Effects of Hot Spring Bathing on Nasal Obstruction —Investigation using rhinomanometry—
- VernacularTitle:Effects of Hot Spring Bathing on Nasal Obstruction —Investigation using rhinomanometry—
- Author:
Eri SUZUMURA
1
;
Akira DEGUCHI
1
;
Hiroya SHIMASAKI
1
;
Kazunori MAEDA
1
;
Hitoshi HAMAGUCHI
1
;
Naoto KAWAMURA
2
;
Kenichi KAWAMURA
3
;
Yoichi KAWAMURA
1
Author Information
- Keywords: nasal obstruction; hot spring bathing; nasal airway resistance
- From:The Journal of The Japanese Society of Balneology, Climatology and Physical Medicine 2012;75(2):87-94
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
- Abstract: Background: Nasal obstruction is an annoying condition. In this study, we evaluated the effects of hot spring bathing at 41 to 42°C using a rhinomanometer. Methods: Ten healthy adult volunteers (10 men, mean age of 27.8±4.4 years) were asked to bathe in a hot spring for 10 minutes. Using a rhinomanometer (HI-801), nasal resistance was measured before and after bathing by active anterior rhinomanometry. Total nasal resistance was calculated using Ohm’s law formula with right and left nasal resistance values (1/T=1/R+1/L, T: bilateral resistance, R: right resistance, L: left resistance). Resistance at ΔP=100 Pa was used for evaluation. Results: Right and left nasal resistance values were significantly decreased after bathing in subjects with a pre-bathing nasal resistance of greater than 0.75 Pa/cm3/s (inspiratory, P=0.0117; expiratory, P=0.0277; Wilcoxon t-test). No significant change was observed in subjects with a pre-bathing nasal resistance of below 0.75 Pa/cm3/s.Post-bathing total nasal resistance was significantly decreased in subjects with a pre-bathing nasal resistance of greater than 0.5 Pa/cm3/s (P=0.0115; Wilcoxon t-test). Conclusion: This study showed that nasal obstruction can be improved by hot spring bathing, which may contribute to the reasons why cold symptoms are relieved by hot spring bathing.
