Balneotherapy is a clinically effective complementary approach in the treatment of low-grade inflammation- and stress-related pathologies. The biological mechanisms by which immersion in mineral-medicinal water and the application of mud alleviate symptoms of several pathologies are still not completely understood, but it is known that neuroendocrine and immunological responses—including both humoral and cell-mediated immunity—to balneotherapy are involved in these mechanisms of effectiveness; leading to anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, chondroprotective, and anabolic effects together with neuroendocrine-immune regulation in different conditions. Hormesis can play a critical role in all these biological effects and mechanisms of effectiveness. The hormetic effects of balneotherapy can be related to non-specific factors such as heat—which induces the heat shock response, and therefore the synthesis and release of heat shock proteins—and also to specific biochemical components such as hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) in sulfurous water and radon in radioactive water. Results from several investigations suggest that the beneficial effects of balneotherapy and hydrotherapy are consistent with the concept of hormesis, and thus support a role for hormesis in hydrothermal treatments.

The use of peloids as heat-providing therapeutic systems dates back to antiquity. Such systems consist of a liquid phase and an organic or inorganic solid phase. The latter facilitates the handling, preparation and stability of the solid–liquid system, modifying its organoleptic and phy-sicochemical properties, and improves its efficacy and tolerance. Peloids enable the application of heat to very specific zones and the release of heat at a given rate. The aims of this work are to study 16 reference peloids used in medical spa centers as thermo-therapeutic agents as well as to propose nine raw materials as a solid phase for the preparation of peloids. The physical properties studied are the centesimal composition, the instrumental texture and the thermal parameters. In conclusion, the peloids of the medical spas studied are used as thermotherapeutic agents in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders, especially in knee osteoarthritis and to a lesser extent in back pain and psoriatic arthropathy. The clinical experience in these centers shows that the main effects of the application of their peloids are the reduction of pain, an increase in the joint’s functional capacity and an improvement in the quality of life. As thermotherapeutic agents, all the peloids of the me-dical spas studied and the pastes (raw materials with distilled water) examined showed a heat flow rate of up to four times lower than that shown by the same amount of water. The raw materials studied can be used as solid phases for the preparation of peloids with mineral waters.

Background: Parkinson’s disease is characterised by the loss of balance and the presence of walking difficulties. The inclusion of rehabilitation therapies to complement pharmacological therapy allows for comprehensive management of the disease. In recent years, virtual reality has been gaining importance in the treatment of neurological diseases and their associated symptoms. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review was to analyse the effectiveness of virtual reality on balance and gait in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Methods: This study is a systematic review conducted following PRISMA’s statements. An electronic search of the literature was carried out in the following databases: PubMed, Cochrane, Dialnet, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO and Science Direct PEDro. The inclusion criteria were controlled and non-controlled clinical trials published in the last 12 years in English or Spanish, in which virtual reality was applied to treat balance and gait impairments in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Results: 20 studies were finally included in this review. A total of 480 patients participated in the included studies. All patients were diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Most of the investigations used the Nintendo Wii + Balance Board or the Microsoft Kinect TM combined with the Kinect Adventures games as a virtual reality device. Conclusions: According to the results of this literature review, virtual reality-based interventions achieve good adherence to treatment, bring innovation and motivation to rehabilitation, and provide feedback as well as cognitive and sensory stimulation in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Therefore, virtual reality can be considered an alternative for personalised rehabilitation and for home treatment.

Background/Objective: Alzheimer’s disease is a condition that can cause memory, thinking, and behaviour impairments. This type of dementia affects approximately 50 million people globally. Currently, there is no remedy for this disease, but there are different treatment approaches, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological, that try to alleviate the symptoms. The remarkable fact about Alzheimer’s response to music is that musical abilities can be preserved even though language could be lost. The objective of this systematic review is to assess the benefits of music therapy on cognitive impairments in older adults with Alzheimer’s disease. Methods: This is a systematic review carried out following the PRISMA guidelines. The literature searches were conducted in the following databases: PubMed, SCOPUS, Cochrane Library, and Dialnet. The inclusion criteria established were as follows: randomised controlled studies and clinical trials published in English and Spanish from 2010 to 2024, patients diagnosed with dementia of the Alzheimer’s type, aged 65 years or older, who had participated in music interventions and had cognitive changes. Results: Eleven studies were included in this review. They showed that music therapy interventions mainly improved memory, language, and orientation. The results of a methodological quality analysis showed that six of the articles had good methodological quality and four had excellent methodological quality. Conclusions: The results of this review suggest that treatment with music therapy improves cognitive impairments in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, we can be sure that music creates a link between the patient and the specialist.

Balneotherapy has demonstrated clinical efficacy in the management of pathologies involving low-grade inflammation and stress. In rheumatic conditions such as osteoarthritis (OA), this therapy presents anti-inflammatory properties and potential to improve psychological well-being. Although the neurohormones serotonin and dopamine are known to be involved in these processes, surprisingly they have not been studied in this context. The objective was to evaluate the effect of a cycle of balneotherapy with peloids (pelotherapy) on circulating serotonin and dopamine concentrations in a group of aged individuals with OA, after comparing their basal state to that of an age-matched control group. In our pilot study, a pelotherapy program (10 days) was carried out in a group of 16 elderly patients with OA, evaluating its effects on circulating serotonin and dopamine concentrations (measured by ELISA). Individuals with OA showed higher levels of serotonin and lower dopamine levels, in line with the inflammatory roles of these mediators. After pelotherapy, serotonin concentrations significantly decreased, potentially contributing to the previously reported anti-inflammatory effects of balneotherapy.

Background: Burns are mild or severe lesions produced in living tissue, due to the action of different agents. This pathology is considered the third cause of accidental death in the world by the World Health Organization. Among the most disabling sequelae in these patients, pain and range of motion have the greatest impact. A recommended tool to complement the treatment or management of the symptoms associated with burns is virtual reality. Objective: The objective of this study was to analyse the effectiveness of virtual-reality therapy for pain relief and the improvement of the range of joint movement in patients who have suffered burns. Methodology: This study is a systematic review conducted following the PRISMA statements. An electronic literature search was performed in the following databases: PubMed, Cochrane, Dialnet, Scopus and Science Direct. The inclusion criteria were: participants with burns in any part of the body, interventions with virtual reality with or without complementary treatment, studies in both Spanish and English, and outcome measures of pain and range of motion. Results: Finally, 10 studies were included in the review. The sample consisted of one pilot study, three randomized controlled clinical trials, one prospective randomized controlled clinical trial, one control group and treatment group trial, one interventional clinical trial and three comparative studies. The most commonly used assessment tools for pain were the graphic rating scale (GRS) and for range of motion the goniometer. The use of virtual-reality games significantly reduced pain scores during physiotherapy and occupational therapy treatments as well as in nursing care. The range of motion improved significantly during virtual-reality exercises performed during a physiotherapy treatment in 33% of studies included in this review. Conclusion: The results of the studies analysed in this systematic review suggest that the use of virtual reality for the management of pain and range of movement limitations associated with burn injuries could control these symptoms and decrease their negative consequences on the person.