The Thermal Springs in Ilıca and Şifne (Reisdere)

The thermal springs and beaches of Ilıca, which is on the Çeşme Highway and 5 kilometers away from Çeşme town, are all located in the Ilıca area, and are among the world's most interesting and rarely found spa centers of the world. The temperature of the water in the thermal springs is around 58^°C. The minerals found of the thermal water include sodium chloride, po assium chloride and magnesium chloride. The thermal waters can heal all types of chronic rheumatism, as well as the I dysfunctions of metabolism, such as the gout disease or obesity, rachitism, women's diseases, dermatological diseases, diseases of the liver and urinary system with acute pain. Modern accommodation facilities are available around the thermal springs and nearly all of these facilities offer pools and baths with thermal water Access to the Çeşme thermal springs is through the buses that depart from the bus terminal in Üçkuyular. The Şifne thermal springs are located at 5 kilometers northeast of the Ilıca Thermal Springs. The temperature of the mineral waters in the Şifne thermal springs is around 42 - 49°C. The main springs are located at the region called Topal Hamidiye, some of which are in the sea. Most of the hotels and boarding houses in the region offer hot water derived directly from the hot water springs. The Şifne thermal springs are located on a small peninsula, and are surrounded by numerous accommodation facilities and restaurants. Generally, the thermal baths have a swimming pool and individual benches. The thermal waters contain sodium, chlorine and calcium. The temperature of the water in the thermal baths is 38^°C and the rate of radioactivity is 5.3 emans. The thermal springs in Şifne has healing effects for rheumatism, women's diseases, the disease of the urinary system, gastro-intestinal diseases, eczema, abscesses and various other skin diseases. In this area, there are 38 springs that have their sources in sea water, and 58 springs that have their sources in Ilıca, but that do not spring from the sea.

Çeşme's Healing Waters
Since the hotels that offer thermal services in Çeşme are not exclusively built as thermal springs, they can used as holiday resorts, offering all the amenities that can be expected from international seaside resorts, and this characteristic offers a psychological relaxation to the tourists. Half of the heap problems of the tourists just disappear shortly after their check in into their hotels.

Below is a list of diseases that can be healed by Çeşme's thermal waters:
ARTHRITIC AND MUSCULAR DISEASES
Rheumatism related diseases, Degenerative Diseases of Joints, Soft tissue rheumatisms, Post-operation therapies, Post orthopedic treatment therapies, Post traumatic injury therapies
DERMATOLOGICAL DISEASES
Eczema, Psoriasis, Acnes, Neuro-dermatites
CARDIO - VASCULAR DISEASES
Varicose vein disease, Blood pressure adjustments, Preferic arteries, Stroke rehabilitation, Chronic inflammatory diseases
WOMEN'S DISEASES
Genital chronic infections, Functional sterility, Dismenore, Vaginal flow
NEUROLOGICAL-PSYCHIATRIC DISEASES
Traumatic diseases, Spastic paralyses, Stroke rehabilitation, Chronic inflammatory diseases

Çeşme and Health

The healing powers of the thermal waters, sun and the wind of Çeşme, due to its very special location, has been proven. The thermal waters of Çeşme have saline thermal characteristics, and this type of water has a very strong therapeutic effect on the rheumatism and muscle and arthritis and muscle diseases that cause severe pain. The therapeutic effects of the Çeşme waters have been proven in the scientific researches held jointly by the Hydroclimatology Department of the Istanbul University and the Medical Ecology Departments of various scientific institutes in the USA. The ever present breezes in Çeşme, the stimulant effects of the air that is rich in oxygen and the high pressure, provide significant climatic advantages to Çeşme.

Regular and controlled rays, has healing effects on the ostreaposis and bone fractures and helps the development of bones in children.

Meanwhile, the powder like white sands found in the beaches of Çeşme consist of extra fine silisium particles, which reflect the sun rays, hence doubling the healing effects of the sun rays.

Since Çeşme is geographically situated as a peninsula, practically all hotels located in the area are convenient for Thalassotherapy (therapy of applied sea water and sun rays) even the hotels that are located inland can offer amenities for this purpose.

Çeşme welcomes 3 million tourists only from France in winter season for Thalassotherapy, for highlights the importance of Çeşme as a world class spa center.

Major Physiotherapy Units:
Balnotherapy: Therapy applied with mineralized thermal waters
Thalassotherapy: Therapy applied with sea water and sun
Climatherapy: Therapy applied in hygienic climatic conditions
Hydrotherapy: Therapy applied with fresh water
Speleotherapy: Therapy applied with the use of thermal water springs found in caves
Peloidotherapy: Mud therapy.

The Geothermal Analysis of Çeşme
 

The hydro-chemical analysis of the hot water sources that reach the surface and the drillings for thermal water extraction, further highlights the value of the healing waters of Çeşme.

Some of the samples of the thermal waters in Çeşme are in the characteristics of Na-CI (saline water), while some are dense in sodium and chlorine ions. The waters extracted from deep wells and the geothermal spring waters show the characteristics of saline water. While, a great part of the hot waters are of sodium-chlorine type, some are rich in sodium, calcium, magnesium and chlorine bicarbonate.

Most of the thermal springs in Ilıca have temperaturesvarying between 42-61^°C; with pH values varying between 6.5-6.7.

Meanwhile, the mineral waters in Şifne have a temperature of around 24^°C, and are included within the category saline-brackish-laxative waters and have neutral reactions.

The mud of Çeşme is also similar to its waters. They contain a slight quantity of clay, with a strong smell of sulfur hydrogen, and are scattered around in a wide deposit of mud around the main source. It has the quality of therapeutic mud, containing clay, carbonate, sulfur with some radioactivity.