Therapeutic Tourism

Egypt's tourist products are new so diverse that it has become the hab of the year round. Besides archeological and religious tourism, there are sea resort, international conference and exhibition, incentive, desert and enviroument, art, cultural and sport festival and shopping tourism.

Therapeutic tourism is an obvious outcrop of the tourist product diversification policy. Egypt possesses a wide range of rich physical features. According to scientific research, clay found in these springs has therapeutic properties that can cure numerous bone, skin, kidney and gastrointensinal diseases and resparatory problems. The Red Sea water with its chemical composition and abundance of coral reefs help cure from psoriasis.

Socrates and Herodotus Recommended Therapy in Egypt
The therapeutic property of Egypt~s climate has been mentioned since the Greek era. Socrates, the founder of climatic physiotherapy, refered to this fact in his famous papers entitled ~Egypt and Climatic Therapyî. He advised people to go to Egypt and enjoy its warm weather and refreshing sea breeze.

Importance of Therapeutic Tourism
Physiotherapy and curative services offered i4 natural areas with mild climate or mineral and sulphuric water are useful for convalescence after bone and burns treatment and surgery, in addition to some gastrointensinal diseases....etc.
Sanatoria were bnilt in areas with physiotherapeutic features such as warm water and mineral and sulphuric springs or those rich in curative warm sand and clay.

Therapeutic Tourist Sites
Tourist sites offering curative services in Egypt include Helwan, Ein es?Seera, Hurghada, Fayyoum, Oases, Aswan, Sinai, Safaga on the Red Sea coast.

Aswan and Sand Bathing
Aswan's dry weather is ideal for enjoying sand bathing during the period from May to September. Sand bathing is useful for curing various diseases such as rheumatism and rheumatoid in sand. In Aswan, many hotels have physiotherapy centres manned by efficient and highly trained staff experienced in the various types of massage. Moreover, rheumatoid patients can be treated in hot sands surrounding the mountain. Obvious improvement in patiet's case can be attributed to the appeasing effect of sands. The calm and beautiful landscape and pollution free environment also contribute to speedy recovery.

Hamamat Cleopatra is an other major site of physiotherapy areas on the Mediterranean sea. This area was earlier discovered by Amun priests of Siwa.
Abu Simbel, with high rate of ultraviolet rays and a low humidity rate that falls down 34% during the period from December to March, provide a congenial environment for treatment. In Aswan, clear sunshine all the year round together with a dry weather provide an ideal atmosphere for curing rhenmatism and bronchial asthma.

Nublans: HerLal Therapy and Burial in the Sand
The Nubians still practise traditional medicine particularly herbal treatment. They use a plant called "Halef al?Bar", in treating common cold, "Damsisa" in treating renel and urinary tracts diseases and baked and ground pomegranate peels in treating dysentry.

New Valley's Curative Springs and Herbs
Another therapeutic tourist centre is the New Valley with an abundance of hot springs and sand with curative properties in addition to medicinal herbs. This area has also a typically dry weather.
Hot water wells and springs linked to swimming pools have a temperature ranging from 35 45
all the year round. These wells help cure common cold, rhematism and some skin diseases such as psoriasis.
In addition, medicinal herbs are randomly spread out all over the New Valley. "Al?Sekran" can be used for extracting anesthetic materials for surgeries. "Jujube" (Karkade) is used to cure high blood pressure especially that is caused by nervous stress.

The Red Sea and Treatment of Psoriasis
The Red Sea coast, Marsa Alam and Safaga are distinguisLed sites for therapeutic tourism. Safaga possesses such physical features that make it the most appropriate place in the world for curing psoriasis.

Sites for Curing Rhenmatism and Renal Diseases
Siwa Oasis, Gabal Takrour (Mount Takrour) and Hamamat Cleopatra (Cleopatra Bathes) are the most important sites for therapeutic tourism in Marsa Alam in the Northern coast of Egypt.

Siwa Oasis enjoys numerous properties that place it at the top of the list of sites recommended for therapeutic tourism. It is a virgin oasis, of unique different sceneries. It is distinguished by calm, clear environment and mild temperature. Work has actually started to benefit from the deep subterranean pollution free water by bottling potable mineral water. This water can be used for treating renal stones.
Gabal al Takrour is important for the people of Siwa in treating rheumarthritis and general weakness by buring the patient in hot sands surrounding the mountain.
Helwan and its Sulphuric Springs

Helwan area enjoys a unique geographical location and unique water springs of incomparable properties to any mineral water around the world. Moreover Ain es?Seera natural clay contains natural medicinal components that help cure all kinds of rbeumatism. Helwan is also characteristic of its clement weather all the year round suitable for the treatment of numerous diseases.

Helwan sulphuric centre for rheumatism and physio therapy was establisLed to provide therapeutical treatment of: Osteoarthritis, rhe~umatoid, myositis, neuritis, neuralgia, myopathy, neuropsycatric diseases such as chronic sinusitis, chronic bronichitis and bronchial asthma, skin diseases such as scabis, eczyma, acni and posarias, bone fractures union, joint stifness, peripheral circulatory disturbances, Dophritis, salpingits and its complications of primary and secondary streality and obesity.

Oyoun Mossa and Hammam Pharaon in Sinai
Oyoun Mossa (Moses springs) and hammam pharaon (pharoah bath) are some of the most important sites for therapeutic tourism in Sinai. This area with its sulphuric properties drew the attention of the French expedition. It has the highest rate of sulphur known to the world.

In addition, it enjoys a dry weather and warm sands. Hammam pharaon is a group of hot sulphuric water springs extendmg lkm along the Suez Gulf. It is suitable for treatment of rheumatism. On the top of these springs, there lies a carved rocky cave that natives use as Sanna bathes utilizing high temperature caused by hot sulphuric water below the cave.

Oyoun Mossa area, comprises twelve springs, situated in the extreme north of the eastern side of Suez Gulf. This area has a special flavour as a visitor is overwhelmed by a sense of spiritual comfort, owing to the holy nature of the place as soon as he treads in. This helps cure many skin diseases such as eczyma and acni.