Imagine lying on a massage table, a thick layer of mud smoothed across your skin with long deep strokes to help it sink in. For thousands of years, traditional medicine has considered “mudding” (aka a mud bath or mud wrap) therapeutic for the skin, joints, muscles, and the mind. Today, in spas around the world, mud-based treatments are promoted for stress reduction, healing skin ailments, and relieving joint pain. So why is this ancient treatment for stress and pain so popular with doctors?