EFFECT OF HAMMAM EXPERIENCE ON GENERAL HEALTH AND PERCEIVED WELL-BEING

NCT ID: NCT06788041

Last Updated: 2025-11-18

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 22 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-09-01
• Study Completion Date: 2025-11-15

Brief Summary

The main objective of this study is to analyze the effect of a Hammam experience, a massage experience and a placebo in a healthy general population on their general health and perception of well-being, assessed with biophysiological, physical and psychoemotional markers, and its impact on chronic stress. Our hypothesis is that the Hammam experience will produce a more favorable acute (just after the experience) and subacute (24 hours after the experience) response on the study variables than the other interventions with at least a moderate effect size.

Conditions

Chronic Stress; Wellness; General Health

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Primary Study Purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Arm 1 (ABC)

Participants in this arm will rotate through three treatments (Treatment A Hamman experience and massage, Treatment B massage only, and Treatment C placebo) in a randomized sequence. Each treatment will be separated by a washout period to minimize carryover effects. All participants will experience each treatment at different periods, serving as their own control.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Hamman experience

Intervention Type: OTHER

There will be a circuit in the Hammam Al Andalus baths with baths in all pools (warm, hot or cold water) and sauna for 30 minutes. The time in each pool will be determined by the sensation and tolerance of each participant. In addition, participants will receive foam with aromatic oils on the participant's body (arms, trunk and legs). This foam will be left for about 10 minutes on the participant's body, while a manual body therapy is performed. The force to be applied will be very weak, a superficial rubbing will be performed to prepare the tissue, followed by a maintained pressure and then sliding pressures are performed. The application time should not exceed 15 minutes.

Massage

Intervention Type: OTHER

Duration of 45 minutes. A complete dorsal and ventral body massage will be performed, with superficial maneuvers at a slow pace of traditional massage.

Placebo Comparator

Intervention Type: OTHER

The person will be instructed to stay for 45 minutes during which he/she will receive different electrotherapy techniques with the devices disconnected, a mobile device that simulates a beep will be placed so that the patient believes that the device is connected.

Arm 2 (ACB)

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Hamman experience

Intervention Type: OTHER

There will be a circuit in the Hammam Al Andalus baths with baths in all pools (warm, hot or cold water) and sauna for 30 minutes. The time in each pool will be determined by the sensation and tolerance of each participant. In addition, participants will receive foam with aromatic oils on the participant's body (arms, trunk and legs). This foam will be left for about 10 minutes on the participant's body, while a manual body therapy is performed. The force to be applied will be very weak, a superficial rubbing will be performed to prepare the tissue, followed by a maintained pressure and then sliding pressures are performed. The application time should not exceed 15 minutes.

Massage

Intervention Type: OTHER

Duration of 45 minutes. A complete dorsal and ventral body massage will be performed, with superficial maneuvers at a slow pace of traditional massage.

Placebo Comparator

Intervention Type: OTHER

The person will be instructed to stay for 45 minutes during which he/she will receive different electrotherapy techniques with the devices disconnected, a mobile device that simulates a beep will be placed so that the patient believes that the device is connected.

ARM 3 (BAC)

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Hamman experience

Intervention Type: OTHER

There will be a circuit in the Hammam Al Andalus baths with baths in all pools (warm, hot or cold water) and sauna for 30 minutes. The time in each pool will be determined by the sensation and tolerance of each participant. In addition, participants will receive foam with aromatic oils on the participant's body (arms, trunk and legs). This foam will be left for about 10 minutes on the participant's body, while a manual body therapy is performed. The force to be applied will be very weak, a superficial rubbing will be performed to prepare the tissue, followed by a maintained pressure and then sliding pressures are performed. The application time should not exceed 15 minutes.

Massage

Intervention Type: OTHER

Duration of 45 minutes. A complete dorsal and ventral body massage will be performed, with superficial maneuvers at a slow pace of traditional massage.

Placebo Comparator

Intervention Type: OTHER

The person will be instructed to stay for 45 minutes during which he/she will receive different electrotherapy techniques with the devices disconnected, a mobile device that simulates a beep will be placed so that the patient believes that the device is connected.

Arm 4 (BCA)

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Hamman experience

Intervention Type: OTHER

There will be a circuit in the Hammam Al Andalus baths with baths in all pools (warm, hot or cold water) and sauna for 30 minutes. The time in each pool will be determined by the sensation and tolerance of each participant. In addition, participants will receive foam with aromatic oils on the participant's body (arms, trunk and legs). This foam will be left for about 10 minutes on the participant's body, while a manual body therapy is performed. The force to be applied will be very weak, a superficial rubbing will be performed to prepare the tissue, followed by a maintained pressure and then sliding pressures are performed. The application time should not exceed 15 minutes.

