Salt Escape, the first facility of its kind in Texas offering salt therapy for respiratory and skin conditions, is celebrating its grand opening in July with a weeklong open house.

According to Jim Rizzuto, owner of Salt Escape, “Salt room therapy is new to the U.S., so we are excited to open our doors and educate the community about this amazing, drug-free alternative therapy. For the week of July 11, we will be offering free sessions in our salt rooms and welcome adults and children to drop in and hear more about the benefits of salt therapy.”

Drug- and side-effect-free, scientists and researchers developed salt therapy, or halotherapy, as a means of concentrating the positive effects of salt observed in nature. It was in 1843 that the concept upon which salt therapy is based was first published by a physician. More recently, research published in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that salt inhalation was a highly effective treatment for cystic fibrosis after observations among sufferers led to clinical trials.

The therapy is based on inhaling microscopic salt particles, 0.5 to 0.3 mi- crons in size, which dry up and disinfect mucous membranes in the sinuses and lungs, easing expectoration and allow- ing the patient to breathe more easily.

Further, salt therapy is a complementary therapy that can be added to any doctor- prescribed treatment and potentially reduces the use of some medications.

Other purported benefits include relief of symptoms from upper and lower respiratory conditions such as cold and flu, allergies, asthma, bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, sinus infections, sinusitis, rhinitis, hay fever and emphysema. Salt therapy has proven beneficial for ear infections and conditions of the skin such as ec- zema, dermatitis and psoriasis.

“I was inspired to open Salt Escape from watching my own daughter suffer from asthma with no alternatives other than stuffing herself with meds that have awful side effects,” said Rizzuto. “I’ve been amazed by my research on salt therapy and the success stories from other salt rooms, like with our friends at The Salt Room, in Orlando, Florida.”

Location: 2100 Dallas Pkwy., Ste. 140, Plano, Texas, 75093. For more information call 972-378-4945 or visit SaltEscape.com.