Infrared Saunas Have Been Known to Help With Many Health Situations

Acne

Three or four infrared treatments may open pores that have not been functioning in years, forcing out cosmetics which were clogging the pores and loosening dead outer skin. The sauna is thus a boon to teenage skin, clearing acne and blackheads.

Asthma

May be cleared up (like moving to Arizona’s dry air)
A case study³ was reported in which a 41 year old male suffered from toxic occupational asthma, headaches, depression and other complaints. Serum analysis revealed an extremely high level of toluene (a toxin) and antibodies to isocyanate, TMA and formaldehyde (toxins). He was placed on an infrared therapy program and his lungs cleared up within 3 days. After 52 days, his health had improved by 85%. Post treatment analysis revealed no detectable levels of any volatile compounds.

Back Pain

Low level heat therapy is more effective than over-the-counter oral medications for relieving low back pain, according to the results of a nationwide study led by a sports medicine researcher at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. In the six-month study involving 371 patients, participants were given the maximum recommended non-prescription dosages of ibuprofen and acetaminophen or low level heat therapy for two days to treat acute low back pain. The results showed that the low level heat therapy provided significantly more pain relief beginning on the first day of treatment than the oral analgesics and that the effects lasted more than 48 hours after the treatment was completed. “Confirming that this treatment is effective is important to patients because it gives them a treatment option that does not have the potential risk to the liver, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract than can accompany inappropriate analgesic usage,” said Dr. Nadler, an associate of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the medical school.

Body Odor

By improving the function of the skin, the infrared treatments may eliminate the cause of offensive body odor. It definitely reduces body odor induced by occupational exposure to odorous chemicals.

Brain Damage

Brain contusions repair at an accelerated rate from infrared sauna therapy.
Recovery from cerebral hemorrhages is both sped up and significantly enhanced.

Burns

Burns* Scars and pain from burns or wounds are decreased in severity and extent and heal more quickly. Infrared therapy is used routinely in burn units throughout Asia.

Cancer

Infrared therapy is helpful in the destruction of cancer cells, as they begin to die off when the malignant tissue reaches 104-106°F (40-41°C). It takes but a small increase in body temperature for the body to increase the production of white blood cells, which are critical to the destruction of tumors. Regular infrared sauna use is an effective approach that compliments any anti-cancer protocol.
Researchers from Japan report that infrared therapy can reverse cancer of the tongue.
In the later stages of cancer, infrared Sauna Therapy can relieve pain extremely well.

Candida

Candida* Assists the body with excretion of toxins related to Candida Albicans

Cellulite

Cellulite is a gel-like substance made up of fat, water and wastes, which are trapped in pockets below the skin. Infrared sauna therapy can assist this condition, as profuse sweating helps clear this form of unwanted debris from the body. European beauty specialists confirm that a sauna will greatly speed any anti-cellulite program. Because infrared saunas have at least twice the depth of heat penetration into cellulite combined with up to 10 times the level of heating in these tissues, they are significantly more effective than any conventional sauna at removing cellulite.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Studies, indicate improved fatigue, pain, sleep and low-grade fever with infrared therapy. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is often characterized by a deficiency of essential vitamins and minerals. Often, the end result is an excessive accumulation of mercury and other toxic heavy metals in various organs of the body. These toxic metals are found in increasing amounts in our environment and food and in dental amalgams. Toxic metals are absorbed and replace the vital elements when there is a deficiency of the good minerals. Deficient diets, refined foods, junk foods and artificial foods lack the essential nutrients and so the toxic metals are taken up as if they were replacement parts on a car. When a certain point is reached, there is inadequate nutrition to keep the system working and consequently the energy system begins to break down. A breakdown in the energy system can be sudden or slow depending on the individual situation. Infrared Therapy removes metal contaminants from the body. Research conducted by U.S. scientists has demonstrated that close to 80% of individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome will improve markedly by a guided detoxification program.

Depression

In a study of 28 mildly depressed patients, 14 were assigned to a treatment group and 14 were assigned to the control group. The treatment group received 140°F (60°C) infrared therapy for 15 minutes per day plus bed rest with a blanket for 30 minutes per day. After 20 sessions over a 4 week period, the patients treated with infrared had significantly less somatic complaints, significantly less appetite loss and significantly better relaxation.

Detoxification

Hyperthermia (fever) is the body’s natural way to eliminate bacteria, viruses and toxic organisms by sweating them out through the skin. Infrared sauna use is perhaps the most effective method of prompting hyperthermia (rise in body temperature) for the purpose of detoxification. Increased blood circulation stimulates the sweat glands, quickly expunging built-up toxins and waste, through the skin, the body’s largest organ. Daily sweating can help detoxify the body as it rids itself of an accumulation of potentially carcinogenic heavy metals (lead, mercury, nickel, cadmium, aluminum) as well as alcohol, nicotine, sodium, sulfuric acid, arsenic, cholesterol, ammonia, uric acid, hydrocarbon residues, narcotic drugs and hormone disrupting chemicals (dioxins, PCBs, formaldehyde, agricultural chemicals, industrial chemicals, gasoline, pesticides, food additives, etc.). These toxins may be deposited deep beneath the skin in the body fat and internal organs. Infrared is able to penetrate deep into the body and cause a resonance in the water molecules that surrounds the cells. Because the far infrared frequency matches that of the body, this resonance allows the water molecules to move more freely in and out through the membrane of the cells. As sweat and oils and secreted, the toxins dissolved in them are secreted as well. Dr. Aundrea Adams of the International Institute of Holistic Healing compared the detoxification findings of infrared and steam saunas. She found that sweat generated using a steam sauna was composed of up to 97% water while sweat released after infrared sauna therapy was composed of only 80-85% water. The remaining 15-20% of sweat was composed of heavy metals, sulfuric acid, sodium, ammonia, uric acid and fat- soluble toxins.

