In 1843, a Polish doctor F.Bočkovskis made an assumption that the salt mine air, saturated with salt particles, has curative properties and can be applied in the treatment of respiratory diseases. In Wieliczka (near Kraków), where there are famous salt mines, he established a clinic, where patients with various respiratory diseases were treated. Speleotherapy (treatment under the salt mine microclimate conditions) is currently used there, where there are salt mines – in Wieliczka (Poland), Solotvino (Ukraine), Berezniaki (Russia), Bad Hastein (Germany), Solbad (Austria), and other countries. It has been ascertained that the main curative factor is the mine air, saturated with rock-salt particles. In the 9th decade of the 20th century, attempts were made seeking to restore the salt mine microclimate. As the salt aerosol is the key factor of this method, it was called "halotherapy" ("hals" – Greek "salt"). This name reflects the main speleotheraputic factor – a natural rock-salt dry high dispersion aerosol, the parameters of which are equal to the salt mines microclimate conditions. Halotherapy is a non-pharmaceutical treatment and prevention method, developed by using an artificial microclimate with parameters close to the salt mine settings. The specially equipped premises, where halotherapy method was applied, were called a "halo chamber", "halocomplex" (as well as speleocell, salt grotto, and salt cave). Many years of experience allowed to considerably improve the halotherapy method and relating equipment. The applicable standard for modern artificial microclimate salt mines is based on the controlled halotherapy method, which helps controlling the halo chamber climate settings that are analogous to natural ones. The controlled halotherapy method is realized by installing a halo chambers and halogenerators, produced by "Halomed" Ltd. The key factor of the halotherapy method is a dry aerosol of high dispersion, which is characterised by an anti-inflammatory, broncholytic, and mucolytic (stimulating the secretion of the bronchi) action and has bactericidal and bacteriostatic effects in the respiratory tract - the bronchi. It is widely and effectively used in treating chronic respiratory diseases, bronchial asthma, bronchiectasis, sinusitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, and skin diseases such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and fatty seborrhoea. The use of dry high dispersion aerosol in halo chamber creates an environment in which there are no harmful microorganisms and allergens.
Air ionisation. Because of grinding the salt particles by halogenerators, the salt particles receive a negative charge and high surface energy due to a strong mechanical impact. Interaction with the air molecules results in air ionisation. Negative (light) ions have an added therapeutic effect on the body elements.