Balneotherapy decreases mechanical hyperalgesia by reversing BDNF and NOS2 immunocontent in spinal cord of mice with neuropathic pain

Abstract

In the last decades, balneotherapy or thermalism has been used for health promotion and in the treatment of inflammatory and chronic processes. We found that balneotherapy reduced mechanical hyperalgesia, as well the increase of BDNF and NOS2 levels in the spinal cord, while increased BDNF and NOS1 in the paw. The data presented herein demonstrated for the first time in a murine model of neuropathic pain, the analgesic effect of balneotherapy with the water from the natural springs of Santo Amaro da Imperatriz-Brazil. Nevertheless, future clinical trials should be conducted to test the effectiveness of balneotherapy in neuropathic pain patients.

Keywords: Balneotherapy; Chronic pain; Immersion therapy; Sciatic nerve injury; Thermalism.