Azerbaijan is a land extremely rich in various natural resources widely used in medicine.
These natural resources — hot springs, therapeutic mud volcanoes, and salt caves — are spread throughout the country.
However, there is one unique natural phenomenon that has no equivalent not only in Azerbaijan, but anywhere in the world.
We are talking about Naftalan oil: numerous scientific studies and more than 100 years of successful use in the treatment of a wide range of diseases have confirmed its effectiveness.
A Strategic Resource
Located 338 kilometers west of Baku and 50 kilometers from the country’s second-largest city, Ganja, Naftalan gained fame as a center of medical tourism during the Soviet era.
This is because the world’s unique deposits of лечебная нефть are located specifically in Naftalan.
The toponym “Naftalan” originates from the Median word “nafta” (“to seep”).
Media was one of the ancient states that existed on the territory of Azerbaijan.
Initially, extraction wells were drilled in these лечебная нефть deposits, and later the city of Naftalan was established in this area.
Although Naftalan oil is often referred to as “white Naftalan oil,” it is actually a thick dark brown liquid with a specific smell and differs little in appearance from ordinary oil.
However, it does not contain gasoline fractions and is non-flammable.
Nevertheless, it is extracted using standard oil pump jacks just like crude oil.
Naftalan oil differs from other types of oil due to its pure composition free from harmful gasoline and kerosene vapors and its richness in valuable lubricating oils.
Its rich biochemical composition containing potassium, magnesium, iodine, chlorine, potassium carbonate, and zinc makes Naftalan oil unique.
Thanks to these elements, this substance gains healing properties and helps cure diseases.
Shahin Babayev, the chief physician of the “Gazhalti Health Hotel Naftalan” wellness complex, claims that the effectiveness of using Naftalan oil in specialized institutions reaches and exceeds 90 percent.
“Therapeutic Naftalan oil, combined with other resort treatment methods and the favorable ecological conditions of the region, helps treat a wide range of musculoskeletal, neurological, urological, gynecological, dermatological, and other diseases among adults and children.
The anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects of Naftalan oil, as well as its influence on metabolic processes, stimulation of spermatogenesis, acceleration of egg cell formation, and other valuable properties are well known,” the doctor noted.
The History of Naftalan Oil
Interestingly, industrial production of medicinal products based on Naftalan oil was first initiated in the late 19th century by German engineer-concessionaire E.I. Yeager.
At the factory he opened in Azerbaijan, the raw material was processed and then sent to Germany, where medicines were produced from it at the enterprises of two joint-stock companies — "Naftalan in Magdeburg" and "Naftalan in Dresden."
The composition of these products and their production methods were kept secret and monopolized.
Ointments, pastes, tablets, suppositories, special skin-softening soaps, powders, lip pencils, and other products made from Azerbaijani Naftalan oil soon began to be sold worldwide.
The antiseptic properties of this oil were valued so highly that Naftalan ointment became a mandatory item in soldiers’ medical kits during World War I.
A Remedy for Seventy Diseases
Today, Naftalan oil is considered one of the best and irreplaceable treatment methods in many fields of medicine and helps cure more than 70 diseases.
The most common method of the healing effect of Naftalan oil on the body is therapeutic baths.
At Naftalan wellness centers, Naftalan oil heated to 37–38 degrees Celsius, providing comfort to the human body, flows from special reservoirs into treatment baths.
The patient lies in the bath for 8–10 minutes under the supervision of a specialist.
During this time, the body absorbs beneficial substances.
Afterward, the remaining oil is cleaned from the skin, the patient takes a warm shower, and rests for 15–20 minutes.
To achieve maximum effectiveness, specialists recommend undergoing a treatment course lasting 14–21 days.
People from all over the world come to Azerbaijan after hearing about the miraculous effects of Naftalan baths and seeking healing.
For many people, Naftalan oil is their last hope.
Grateful reviews from people arriving from the USA, Czech Republic, Russia, Kazakhstan, and other countries and finding healing in Naftalan are the best proof of this oil’s effectiveness.
By the way, very few people know that Naftalan is a sister city of the famous Russian resort city Yessentuki.
According to Tahira Aslanova, advisor to the Naftalan Tourism and Culture Center, today Naftalan is a modern health and recreation center organically combining natural resources, achievements of resort medicine, European comfort, Azerbaijani hospitality, and affordable package prices.
Within the framework of the state program for the restoration of Naftalan, many well-equipped treatment and recreation centers have been established here.
"Chinar Hotel&Spa", "Gashalti Health Hotel Naftalan", "Garabag Resort&Spa", and other treatment and preventive centers are among the most famous wellness complexes.
Essentially, these centers are autonomous medical complexes where all conditions for patients’ health and recreation have been created.
These complexes feature perfectly equipped diagnostic and physiotherapy departments, treatment rooms, and other facilities.
Most complexes include five-star hotels operating on an "all inclusive" basis with comfortable rooms, fitness and SPA centers, and various additional services.