Millions of people suffer from allergies, colds and other sinus conditions, and increasingly more of them are turning to salt caves as a way to get some relief.

Salt caves provide salt therapy, also known as Halotherapy, which has been shown to be a safe and natural way to promote respiratory wellness. Salt therapy can be used as a complement to traditional medicine.

Photo courtesy Port Salt Cave

It’s a therapy that the Salt Therapy Association says can be traced back to the 1800s when it was discovered that Eastern European miners working in salt mines seemed to have good respiratory health and healthy skin. Since mining was a job typically associated with dangerous lung and breathing problems, the connection was made that it was the salt that was providing natural health benefits.

Today’s salt caves are designed to give adults and children an opportunity to enjoy the therapeutic advantages of salt in tranquil spa-like settings often designed to look like a cozy and picturesque grotto. Salt caves are where guests can relax and recharge as they naturally breathe in a vapor of dry salt. This inhalation has been shown to have respiratory benefits for people who have asthma, allergies or sinus infections. According to Port Salt Cave in Port Washington, the salt can “soften mucous” and “increase the efficiency of mucous ciliary cleaning of the respiratory system.” Salt also has detoxifying and anti-inflammatory properties which may be beneficial to people with skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and rosacea.

Photo courtesy Port Salt Cave

Many salt caves use soft glowing lights and gentle music to create a pleasant atmosphere enjoyable for even those without respiratory or skin conditions. They offer everyone a calming environment for de-stressing and a temporary escape from the everyday. Salt cave sessions are typically about 45 minutes.

Ready to explore the healing properties of salt therapy? Here are a few salt caves on Long Island:

Port Salt Cave - Port Washington 

Glen Cove Salt Cave - Glen Cove

Healing Grotto – Bellmore

Montauk Salt Cave – Montauk, Huntington and NYC

Roslyn Salt Cave - Roslyn