Not everyone will go to a sanatorium. Check if you are on the list

A referral for spa treatment is something that many people fighting to regain health are waiting for. A visit to a spa is associated with convalescence and relaxation. There are many people willing to do so, but not everyone has the chance to take advantage of this form of treatment. The list of contraindications to starting the treatment is quite long.

A referral for spa treatment is something that many people fighting to regain health are waiting for. A visit to a spa is associated with convalescence and relaxation. There are many people willing to do so, but not everyone has the chance to take advantage of this form of treatment. The list of contraindications to starting the treatment is quite long.

The popularity of visits to sanatoriums in Poland is not decreasing. According to data from the Central Statistical Office, in 2023 , 0.9 million patients took advantage of spa treatment . They were cared for by specialists in over 250 spa treatment facilities. The possibility of referring a patient to a sanatorium is decided by a doctor, who must carefully analyze all the pros and cons.

The current regulation of the Minister of Health from 2012 (paragraph 5) lists cases that constitute contraindications to spa treatment or rehabilitation in a sanatorium. The list includes:

• a medical condition in which such a solution would threaten to worsen the patient's health,
• acute phase of an infectious disease,
• pregnancy and postpartum period,
• active cancer.

In addition, certain waiting periods apply to cancers. Five years must elapse after the end of treatment for cancers such as malignant melanoma, leukemia, Hodgkin's lymphoma, malignant lymphoma and kidney cancer.

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However, in the case of other malignant tumors , a patient may apply for spa treatment only after 12 months from the completion of surgery , chemotherapy or radiotherapy (with the exception of hormonal treatment).

The regulation also includes an annex detailing both the indications and contraindications to spa treatment. These cases have been divided into groups, including diseases such as:

• neurological , such as epilepsy with frequent attacks, multiple sclerosis in exacerbation, severe conditions after cerebral stroke,
• cardiological , for example more serious types of hypertension or a recent large heart attack,
• ENT , such as acute respiratory infections,
• pulmonary (tuberculosis, acute bronchitis, pneumonia and pleurisy),
• digestive system : severe diseases of the liver, stomach, intestines or pancreas,
• diabetes , in case of severe course and significant complications (diabetic foot),
• gynecological (for example, fibroids that require surgery and bleeding for undetermined reasons),
• obesity (coexisting with diabetes complicated by vascular changes, full-blown circulatory failure or significant mental retardation).

Due to the need for the patient to be qualified by a doctor, other illnesses not listed in the ministerial regulation may also be an obstacle to referral to a sanatorium. Such cases include, for example, alcohol and drug addictions and some mental disorders.

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The final decision on referral to a sanatorium is made by a doctor after a thorough analysis of the patient's medical records and health status. Each case should be considered individually.

It is also worth remembering that in order to benefit from spa treatment, the patient must be fit enough to participate in the treatments independently.