Sand therapy – in the heart of the Great Algerian South, sand and heat are used for healing purposes. The most striking example is that of “sand baths” or “sand therapy”, the use of which is rapidly expanding.
If summer residents are flocking to the beaches of the Algerian coast at the moment, in the south, the small oasis of Taghit (90 km south of Béchar) surprises and reveals one of its hitherto hidden assets: curative tourism. For several years, the oasis has been offering its curists the fine sand of its magnificent dunes.
Curative tourism: visit Taghit for sand therapy
Sand therapy or healing burial in the sands is a gentle medicine that is aimed at people suffering from rheumatism. Practiced for centuries by the populations of southern Algeria, especially those located at the level of the dunes of the western Erg, sand baths have aroused since the beginning of the 90s a craze among local populations and those of the northern regions of the country.
But what are the effects of sand on the body?
The benefits of the “sand bath” lie in the great heat that it can give off without burning, combined with its weight that leads to an increase in blood pressure. The minerals it contains (magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, sulfur and strontium) and its exfoliating effect are also among its strengths.
Thus, sand therapy would make it possible to :
- Relieve rheumatism, osteoarthritis, low back pain or polyarthritis
- Stimulate blood circulation
- Activate sweating and thus eliminate toxins and fats like a sauna while allowing the body to assimilate trace elements
- Eliminate dead skin and help fight certain skin diseases.
How does a sand therapy session take place?
At the gates of the desert, on the side of Béchar for example, dozens of hostels offer sand therapy sessions. The staff then digs into the dune, where the patient will settle. It is then covered with sand around 45 degrees and will stay there for 10-15 minutes. During this time, the patient’s head is protected from the sun by small tents and he is regularly rehydrated. The medical staff is watching to avoid any risk of sunstroke. Coming out of his sand bath, and in order not to cool down too quickly, the person is wrapped in a heating blanket.
Are there any recommendations to follow?
Curative tourism: visit Taghit for sand therapy
Sand therapy is not to be tried alone during your beach vacation. Burying yourself in the sand, leaving only the head sticking out leads to the risk of not being able to dislodge. Several such accidents have already been recorded. Finally, staying in the sun without supervision leads to dehydration and a risk of sunstroke.
This practice is also not recommended for people who suffer from cardiovascular problems, uncontrolled hypertension or hypotension, peripheral respiratory failure, varicose veins or kidney failure. So, before embarking on sand therapy, it is recommended to go to a doctor.
Translated by Hope from https://topdestinationsalgerie.com/tourisme-curatif-visitez-taghit-pour-la-sablotherapie/
