it reduces clinical signs of a diseases, it tones the body, removes headaches, and normalizes blood pressure.

After completing a course of arsenic baths, the content of ribonucleic acid increases in cells, and primarily in the cytoplasm, the content of ascorbic acid and glycogen changes. If a person has atherosclerosis, such water helps remove fatty infiltration of the liver, and reduce lipoid deposits in aortic plaques and aortic lipidosis.

One of peculiarities of Kvasy healing mineral water is its positive effect on hematopoiesis and hormonopoietic function of the thyroid. In particular, positive changes are found in patients with secondary iron-deficiency anemia of the thyroid hyperfunction. In this case, the number of mineral baths with arsenic should exceed 12-14 baths per course. 

A course of 12-14 baths is prescribed for people with the thyroid hyperfunction (a light form of hyperthyroidism).

Furthermore, experiments and clinical studies of use of arsenic mineral water originated in the Girska Tysa region conducted during 1965-1973 gave evidence of a possibility of oral intake during inpatient treatment for different diseases, where doses are strictly prescribed. The findings of those experiments and clinical research studies are shown in more than 50 scientific works, including one dissertation of a doctor of science and three dissertations of candidates of science. It is proved that unique properties of our water allow to considerably expand the number of diseases to treat and prevent, enhance existing technologies of the balneological therapy and in prospect to effectively cure people with cardiac, endocrine, female genital and other diseases.