Extended Weekend Getaways By Tim Trudell/ Freelance Travel Writer
Photos courtesy of Salt and Spa
Forget reducing your salt intake when it comes to salt therapy. When choosing massage therapy, Omaha’s Salt and Spa suggests you consider a one-of-a-kind salt therapy, where you’ll feel relaxed and fresh after a 45-minute session. Open since 2016, Salt and Spa was the brainchild of Yesenia Osorio, who sought a new style of massage therapy for customers.
Salt treatments – halotherapy – consists of breathing in small particles of salt, which clean the body by scrubbing organs, such as lungs, and are then exhaled, Osorio said. During salt therapy, people breathe in through their nose and exhale through the mouth. Participants report feeling so relaxed during their session that they sometimes fall asleep in the comfortable reclining chairs.
The image of salt therapy may be a foreign concept as clients pull into a parking spot in the Wakeley Plaza. But, Salt and Spa’s atmosphere is immediately relaxing, with sofas and chairs reminiscent of a living room, and soft music playing. Salt and Spa’s gift shop includes salt lamps of all sizes, air fresheners, and other therapy-related items.
Customers wear protective booties, so they don’t contaminate the salt covered floor. If you wear glasses, you’ll want to place them on a shelf. Cell phones need to be secured, as well, so salt doesn’t get in them.
Once in the room, you’ll sit in a recliner, lean back and just enjoy the sounds of soothing music, played at a low volume. The floor is covered in salt, because it settles from the air. A small generator in the wall shoots out salt – sodium chloride – which is considered safe for inhaling. The salt room, which is about 300 square feet, is spacious enough to seat 8-10 people – excellent for family or business group outings – and allows space to stretch out and soak in the calming effects of salt therapy. The room’s lighting changes colors every few minutes, so people don’t get bored with one color, Osorio said.
As a graduate of the Omaha School of Massage Therapy, Osorio doesn’t claim salt therapy has medicinal purposes, but some people with breathing issues, such as asthma, have told her they’ve noticed improvement. When her husband first tried it, he was skeptical, but quickly came around, Osorio said.
“We went to Arizona and visited a therapy site,” she said. “My husband had a really bad respiratory infection at the time. ‘Oh my God, I can breathe through my nose. My nose is totally open,’ he said.”
While some people may not be open to holistic measures, others have found reasons to use salt therapy to support their medical treatment, Osorio said. But, most of the people using salt therapy enjoy the massage benefits without actually having a massage, she said. Some even ask for a robe, so they can dress more comfortably during their visit.
Salt therapy leaves very little residue on a person’s skin, Osorio said. Most of it is inhaled and exhaled. Excess salt from the generator falls to the floor or settles on the wall. Salt and Spa employees clean the salt therapy room throughout the day, she said.
People also enjoy having massages in the salt room, so they can experience a variety of massages – Swedish, deep tissue, reflexology, and hot stones – while also receiving salt therapy, Osorio said. It’s popular for couples massages, but, Salt and Spa’s salt room is large enough for up to four tables, she said.
“It’s perfect for a girl’s day out, bachelorette parties, or even a family of four,” Osorio said.
Besides the salt therapy, Salt and Spa also has separate rooms for massages, including an exclusive couples room. The spa also offers prenatal and oncology massages. Ear candling is another service available at the spa.
Salt and Spa also offers children’s massage therapy services in a colorful room with toys and other attractions. At about 100 square feet, the children’s room uses Himalayan salt, which is considered healthy for children, Osorio said. The salt on the floor resembles a sandbox, and children play while breathing in the salt.
Parents often bring in children with asthma and other breathing conditions and see success in opening their lungs and nasal passages, she said.
So, when considering kicking off the New Year with a fresh outlook on life, some people seek the benefits of massage therapy. And in Omaha, salt therapy may be a fun alternative to the traditional styles. But, if you prefer traditional over holistic options, Salt and Spa can help you there, as well.
