Unique worldwide
The aim of the therapy is to activate your body's own natural ability ti heal itself. Pain alleviation, exercise and movement, lifestyle, self-management and medical competence are the five pillars on which a holistic therapeutic concept is based. The Heilstollen treatment (a combination of mild over-heating, known as hyperthermia, and radon therapy) lies at the heart of this concept. Depending on the scale and severity of your condition, you will require around 8 – 12 sessions in the Heilstollen over the course of 2 – 3 weeks. In patients with less severe conditions, it is possible to achieve benefits with even fewer sessions. By means of regular repetition of the Heilstollen treatment, you will be able to benefit from the positive effects of: pain alleviation, reduction in need for medication, stabilization of the immune system, reduction of inflammation.

Scienttifically proven effectiveness
Several controlled research studies in patients with ankylosing spondylitis have shown that patients experience reduced pain for up to 9 months and have less need for medication for up to 1 year after their Heilstollen treatment, when the Heilstollen is integrated into a combined treatment program. Through regular repetition of healing gallery therapy, the need for painkillers is reduced reduced long-term, and the patient’s quality of life is significantly improved.

How the Gastein Heilstollen treatment works
After being absorbed through the lungs and skin, the noble gas radon is rapidly dispersed throughout the body, and its decomposition products are deposited on the skin. Mild alpha radiation is emitted. This stimulates the body’s cell repair mechanism and reduces the number of free radicals, also activating the healing and anti-inflammatory cell messenger TGF-beta (an antagonist of the cytokine TNF-alpha). As a result, there is a reduction in the migration of inflammatory cells through the vessel walls. These processes help prevent chronic inflammations and allergies, thus bringing about an immunological balance. As to the radon itself, only half of it remains in the body after 20 – 30 minutes, and it is completely eliminated from the body after 3 hours.