The first ever 'therapeutic salt cave' has opened in Newcastle

The region’s first ‘salt cave’ is now open in Newcastle offering salt therapy to sufferers of respiratory and skin issues as well as for general relaxation and wellbeing.

Sereniti Salt Retreat is located on Friars Street - near Blackfriars Restaurant - and has been designed to recreate conditions found in a salt mine, but more comfortable.

The cave - which has a thick layer of natural sea salt from the Red Sea on its floor, walls and ceiling - can help alleviate many conditions, including: asthma, hay fever, bronchitis, sinusitis, cystic fibrosis, eczema, copd, psoriasis.

Salt Therapy is based on the principle of prolonged exposure to the micro climate found in natural salt mines. Sereniti Salt Retreat uses patented state of the art technology to reproduce the atmosphere of a salt cave with a monitored therapeutic micro climate.

Inside a Salt Room at Sereniti Salt Retreat.

The retreat has been sent up by Michelle Grogan, from Newcastle, who is employing regional therapists to provide a holistic approach to health and wellbeing.

She said: “We have found a niche in the market with this new treatment and realised how fantastic it would be to set up a salt cave in Newcastle and have spent a lot of time researching the therapy and setting up the business.

“It took in excess of 1,000 kg of Salt just to decorate the salt cave. The nearest salt cave in the UK is in Edinburgh so we’re really pleased to offer this service to people of the North East.”

The treatment is said to be natural and 100 per cent drug-free. Salt therapy was a widely used natural remedy dating back to medieval times.

In 1843, the benefits of Salt Therapy were published by a Polish doctor, Felix Boczkowski who was a physician at the Wieliczka salt mine. He noticed that salt miners did not suffer from respiratory conditions that were common at that time.

Underground treatment in salt caves were the only methods available, until Halotherapy was developed in Russia. These salt rooms recreated the micro climate of a salt cave in more accessible and convenient locations.

Sereniti Salt Retreat also offer a range of other therapies including hypnotherapy, reiki, reflexology, massage, sports massage, hopi candle, cupping and facials as well as other beauty treatments.