How many days of Naftalan treatment you need

How long a typical Naftalan course lasts

Most Naftalan programmes are built around about 10 to 14 baths. Together with local applications, physiotherapy, massage and therapeutic exercise, this usually takes two to three weeks at the resort. The number is not fixed in advance, though. The resort physician sets it after the examination, taking into account the diagnosis, your general health and how you respond to the first procedures. Two patients with the same diagnosis may receive programmes that differ in the number of baths and in the other procedures.

A course cannot simply be squeezed into a few days. Warm baths place some load on the heart and blood vessels, crude Naftalan is used only for a limited time under medical supervision, and the body needs rest after each session. This is why procedures are spread out rather than stacked, and why the length of the course matters as much as the number of baths. Rest days are not lost time but part of the programme itself.

Why the first day is for the examination

Treatment does not start with a bath. On arrival, or the following morning, the resort physician examines you, checks your blood pressure and heart, looks at the skin, joints or spine and reviews your documents. Additional tests may be ordered. Only then is the programme confirmed, and depending on the time of arrival the first procedure may take place the same day or the next.

Sending recent reports before the trip does not replace this examination, but it lets the physician prepare and lowers the risk of surprises. Bring the original documents, your usual medicines and a list of doses. If something has changed in your health since the documents were sent, tell the physician at this first appointment. An interpreter can help you describe your complaints to the physician accurately.

How many baths and how often

Each Naftalan bath is warm, at about 36 to 38 °C, and lasts only a few minutes, with the exact time set by the resort physician. Some programmes include a bath every day, others alternate bath days with rest days or with other procedures. The rhythm depends on your condition, your age and how well you tolerate the warmth. On days without a bath the physician may prescribe applications, massage or simply rest.

During the course the physician watches how you feel and may change the number of baths or the intervals between them. Tell the doctor at once about unusual tiredness, palpitations, dizziness or skin irritation. A course often combines several kinds of procedures, for example the ones listed below.

• Naftalan baths of a few minutes each.
• Local applications to the joints, spine or areas of skin.
• Physiotherapy and massage on the days set by the physician.
• Therapeutic exercise to keep joints and muscles moving.

How many days to plan for the whole trip

The trip is always longer than the course itself. Most international flights land in Baku, and the drive to Naftalan takes about 4 to 5 hours. Trains run from Baku to Goran station near the town, usually in the evening. Ganja has the nearest airport, about 45 minutes away by car. A typical plan therefore looks roughly like the outline below.

If you would like a consultation or a check up in Baku before or after the course, plan one or two extra days for it. MedAzerbaijan can review your documents, confirm the expected length of the programme with the resort physicians and arrange transfers, an interpreter and accommodation for the whole period. This way you do not have to deal with practical matters on the spot and can spend the time on treatment and rest.

• A day to reach Naftalan from Baku or Ganja.
• The examination day, sometimes combined with the first procedure.
• Two to three weeks of procedures with rest days in between.
• A day for the return journey and the flight home.

Is a shorter stay possible

Some patients can only take ten days or a single week away from work. A shorter programme is sometimes possible, but the number of procedures is decided by the resort physician, not by the length of your leave. Squeezing more baths into fewer days is not a safe way to make up for lost time, and physicians usually avoid it. It is better to discuss your dates openly in advance than to try to fit everything into a few days.

If your dates are limited, mention this when you send your documents. The physicians can then say in advance whether a shortened programme makes sense in your case or whether it is better to wait until you can stay for the full course. A short course may also give the doctor less time to see how your body responds.

Repeat courses in later years

Naftalan is used for chronic conditions, so the question of another course often comes up at the end of the first one. Physicians frequently discuss a possible repeat course for the following year. Whether it is needed, and when, depends on how you felt after the first course and on the advice of your own doctor at home. Some patients gather fresh tests and reports before the next visit so that the physician can compare.

Ask the resort physician for a written summary of your course, with the procedures, their number and your reactions. This summary helps your doctor at home and the physician at your next visit, who can then plan the new programme with less guesswork. Between courses, follow the treatment and exercises recommended by your regular specialist.

Frequently asked questions