Introduction
The American Balneo Medicine Institute is the educational center of ABMA (AmericanBalneoMedicine.org) for dissemination of the information and training our medical professionals in America in the ancient and modernized art of healing of Balneo Medicine.
The term Balneology is a composite of two words. “Balneo”, derived from the ancient Greek word βαλανεῖον (balaneion), meaning ‘bath’ or ‘place to bath’. In the Roman empire it became the loanword balneum with the same meaning. “Logy” is derived from the ancient Greek word “logos” (λόγος) which means “word” but also, more philosophical “mind” or “reason”. It is often used to indicate the nature of science of the preceding term. Balneology (also referred to as balneotherapy) thus means “the science of bathing” and refers to the therapeutic application of natural springs of water or gas with particular components as well as peloids (peat, clay, mud and other organic or anorganic matter with therapeutic potentials). Typical forms of use include bathing, ingestion, and inhalation. Balneology is not restricted to balneotherapy but also includes associated technical, chemical and physical aspects (balneotechnics, balneochemistry, balneophysics).
Balneology as a medical discipline dates back to very early times in the history of mankind, and was an essential part of the Corpus Hippocraticum, a collection of around 60 early Ancient Greek medical works strongly associated with the physician Hippocrates and his teachings, and the “bible” of the medical science for more than 2000 years. In Europe, places with particular natural resources, famous for their long time empiric therapeutic effectiveness, known as a Kurort (spa town) build the foundation of modern balneology practiced for centuries in world famous locations like Baden-Baden, Karlsbad, Vichy, Montecatine.
Typically, balneology aims at fostering the body’s own forces to heal by means of a series of sensibly dosed physical and/or chemical stimuli. Much of the primarily empiric evidence has been scrutinized by modern research methods such as randomized controlled trials and is now backed by firm and reliable scientific evidence.
The gigantic task of familiarizing our doctors with the limitless possibilities of the therapies opened by the Balneology to the health crisis in our society demands elaborate and very intense educational programs.
The new accumulated medical knowledge will irrefutably pay enormous dividends by better fighting our epidemics – elevating the quality of life for future generations and considerably reduce the national deficit in the healthcare system of our country.
Dedicated to the teaching, research, practical Balneo training and refocusing of the American medical profession, the Institute is introducing for the first time in our country the modern form of Balneo Medicine, developed millennia ago by the Greek and Roman fathers of Western medicine.
The profound effects of our Institute’s activity will benefit the largest patient community in our country … considering that more than half of our population is afflicted by one or the other form of chronical degenerative disease, known as CDD.
The present inadequate therapies of addictions cost daily a devastating number of lives. In response to the opioid crisis, as well as to the national veteran emergency, the Institute pledged to develop special rehabilitation programs of unprecedented structure and complexity with the Balneo Medicine as the center point.