BATH SPA

 

The thousands of years old turf bottom thermal lake is fed by the cold and warm sources rich in minerals found in the 38 m deep source cave.

The lake produced 410 l/sec., which means that water is changed every three days. The erupting water’s temperature at the source is 38,5 C and the lake’s temperature varies between 24 C and 38 C according to the season, which enables winter bathing.

The Thermal Lake of Hévíz is the world’s largest biologically active natural thermal lake. It is located in a unique setting, a mere 6 km from the Lake Balaton, 198 km from Vienna and 193 km from Budapest.

The lake’s formation goes back to ancient times. At the end of the Pannon-era (named after its sea), volcanoes broke up the layout of the Trans-Danube region. The first signs of volcanic activity were the heat sources, as was the eruption of Ancient ‘hévíz’ (i.e. ‘hot water/source’). Two systems of dikes were formed by the movement of the Earth crust in which precipitation was collected. This is how Lake Balaton was formed 22 thousand years ago, the time that marked the beginning of the Hévíz thermal lake’s history. The heat coming from the deeper layers of the Earth crust heats the waters locked inside the underground deposits, which means that the lake is also heated by geometric energies.

The 4,4 ha water surface lake's source rich in minerals can be found 38 m deep in the cave, where tens of thousands of years old warm and cool karst waters are mixed.
The lake’s exact depth did not use to be known, but authentic data shows that it is 38.5 m deep. Hévíz bathers have experienced that the water’s depth varies between 150 and 200 cm. You can stand up around the edges and sink thigh-deep into the softened and healing turf mud.

The 3,8 ha lake Echo of New Zealand is second largest after Hévíz in terms of size, however it is unsuitable for bathing due to its water temperature (50-55 C).

The 3,8 ha lake Echo of New Zealand is second largest after Hévíz in terms of size, however it is unsuitable for bathing due to its water temperature (50-55 C).

The thermal lake of Hévíz is a special formation regardless of its medicinal effects, since the majority of warm water lakes are placed in clay or cliff bottoms, and this one has a turf bottom.
The lake’s warmth and medicinal effect are protected by 54 acre of woods from the harms of the external environment (wind, dust and noise), The lake is covered in light steam in the winter and early spring and cool autumn mornings, the significance of which lies in preventing the water from cooling down (which is also prevented by the plants covering the surface). This enables our guests to bathe even in the winter months. The lake produced 410 l/sec., which means that water is changed every three days. Its temperature does not go below 22 C and may reach 38 C in the summer.
The indifferent temperature water does not exhaust the gusts wishing to recreate, on the contrary it has a relaxing and refreshing effect.
The steady and constant water flow has a beneficial effect on the body as it keeps bathers lightly massaged during the whole time they spend in the lake.

The basis of complex balneotherapy is thermal wate, which is equally rich in dissolved and gas components thereby combining the favourable characters of carbonate, sulphur, calcium, magnesium, hydrogen carbonate and light radon emanation thermal water. The one of a kind mud covering the lake’s bottom as well as the radon therein and reduced sulphur represents the special values of therapeutic factors.

The thermal water of Hévíz provides not only monotherapy but a complex therapyas well. Hydrostatic pressure and all-round movement is ideal for circulation, while the indifferent temperature enables long bathing times (max 30 mins). The thermal source erupts from the 7 m thick turf dissolving sterane structure compounds and hence having estrogenic effect on the water and the mud.

The skin softens due to trace elements and bio-rhythm and tallow secretion are restored during the weeks of therapy.Rich mineral content contributes to the remedy of diseases, e.g. it restores the basic compound of joint cartilage, i.e. sulphur, the deficiency of which occurs in diseases as well as easing the itching skin of diabetics.

Radon (radon content is one-thousandth of the daily allowance) as a lypophil material stimulates the production of hormones affecting adrenaline glands, which means that the body’s own compounds reduce the inflammation and pain.

Our role in pre- and post treatment of main joint operations has grown as the patient needs to learn what he/she has to do after the operation before it takes place.
We deal with other conditions then rheumatoid ones as well, since the oestrogen effect is beneficial for chronic gynaecological conditions as well.

The 'patient composition' has changed in that the main motivation used to be the treatment of existing diseases, but prevention has come to the fore by today, i.e. the patient wants to stay healthy and supple. Most symptoms are caused by modern lifestyle.

We also employ associated professions, there is autogene training, ergotherapy, dietetic consultation, tissue and segment massages, and the role of traction baths, a therapy invented over 50 years ago can slow down progression of degenerative spinal diseases considerably. Our therapeutic methods are considered Ayurvedic, since it is not a faulty left knee that we treat but a person has a faulty knee. The thermal bath's real attraction is the environment. The reflection of sunlight enhances the effects of sunlight and due to the steam the lake’s environment is dust and allergenic-free.
The 54 ha protecting wood means it is wind-proof and the green and blue colours provide calm for our guests.

Composition of the thermal water, suggestions for and against

The medicinal suggestions of the therapy covers a wide range of locomotor diseases: it has beneficial effects on rheumatic locomotor diseases, osteoporosis, degenerative spinal/joint diseases, Bechterew syndrome, inflammation diseases of the joint in their chronic phases, post treatment of injuries and locomotor operations as well as tender tissue rheumatism, secondary diseases of the joints, chronic, peripheral, nervous, mechanical-related complaints, pre- and post treatment of operations on the joints and discs as well as chronic and gynaecological conditions. Treatment does just have a momentary effect but prevents the pains from recurring for months. This is means that therapy received in the spring will bring a pain-free Christmas for those suffering from rheumatism.

