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Algae Body Pack

An Algae Body Pack is a warm therapeutic full body seaweed wrap with a relaxing and often pain relieving effect. The Algae Body Pack or seaweed wrap is a popular treatment and one of my personal favourites. It is offered at many of the beauty and spa areas of luxury, four and five star hotels all along the cosmopolitan and much visited south coast.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is the Ancient Chinese practice of using fine needles on specific points of the body to clear blocked channels of energy. This eases many aches and pains and promotes the balance necessary for good health.

Tattoos & Piercing

If conventional piercing - ears, that is - is what you are after, then visit your local Chemist for reliable and hygienic treatment. If the chemist nearest you doesn't perform this operation, he or she will be able to direct you to one specialising in this service.

Swimming Pool Safety

Swimming pools are a standard feature of life in southern Spain. It’s easier to find an apartment complex with a pool than without one. Most villas have their own pools and, in addition to pools, water features are common in both public and private gardens. And then there is the luxury of a jacuzzi, enjoyed by many homeowners.

Andalucia Health Centres, (Ambulatorios)

Primary Care Centres - Centros de Atención Primaria (CAP) in Spanish - are located throughout big cities as well as towns and villages across Andalucia. This is where you will meet your General Practitioner (GP) or Médico de Família and it is also where you will find a wide range of other services. However, the actual range of services depends on the centre, as those serving smaller villages may depend on larger centres for specialists, technologies and public health programmes.

Solariums

Believe it or not there are tanning shops in Spain. The general idea here however, is to buy a 'bono', which allows you to pre-pay for a certain number of sessions as opposed to paying for a single session each time you go. As in most sun bed centres, these are all hygiene conscious and seem very clean.

Social Security Registration

The National Institute of Social Security or branded as 'Seguredad Social' (used known to everyone as the INSS) is the state body that administers Social Security Health Care and state retirement and disability Pensions. They have a network of offices throughout Spain.

Organ Transplants

Every year in Spain around 8,000 people see their lives improved thanks to a very efficient and effective organ donor programme. There is a national organ transplant coordination centre, but alot of work is required at the regional level too – and this is handled through the Andalucian regional health service.

Organ Donors in Andalucia

Andalucia has one of the highest levels of organ donor participation in Spain and possibly Europe. This is measured by the percentage of the population that agrees to donate organs and tissues of recently passed loved ones.

Opticians in Andalucia

An optician is a professional who works with a prescription provided by an optometrist or an ophthamologist (who is a medical doctor) in order to provide you with the perfect glasses or contact lenses for your look and your lifestyle.

Public Health System

In Andalucia the acronym SAS is more likely to conjure up images of healthcare than air travel. It stands for Servicio Andaluz de Salud, or Andalucian Health Service and is run by the regional government.

Having your baby in Andalucia

It is true that babies are born every day, around the world. It is not true, however, that they are born in the same way or under the same conditions. In fact, both material standards of living and cultural factors affect even the medical procedures involved in birthing.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is the application of therapeutic massage and manipulation, which treats an array of musculo-skeletal injuries and conditions. Physiotherapists are fully trained and qualified professionals.

Personal Training

Many people still consider having a personal trainer as a luxury beyond their means. This could not be further from the truth. Whether you are a regular exerciser looking for fresh inspiration or a couch potato who doesn’t know where to begin, the one-to-one guidance of a personal trainer through a tailor made fitness programme could turns out to be priceless.

Lifestyle & Health Courses

Following is a sampling of the type of courses you can find being offered at different locations throughout the Costa del Sol and by various providers, at any given time. Do take the time to check the credentials of instructors, practitioners and therapists before committing yourself to a course of study.

Jacuzzi, Sauna and Steam Rooms

The beneficial effects of spa bathing have been known for many years and those who have had the pleasure of using the spa have discovered a rejuvenating and revitalising experience. Most people have experienced the blissfully relaxing effects of a modern spa bath at their local swimming pool, leisure club or while staying at a quality hotel.

Hospitals

The quality of health care and hospital facilities in Andalucia (and throughout Spain) is generally of a high standard. Progress is always being made and in January 2005, it was announced that there was a 35% improvement in hospital service in Andalucia. There are excellent doctors, and highly trained Spanish medical staff.