I Tried Salt Therapy for COPD — Here’s How It Works

In my three experiences in salt caves, I noticed temporary improvements in my breathing. Plus, it helped me relax.

Five years ago, I was on a trip writing about Starved Rock State Park in my home state of Illinois. The tourism board took me around the area to explore other food and activities. One of the places I visited is Salt Tree Yoga in Ottawa.

Among the health-related options they offered was a salt cave. I had never been in one before, but I had read about its benefits, especially for breathing issues like asthma and COPD. I decided to give it a try and have checked out other salt therapy options since.

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What is salt therapy or halotherapy?

Salt therapy, or halotherapy, involves using salt particles to improve health.

It has been touted as helping inflammation, anxiety, and skin, but it’s most commonly used for breathing conditions such as COPD and asthma. There’s also a suggestion that inhaling salt thins mucus, making coughing or clearing the lungs easier.

I’ve read that these theories go back to 1843 when a Polish doctor named Feliks Boczkowski noticed that salt mine workers didn’t show signs of respiratory issues or lung disease compared with other miners.

Although this is where the study of salt benefits began, pink Himalayan salt is used most in halotherapy. Himalayan salt is one of the purest salts and has many minerals. It’s harvested in Pakistan.

Types of salt therapy

There are many different ways to receive salt therapy. Below are just a few examples, followed by how they might help someone with COPD.

1. Salt caves

Salt caves are large rooms filled with rocks of salt on the floor. Sometimes, they’re also stacked along the walls. You don’t need to do anything in a salt cave. You relax in a lounge chair and take deep breaths, breathing in the clean air from the salt.

2. Salt lamps

Salt lamps are another way to practice this type of therapy. The idea is that they attract the pollutants to the lamp and not the air. The dim light is also said to relax some people and help them sleep better.

3. Salt pipes

Salt pipes, also called “salt inhalers,” are available for a more direct application to your lungs. You place the salt crystals in the pipe chamber and breathe through the opening. You’ll draw the air into your lungs. I’ve never tried this version.

4. Salt baths

Salt baths and scrubs are used more for skin benefits, though soaking in Epsom salts has become a popular remedy for muscle aches.

How does salt therapy work for COPD?

Some experts at the American Lung Association suggest it’s possible that salt therapy can help bring up sputum for people with COPD and asthma. This can improve breathing and quality of life. However, the research is still limited.

In a 2019 peer-reviewed article, researchers reviewed records of 215 people with stage 2 or 3 COPD between 2016 and 2018. They found that salt/halotherapy had a positive impact on reducing COPD flare-ups (exacerbations).

However, the scientists warn that there’s still room for further research on this alternative therapy.

I visited a salt cave three times

I won’t give you the medical jargon when it comes to my use, but I can tell you how salt therapy makes me feel.

In my three experiences in salt caves, I noticed a definite difference in my relaxation and breathing. I spent about 45 minutes in the cave each time.

I felt calm and relaxed while I was there and when I got out. My breathing was much easier in the cave, but I can’t say that was something that lasted. The cost runs $30 to $50 a session. Most places offer discounts.

I have had many salt scrubs as part of a spa experience. I do feel these make my skin smoother from the exfoliation. I’ve been able to get complimentary treatments since I wrote about spas. With a cost of about $100 each, it’s probably not something I’d do often if I had to pay out-of-pocket.

Epsom baths are a big part of my life as someone with autoimmune and connective tissue illnesses that cause muscle pain and inflammation. That $5 bag of salt has decreased my agony many times.

As for salt lamps, I was given one as a gift. It still sits on a shelf behind my bed. I can’t honestly attribute any major health benefits to it.

Takeaway

Research has not shown any serious side effects from salt use for COPD. However, studies on the subject are limited. It may be years before we know more about its real effectiveness — if there is any.

Some people, including myself, appear to feel at least a temporary improvement in breathing, so halotherapy might be worth a try. But it would still be a good idea to discuss it with your doctor to make sure it doesn’t interfere with any of your other conditions or medications.