Suggestions againstthe therapy include infectious diseases, tumours, heart failure, circulatory disorder, thrombosis and other blood production-related diseases, asthma, high blood pressure and pregnancy.

Without the advice of a doctor 30 minutes of bathing is suggested. In cases of chronic stomach and intestinal catarrh, the water may also be drunk for medicinal effects.

In case of locomotor diseases

St. Andrew’s Rheumatology Hospital as a health care providing institution is the successor of the State Thermal Hospital founded on the estate built by the Festetics family at the end of the 17th century.

The hospital’s buildings are based on the Festetics family’s bath estate. The family of earls rented the estate to Vencel Reischl in 1905, who was bound by the lease to employ a permanent doctor on the estate. That is how dr Vilmos Schulhof was employed, a doctor at the Lukács bath in Budapest, specialised in balneology. He founded the Zander and Röntgen Institution in 1911 to meet his time’s locomotor demands. A gymnastic and electrotherapeutic laboratory and an x-ray diagnostic equipment were operated in the institution. Upon realising the significance of diagnostics, he invited his brother, dr. Ödön Schulhof form Budapest to work as a radiologist and physiotherapy doctor in the institution as well as running laboratory diagnosis tests. The Schulhof brothers and dr. Károly Moll laid down the foundations for a systematic and conscious development that placed the medicinal factors of the source lake in the real service of Hungarian healthcare..

The Hévíz State Thermal Hospital was founded on 1 January, 1952 by the Ministry of Health, the first director of which was Béla Dobrossy.. The hospital carried out the treatment of people with locomotor diseases, occupational hazards, strains, breaks as well as the post treatment of prostheses implanted by spinal locomotor surgery. Bath masters and therapeutic masseurs were also beginning to be trained at the time. The lake spa of Hévíz also moved under the hospital’s management.

Another famous doctor of the time working at the hospital was dr. Károly Moll senior, who invented traction bath which gained nationwide recognition in 1953. The government deemed Hévíz a medicinal place of national significance and introduce a new act on the town’s development. From 1956 on there were internal medical, surgical, ophthalmologic, laryngological and orthopaedic surgeries had been taking place in the hospital. .

The hospital, i.e. the handler of the thermal lake of Hévíz, the thermal mud and the water, is a natural treasure that serves as one of the most important instruments of effective treatment of a number of diseases and disorders. The institution has been carrying out the medical rehabilitation of locomotor diseases with special regards to rheumatism as a rehabilitating and later as a specialised hospital since its foundation.

The hospital, i.e. the handler of the thermal lake of Hévíz, the thermal mud and the water, is a natural treasure that serves as one of the most important instruments of effective treatment of a number of diseases and disorders.

What are they offering to you? What makes the Hévíz thermal therapy unique?

The institution has been carrying out the medical rehabilitation of locomotor diseases with special regards to rheumatism as a rehabilitating and later as a specialised hospital since its foundation. What is it that we are offering to you? What makes the Hévíz thermal therapy unique?
It is the thermal lake’s water composition and effects that make it unique.

Three geological periods meet here at the lake and provide us with everything that can be used in medicine: the thermal karts water deposited in the Pannon limestone erupted in the ice age. This was later replaced by water coming from the geological Triassic’s dolomite. Dolomite provides the anti-inflammatory calcium and nerve soothing magnesium, the vasodilator carbon and carbonate softens the skin; the harmless amount of yet effective noble gases stimulate the adrenal glands to produce more anti-inflammatory hormones and the thyroids to produce more bone building hormones, which results patients with diseases of the joints and osteoporoses to improve their condition by natural hormones.

Mud is formed by the meters thick turf covering the bottom of the lake, which concentrates all the chemicals of the thermal water thereby enhancing the effect. The turf contains the compounds that are close to sex hormones and therefore restore the menstrual cycle and improve potency (which is how a smouldering flame can be relit by water). The most important active agent of the thermal water and the mud is sulphur. The basic compound of joint cartilage is sulphur, the amount of which is reduced in locomotor and rheumatic diseases. This explains why thermal water containing sulphur is a natural remedy for diseases of the joints.

The lake’s indifferent temperature means hardly any stress for the heart and the circulatory system and vertical bathing improves circulation and the ability to move as well as easing painful muscle spasms. The large water surface enhances the effects of the sun’s ultra violet radiation while the steam cover filters the harmful rays. The thermal lake of Hévíz is the place where you can find calm and this relaxation can enhance the effects of the therapy.

Therapy Centre - indoor bath

The country’s most modern spa of the time was built between 1964 and 1968 in Hévíz, with the purpose of providing a place for winter bathing and thermal treatment. The medical treatment service was developed and extended gradually and later technological enhancements laid down the foundation for complex balneotherapy.

Once the medical examination has taken place, we create your own individual therapy plan, based on which we offer you a complex therapy.

The indoor spa services include:

to ensure the exact diagnosis and the preservation of their well-being.

The Therapy Centre is open all year round, enabling our guests to enjoy the special effects of our unique thermal water.

9 indoor pools

Services covered by the hospital:

The hospital is open all year round

 www.spaheviz.hu