heliotherapy

[ hee-lee-oh-ther-uh-pee ]

noun

1. treatment of disease by means of sunlight.

heliotherapy

/ ˌhiːlɪəʊˈθɛrəpɪ /

noun

1. the therapeutic use of sunlight

Word History and Origins

Origin of heliotherapy¹

First recorded in 1885–90; helio- + therapy

Example Sentences

Heliotherapy, which is sometimes called phototherapy, saw patients with skin-based conditions exposed to prolonged sunlight.

From BBC

From the late 1800s heliotherapy, or phototherapy, became popular.

From BBC

At the time, the medical community believed prolonged exposure to the sun, or heliotherapy, to be the best treatment for the two strains of tuberculosis most commonly found in children.

From Washington Times

Connecticut decided to build the first institution in the country built exclusively for heliotherapy treatment of tuberculosis, and it wanted a famous architect to make a splash, Cunningham said.

From Washington Times

Some doctors thought alpine air was the reason TB patients fared better, but others believed in “heliotherapy.”

From New York Times