In the 12^th Century, the practice of visiting salt caves for therapeutic reasons was common in Eastern Europe. In the 1800s, salt miners in Poland found a more modern version of what’s now called halotherapy.

Despite working in mines all day, the Polish miners didn’t have any respiratory conditions and were unusually healthy. They weren’t likely to get the colds and coughs common among other people.

Research showed that the salty air the miners breathed helped keep their lungs free from infection and allergies.

Over time, Eastern European salt mines or caves became popular tourist destinations. People from all over the world visited to inhale the salty air and ease their lung problems.

News of the benefits of salt therapy spread across Eastern Europe where many locations offer these giant salt rooms today from Poland to Germany to the UK. It’s also becoming popular in the US and Australia.

In many countries across Europe, it is common practice for Salt Therapy to be prescribed by doctors before medication. Prescriptions are given from between five to ten sessions, often subsidised and free for the user.

Salt rooms are universally accessible in health care systems and can be found in clinics, hospitals, workplaces, schools and nursery schools.