2019.03.05
When did it all start?
In the seventeenth century mineral waters were discovered in Druskininkai. The area’s residents used this water for joint and spinal pain and for wounds. Legend has it that the first creature to be miraculously healed was a crippled horse that had been released to wade in a swamp of mineral water. This is how people came to learn about the beneficial effects being offered by saline waters. The name Druskininkai is also derived from the word salt (‘druska’ in Lithuanian), while the word salt–worker (‘druskininkas’ in Lithuanian) refers to a person who is engaged in salt-related activities.
On the photo: underwater massage in the mineral bath in the 80s. Courtesy to Druskininkų gydykla.
So far, Druskininkai’s mineral waters have the largest range of mineralisation in Europe: from a few grams per litre to between 58-65g/l. The famous resorts of Belgium, Germany, Bulgaria, Italy, and Hungary have only low and medium mineralisation waters that are used for drinking, and they usually use fresh water for healing baths. In Czech resorts, high mineralisation water can be found (up to 35g/l). However, there are no brines of Druskininkai is so proud.
Joints, spine, lungs…
For as much as the last 225 years, Druskininkai’s health centres have officially been treating musculoskeletal disorders, and digestive and respiratory diseases. Repeating the therapy twice a year increases treatment efficiency by up to 97 percent. During the season up to a thousand treatments are performed daily in the town’s Central Health Centre.
Calcium-sodium-chloride mineral water
Druskininkai has about thirty water springs with different levels of mineralisation. Slightly mineralised water (3,000-7,000mg/l) is suitable for drinking, while highly mineralised water is suitable for baths. The water of the Grožis spring has the highest levels of concentration: as much as 65 grams of minerals per litre of water!
Clean air, healthy climate
Why is the climate in Druskininkai so special? Balneology specialists claim that Druskininkai has particularly favourable recreational conditions. There are no major fluctuations in temperature or atmospheric pressure (the average annual air temperature is about 7.5°C, while the summer air temperature usually sits around the 22°C mark). There are no industrial or other sources of pollution around Druskininkai; the huge pine forests surrounding the city purify the air and saturate it with essential oils. In short, the weather here is healing too!
A balanced system
Druskininkai therapies help to strengthen immunity, restore physiological metabolism, relieve stress, and clean the body of toxins. During the course of therapies, different means are used including healing mud, amber, oxygen, salt, music, honey, extreme cold, leeches, French lavender, Lithuanian pine extract, chocolate, stones, clay, buckwheat, rose oil, sun and air… All that will help you to feel in harmony with nature and yourself again.