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Karlovy Vary spa treatment and its history
„Charles IV. and 12 springs“

The warm spring water from the Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) springs has been used for healing since the latter half of the 14th century. Throughout its 650 years of its existence, Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) Spa has become one of the most important world spas. Tens of thousands of people worldwide arrive every year to receive the unique treatment based on 12 thermal springs. The present spa treatment is the result of the life-long efforts of a few important spa physicians and scientists.

It all started with Charles IV.

According to a tale, the first thermal spring was discovered by a hunting suite of Charles IV. Supposedly, the ruler was enthused by this interesting natural phenomenon. From the very beginning, he attributed a curative power to the thermal water. Allegedly, he bathed his wounded foot in the spring. When his wounds healed, he ordered the city of Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) to be built around the spring.
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Curative bathing

For approximately 200 years following the discovery of the first spring, the thermal water was used solely for curative baths. The curative procedures of the spa physicians from those days can seem a bit drastic nowadays. To achieve the maximum curative effect, it was necessary to soak the ill body part in the water for several hours, until the skin broke. Only then were the maladies allegedly washed out of the body. Nowadays, nothing like that is necessary. The spa physicians prescribe the patients water procedures taking approximately 20 - 60 minutes. The baths solely use the cooled down water from the Boiling Spring. Other springs are used for the drinking cure.
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Miraculous drinking cure

Only after the year 1521, on the insistence of spa physician Václav Payer, the spring water started to be used internally. The spa treatment indication thus expanded from skin diseases and locomotive organs to digestive tract diseases and metabolism disorders. But even the beginnings of the drinking cure were quite distinctive. The amount of the water then prescribed from the curative springs was within 3 - 5 liters a day. Only the doctor David Becher brought balance to the drinking cure. Based on his findings, nowadays physicians prescribe approximately 1 liter of the thermal water a day.
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Additional procedures

Further development of the Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) spa treatment went hand in hand with the development of balneology. Even though the fundamental of the treatment is the drinking cure, which uses the water from the thermal springs and other natural sources, the therapy is completed with various types of massages, wraps, and other therapies.
More about the present form of the Karlovy Vary treatment provided in the Spa Resortu Sanssouci »

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