The inhalatorium in Kevelaer -
A soothing respite
Relax in the salty air like at the seaside and do something good for yourself at the same time - you can do this in the inhalatorium in the St. Jakob brine garden in Kevelaer.
What is an inhalatorium?
The St. Jakob brine garden promises relaxation, recuperation and time to take a deep breath. This is a special and soothing experience, especially around the graduation house. Here, the salty spring water, the brine, slowly trickles down the twelve-metre-high blackthorn walls. Some of the water evaporates and the salt content of the brine increases. At the same time, the air around the graduation house is enriched with fine salt crystals. Breathing in these aerosols has a positive effect on the respiratory tract and can bring relief from colds, bronchitis, asthma or allergies.
This effect can be experienced even more intensively in the inhalatorium in Kevelaer. In the 60 square meter room, the aerosols are reduced to a dense mist. This allows the fine salt crystals, which are now only 0.5 to 10 micrometers in size, to reach the finest branches of the bronchial tubes even better and work more effectively.
Studies show the effect of thermal brine as a promising approach in the treatment of respiratory diseases such as asthma or COPD. Regular humidification of the airways appears to be particularly important in order to take advantage of the prophylactic, therapeutic and anti-infectious benefits.
The inner and outer values of the building
The diamond-shaped honeycomb construction of the simple larch wood structure is visible inside. Up to 19 visitors can be seated here. The alcoves allow you to stay undisturbed and concentrate on your breathing. After just a short time, you can taste the fine salt crystals of the mist as they make their way into your airways.
To ensure that the cold mist can also be enjoyed in winter, heating mats in the floor provide pleasant radiant heat. The resulting rising crystals create a cozy atmosphere under the influence of light from the LED strips in the seating niches.
The heating mats and lighting are powered by 60 square meters of solar panels that adorn the exterior of the building. The solar system has an output of 10.9 kWP, which means it can generate around 10,000 kilowatt hours of green energy per year. The stored solar energy can also be used for the graduation tower.
The meetings
The sessions, which last around 25 minutes, start on the hour and half hour, with the last session half an hour before closing time. You will be alerted to the end of a session by a stronger light and the onset of ventilation.
No special clothing or changing is required. We recommend that you do not take your glasses or sunglasses into the inhalation room or keep them in your bag.
Enjoy your stay and the peace and quiet in the inhalatorium. Concentrate on consciously breathing in and out to support the effect of the brine. Please do not have any conversations or mute your cell phone.
Please do not use the inhalatorium if you are acutely ill and could infect other visitors.
The intensive salt inhalation can sometimes have an immediate effect, for example in the form of sneezing or coughing. You are asked to cough and sneeze into the crook of your arm or into a handkerchief out of consideration for others.
Worth knowing
We breathe in and out around 20,000 times a day and tiny dust particles, droplets and pathogens (bacteria, fungi or viruses) can enter the respiratory tract with every breath. Regular inhalation has a prophylactic effect. This is because inhalation keeps the mucous membranes in the airways moist and improves blood flow to the airways. While inhaled viruses and bacteria adhere to the moist protective film and are transported away by the cilia, the immunocompetent cells in the blood can react more quickly to pathogens. In this way, immunocompetence can be increased, at least to a certain extent.
Inhaling salty air also has a supportive effect on respiratory infections. On the one hand, salt has a certain antibacterial effect, and on the other, salt draws in fluid. This loosens up thick mucus, which occurs in respiratory diseases, and makes it easier to cough up or drain away. This alleviates the symptoms.
Listen to your body!
Even if a visit to the inhalatorium can help to loosen stuck mucus in the case of respiratory infections, please pay attention to your body's signals. If you complain of irritated airways, a nagging, unrelieving cough or even shortness of breath after just a few moments, please leave the inhalatorium.
As it is not possible to predict how your airways will react to the aerosol mist, use the inhaler at your own discretion and on your own. Slowly approach the higher dosage, for example by spending some time inside the graduation house beforehand.
Do you suffer from a serious respiratory disease? Then you are certainly being closely monitored by your lung specialist. Before visiting the inhalatorium, consult your doctor to find out whether brine inhalation is suitable for you.
For whom experts recommend regular visits
in the inhalatorium?
People who suffer from one of the following diseases, for example (not exhaustive): Bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive bronchitis(COPD), chronic sinusitis, cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, people who want to take care of their airways prophylactically.
Barrier-free
The entire St. Jakob brine garden has been made barrier-free. The same applies to access to the Kevelaer Inhalatorium. In addition to a path with a slight incline up to the building, the entrance is also designed for special needs such as rollators or baby carriages. You can obtain barrier-free admission tickets at the points of sale. These are recognized by the scanner at the entrance in front of the Inhalatorium, so that a gate opens instead of the crossroads. To ensure that it opens again when you leave, please hold the admission ticket under the scanner again. The turnstile can be used without showing your ticket again.
Please select the corresponding "Barrier-free" button for your admission ticket at the ticket machine at the graduation house.