Category Bethesda Salt Cave

Bethesda Salt Cave offers relaxation in a soothing, sodium-rich environment

In a modest underground storefront in Bethesda, beyond a soothing waiting area, is a room filled with pink Himalayan salt. The walls are made of salt rocks ranging from 3 ounces to 250 pounds, and the floor is covered with more than 61/2 tons of sandlike pulverized salt. There’s even salt in the air, thanks to a “halo generator,” which releases sodium in aerosol form.

The treatment program at the Bethesda Salt Cave is simple: come in and take a load off. Hanging out in such a salty environment — particularly one with pink Himalayan salt, which is said to have antibacterial, antimicrobial and detoxifying powers — can potentially help with a variety of medical problems, says owner Janine Narayadu, who recommends it for allergies, asthma, eczema and even hangovers.