subject: History of the Word Spa [print this page] History of the Word Spa History of the Word Spa
The term spa originated in during the Roman Era, though there are at least two different theories for where the name came from. The first is that it's actually an acronym, standing for "sanitas per aquas" - Which literally means "health through waters". On that note, the Latin word "balneum" is where we get the word bath, and holds about the same meanings. The healing effects of water rich in certain minerals dates back to the prehistoric times, when people traveled to hot as well as cold springs for the beneficial properties of these outdoor spas. Over the years, these healing therapies have become popular all across the world.
Europe as well as Japan have emerged as the most popular destinations for people who are interested in going through such therapies. These days, outdoor spas have become very popular. An outdoor spa typically offers several personal care treatment options.
The term spa is also said to have originated from a town in Belgium, called Spa, which was referred to as Aquae Spadanae in the Roman times. The name Aquae Spadanae was perhaps related to spargere, which is a Latin term that means scattering, sprinkling or moistening. Since the medieval times, ailments caused due to the deficiency of iron in the body was treated by way of drinking chalybeate spring water, which is rich in iron.
The Greeks started the practice of bathing regimens, which later formed the basics of modern spa techniques. They used smaller bathtubs, as well as foot baths basically for the purpose of personal cleanliness. As it is, the earliest of such findings include baths in palace complexes at Crete, as well as the alabaster bathtubs in Santorini. The major purpose of these baths was to offer relaxation to the body. They also served the purpose of personal hygiene.
In Greek mythology there are descriptions of various natural springs, which are said to be blessed by gods for curing various ailments. Around such pools, bathing facilities were provided to those who desired healing. The Spartans are credited to have developed the primitive vapor bath techniques.
The Romans followed many aspects of Greek bathing techniques; and soon outshone the Greek bathing techniques in terms of the size as well as complexities of the baths. This was a result of several factors. First of all, the larger population and size of the Roman cities allowed for an increased demand of such public bathing facilities. The second major aspect was the abundance of running water. The discovery of cement further added to this, as it allowed building of large edifices a lot easier, safer, as well as cheaper. The Roman baths became quite popular in Greece as well; and improved the social as well as recreational activities. With the expansion of the Roman Empire, public baths spread to various parts of Mediterranean as well as Europe.
During the sixteenth century in England, the original ideas of therapeutic bathing got revived in towns such as Bath. William Slingsby is largely credited with this revival, who in 1571 found a chalybeate spring at Yorkshire. An enclosed well was built by him, which later came to be referred to as Harrogate. This was the very first resort for medicinal waters in England. Thereafter, in 1596 the term spaw was coined by Dr Timothy Bright, which later began to be referred to as Spa as a general term.
In the recent times, spas have become quite popular, especially outdoor spas. This popularity is not without reason. It is said that water mixed with certain herbs can relieve a person of various ailments and diseases. A session at an outdoor spa provides several health benefits. It provides relaxation the muscles of your body. This provides a soothing effect, resulting in longer and better sleep, which helps in rejuvenating your senses. It also relaxes the bones, as well bone joints. As it is, hot water therapy can be especially beneficial for those who are suffering from arthritis. It relieves the person of the pain by increasing circulation and providing a bit of buoyancy to take the weight off, and the jets help to heal damaged muscle tissue. Moreover it helps in the easy and effective removal of metabolic toxins and wastes from the body. This helps in improving the metabolism rate of the body, which helps in keeping the body in a healthy condition.
Apart from that, an outdoor spa also improves the circulation of blood in the body, by dilating the blood vessels. This further helps in improving the metabolism rate of the body. As it is, a spa session helps in relieving stress by releasing endorphins in the body. It is also believed to be effective in case of migraines, as well as Multiple Sclerosis and Cerebral Palsy.
However, when it comes to having a soothing session in an outdoor spa, there are a few aspects that you need to consider. First of all, when you take a dip in a hot tub or spa it releases body toxins, not to mention the make-up, perfumes, deodorants, lotions etc. in the water. Unless the water is changed on a regular basis, it may cause various diseases or infections. Let us see it this way; four people soaking in a three hundred gallon spa, would be equal to roughly 120 people in a 20,000 gallon swimming pool.
Very few spas and spa owners carefully follow the appropriate hygienic requirements. Most of them feel satisfied by dropping a few chlorine or bromine tablets in the water. This doesn't always solve the problem, as much more direct care is typically necessary. You should therefore see to it that in your outdoor spa, you are following the proper hygienic procedures.
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