Massage

Intervention Type: OTHER

Duration of 45 minutes. A complete dorsal and ventral body massage will be performed, with superficial maneuvers at a slow pace of traditional massage.

Placebo Comparator

Intervention Type: OTHER

The person will be instructed to stay for 45 minutes during which he/she will receive different electrotherapy techniques with the devices disconnected, a mobile device that simulates a beep will be placed so that the patient believes that the device is connected.

Arm 5 (CAB)

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Hamman experience

Intervention Type: OTHER

There will be a circuit in the Hammam Al Andalus baths with baths in all pools (warm, hot or cold water) and sauna for 30 minutes. The time in each pool will be determined by the sensation and tolerance of each participant. In addition, participants will receive foam with aromatic oils on the participant's body (arms, trunk and legs). This foam will be left for about 10 minutes on the participant's body, while a manual body therapy is performed. The force to be applied will be very weak, a superficial rubbing will be performed to prepare the tissue, followed by a maintained pressure and then sliding pressures are performed. The application time should not exceed 15 minutes.

Massage

Intervention Type: OTHER

Duration of 45 minutes. A complete dorsal and ventral body massage will be performed, with superficial maneuvers at a slow pace of traditional massage.

Placebo Comparator

Intervention Type: OTHER

The person will be instructed to stay for 45 minutes during which he/she will receive different electrotherapy techniques with the devices disconnected, a mobile device that simulates a beep will be placed so that the patient believes that the device is connected.

Arm 6 (CBA)

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Hamman experience

Intervention Type: OTHER

There will be a circuit in the Hammam Al Andalus baths with baths in all pools (warm, hot or cold water) and sauna for 30 minutes. The time in each pool will be determined by the sensation and tolerance of each participant. In addition, participants will receive foam with aromatic oils on the participant's body (arms, trunk and legs). This foam will be left for about 10 minutes on the participant's body, while a manual body therapy is performed. The force to be applied will be very weak, a superficial rubbing will be performed to prepare the tissue, followed by a maintained pressure and then sliding pressures are performed. The application time should not exceed 15 minutes.

Massage

Intervention Type: OTHER

Duration of 45 minutes. A complete dorsal and ventral body massage will be performed, with superficial maneuvers at a slow pace of traditional massage.

Placebo Comparator

Intervention Type: OTHER

The person will be instructed to stay for 45 minutes during which he/she will receive different electrotherapy techniques with the devices disconnected, a mobile device that simulates a beep will be placed so that the patient believes that the device is connected.

Interventions

Hamman experience

There will be a circuit in the Hammam Al Andalus baths with baths in all pools (warm, hot or cold water) and sauna for 30 minutes. The time in each pool will be determined by the sensation and tolerance of each participant. In addition, participants will receive foam with aromatic oils on the participant's body (arms, trunk and legs). This foam will be left for about 10 minutes on the participant's body, while a manual body therapy is performed. The force to be applied will be very weak, a superficial rubbing will be performed to prepare the tissue, followed by a maintained pressure and then sliding pressures are performed. The application time should not exceed 15 minutes.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Massage

Duration of 45 minutes. A complete dorsal and ventral body massage will be performed, with superficial maneuvers at a slow pace of traditional massage.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Placebo Comparator

The person will be instructed to stay for 45 minutes during which he/she will receive different electrotherapy techniques with the devices disconnected, a mobile device that simulates a beep will be placed so that the patient believes that the device is connected.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Other Intervention Names

Balneotherapy and massage

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Men and women (50%) 25-65 years old
• No metabolic risk.
• Resident in the province of Granada.
• Socio-economic level: medium-high
• Experience in self-care
• Spanish level C2

Exclusion Criteria

• Pregnancy
• Participation in treatments and relaxation techniques or taking medication (anxiolytics) frequently (≥ 1 per week) in the last 12 months
• Medical situations limiting participation in the study: acute musculoskeletal pathologies (fractures, wounds, etc.) or local inflammatory processes, diagnosed psychiatric disease, vascular diseases (thrombosis), contagious diseases, fever, thermoregulation problems, incontinence, craniocerebral trauma or infarction (< 6 months), thermal allergies, hypertension, or any uncontrolled systemic disease).

• Minimum Eligible Age: 25 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 65 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

AL ÁNDALUS BAÑOS ÁRABES (Hammam Granada)

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Universidad de Granada

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Irene Cantarero Villanueva

Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

University of Granada

Granada, , Spain

Countries

Spain

Other Identifiers

HAM24

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id