Translation from Romanian

BUZIAS

The history of Buziaş town starts in the Paleolithic Era, as archaeological evidence shows. During the Roman-Dacian period, the settlement is known by the name of Ahibis, and it appears, for the first time, in historical documents by the name of Buziaş, during the period 1071-1072.

As a balneary resort, it receives its first visitors in 1838, at the same time when Doctor Gheorghe Ciocârlan starts his career as a balneologist, being the first person who has pointed out the therapeutic effect of the mineral waters in Buziaş.

The balneary resort Buziaş, is situated south-west of Romania, in Timiş County, at a distance of 25 km (on DJ 592) and 28 km (by railway) from Lugoj and 34 km (on DJ 592) and 37 km (by railway) respectively, from Timişoara. It spreads out on a surface of 104 km² and is situated at an average altitude of 128 m.

At Buzias the emphasis falls on the procedures with natural therapeutic factors, which are not available to patients in physiotherapy offices or recovery departments in the cities or treatment departments of other resorts.

The healing qualities of carbonated water, mofettes and sedative bioclimate of Buziaş are well-known and highlighted by the studies and researches carried out until now, as well as by the high number of patients with significant improvement in symptomatology, following repeated bath treatments.

The mineral water is carbonated (CO2=2000-2600 mg/l), chalybeate, hypotonic and rich in bicarbonates, sodium, calcium, magnesium. It is used in treatments applied externally as mineral water baths, which are performed by immersion of the body, to a certain level, in the carbonated water, heated to approximately 34°C, for 15-20 min. It is also used in treatments applied internally using the waters from the well-rooms within the park of the resort. In the warm season there can be baths taken in the open-air mineral carbonated water swimming pool situated in the park of the resort, unique in Europe. Therapeutic effects of carbonated water baths:

- at heart level, they determine the decrease of cardiac rhythm (bradycardia) and myocardium irrigation improvement (marked out on the ECG)

- at peripheral level they produce vasodilatation accompanied by cutaneous hyperaemia; the capillaries react biphasic: initially there is a vasoconstriction, then after 1-5 min. vasodilatation takes place (in a bath of water obtained at the same normal temperature, at the same temperature this phenomenon does not happen).

- they also reduce systolic as well as diastolic BP, and lowers venous pressure.

Mofettes are free CO2 emissions, extracted from carbonated waters; they are carried out collectively, in specially set up facilities, “Roman circus” shaped. Patients are seated on a certain level depending on the illnesses they suffer from. The course of the procedure grows progressively from 5-10 min., up to 15-20 min. Carbon dioxide reaches the bloodstream both by inhalation and directly through the skin, and determines arterial vasodilatation with significant growth of cerebral (by 75%), as well as muscular and cutaneous blood flow (by 50%).

Buziaş enjoys a bioclimate fit for relaxation, and the strong air ionization being predominantly negative similar to an altitude of 800-1200 m (although Buziaş is situated at an altitude of only 128 m) is in itself a form of treatment in cardiovascular diseases, reason for which tours are recommended in the dendrological park, which spreads out on a surface of 25 ha. In the park runs the Colonnade – a Turkish-Byzantine wooden construction, dating since 1875, extended in 1939, by a length of 510 m.

Diseases benefiting from usage of natural therapeutic factors at Buziaş are:

♦ CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES – represent the therapeutic profile of the resort. Among these, we mention:

arterial diseases (all stages of peripheral obliterans atherosclerosis, excluding those which demand surgery);

chronic ischaemic cardiopathy (stage II myocardial infarction after prior testing in a specialized clinic, 3 months after the acute episode without rhythm disorder, without instable angor) + CIC with effort triggered angor, stable or without angor (ischemia or bundle branch block on ECG);

HBP, rheumatic or operated valvulopathies, hemodynamically stable at 3 months after surgery;

Chronic vein diseases

♦ Neurologic diseases: post CVA residual hemiplegia, 6 months to 2 years after its onset, aiming at motor recovery.

♦ Neurological and psychical disorders – especially neuroses, and among these, particularly neuroasthenia.

♦ Digestive tract disorders; chronic hypo-acidic gastroduodenitis, predominantly hypotonic biliary dyskinesia, functional disorders of the colon (irritable colon, constipation); with the internal treatment, carbonated water stimulates saliva, gastric, pancreatic and biliary secretion, and gastro-intestinal motility is enhanced.

♦ Kidney impairment: hyperuricaemia, gravel, repeated urinary infections; CO2 waters enhance diuresis, increase motility at the urinary tract level, and enhance pre-formed uric acid discharge.

♦ Nutrition and metabolism diseases: DZ, Gout, Obesity, dyslipidemic syndromes, dyselectrolytic syndromes (lack of Ca, Mg); iron deficiency anaemia.

♦ Gynaecologic disorders: menopause with HBP, female sterility, libido disorders; chronic inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs.→ CO2 Baths with general and local applications (vaginal irrigation) → lead to superficial hyperaemia of the vulva-vaginal tract, modifies sexual centres response.