Where do I find a sauna that I can use?

Many businesses offer saunas for public use or private use. For example, gyms typically have steam saunas that can be used along side your membership. The downside is that it is a public sauna so it may not be the most comfortable setting.

There are other places that give you a private sauna suite for you to sweat in and offer a wide variety of spa-like amenities. One such business is Elevated in Las Vegas, NV. They offer private sauna suites that include your own room and a private shower.

The best part about Elevated is that each sauna suite has its own TV so you can sweat and listen to music or watch a show. They also provide you with a massage gun to take into the sauna to work on tense and/or sore muscles.

Combine all of this with the zen-like spa vibe and you have the best sauna studio to spend your time in.

What else has sauna been shown to help with?

Diabetes

Diabetes is associated with poor blood circulation and responds well to peripheral dilation from infrared sauna therapy.

Ear Infection

Infrared Sauna Therapy may help with chronic ear infections or inflammation.

Eczema

Eczema has responded extremely well to infrared treatments

Edema

For post-operative edema, treatment with infrared has been so successful that hospital stays have been reduced by 25%.

Exercise

Infrared sauna relieves soreness, swelling and lactic acid from exercise. See more details under Cardiovascular Conditioning (Passive) and Cardiovascular System

Fibromyalgia

female patients with fibromyalgia received infrared sauna therapy at 140°F (60°C) for 15 minutes⁹ and then covered by a warm blanket for 30 more minutes . Each received 10 treatments total. All patients received about a 50% reduction in pain after the first treatment. By the 10th treatment, the pain relief became stable. Pain symptom scores remained low throughout the study.
Fibromyalgia sufferers are universally found to be malnourished, have lowered immune function, have one or more viral, fungal, or bacterial infections (almost always not detectable by orthodox means), and cannot detoxify their heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium, aluminum etc. Therefore, infrared Therapy provides a safe, natural form of detoxification which is so very crucial for fibromyalgia patients. Studies have shown that heat therapy is more effective than analgesics for fibromyalgia pain relief.
“After treating thousand patients with fibromyalgia for many years, one of the things that we have learned in our clinic is that almost all fibro patients have a lack of sweat. Getting them to sweat using the infrared sauna is an important component of recovery from their central sensitization syndrome.”
Sharon Sauer, CMTPT, LMT (Certified Myofascial Trigger Point Therapist, Licensed Massage Therapist) – Chicago, IL

Immune System

The deep heat from the infrared sauna raises your body temperature, inducing an artificial fever. Our bodies normally develop fever when ill to enhance metabolism and help to kill germs; the physiology is very similar for artificially induced fever. As the body works to combat the artificial “fever,” the body’s immune system is strengthened. infrared Saunas increase overall health and resistance to disease as heating of the tissues enhances metabolic processes. The leukocyte, macrophage, NK cells and T cells are activated (the immune power is multiplied by 200 times by raising the body core temperature up 3.5 degrees). Greater cellular energy production facilitates healing. The stimulated immune system helps the body to fight off any invasive organisms like bacteria or virus in the early stages of cold, cough, or flu, preventing disease from occurring. Viruses, tumors and toxin-laden cells which are weaker than normal cells are excreted as they tolerate heat poorly. Raising the body temperature causes infections to heal more quickly. Hyperthermia even helps to combat cancer.

Inflammation

The increased peripheral circulation occurring with infrared sauna therapy provides the transportation needed to help evacuate the edema, which can help stop inflammation, decrease pain and help speed healing. Researchers have observed high success rates when applying infrared therapy to resolve post surgical infection, pelvic infection and frostbite with inflammation.

Memory

Short-term memory may be improved with infrared therapy

Menopause

FIR therapy relieves menopause related symptoms: relieved chills, nervousness, depression, dizziness, head & stomach aches

Menstrual Cramps

Menstrual cramps are associated with poor blood circulation and respond well to peripheral dilation.

Muscle Spasm

Muscle spasms have long been observed to be reduced through the use of heat, whether they be secondary to underlying skeletal, joint, or neuro-pathological conditions. This result is possibly produced by the combined effect of heat on both primary and secondary afferent nerves from spindle cells and from its effects on Golgi tendon organs. The results produced demonstrated their peak effect within the therapeutic temperature range obtainable with infrared heat.

Neuropathy (Peripheral)

In a small study, 6 patients with peripheral neuropathy experienced 50-99% symptom reduction after undergoing infrared sauna therapy.

Pain (Chronic)

New clinical research on pain offers evidence to establish a novel class of pain — “heat responsive pain” or HRP — which encompasses several common pain conditions that can be treated with the use of heat therapy. Researchers studying HRP have observed remarkable therapeutic benefits by using continuous low-level heat therapy for treating lower-back, upper-body and menstrual pain, all conditions that fall under the new HRP classification. “For centuries, healthcare providers have used topical heat to relieve minor aches and pains, but today, we are just beginning to understand the full range of therapeutic benefits that heat offers,” said pain expert Peter Vicente, Ph.D., Past-President of the American Pain Society and Clinical Health Psychologist, River hills Healthcare, Cincinnati, OH. “Through new clinical research, we have found that heat activates complex neurologic, vascular and metabolic mechanisms to mediate the transmission of pain signals and effectively provide relief for a variety of pain conditions.” The deep heat of the FIR sauna helps peripheral blood vessels dilate, bringing relief and healing to muscle and soft tissue injuries. Increased blood circulation carries off metabolic waste products and delivers oxygen-rich blood to oxygen-depleted muscle, so they recover faster. Muscles relax most readily when tissues are warm, for greater flexibility and range of motion.
In a randomized controlled trial¹⁹, 46 patients with chronic pain received 4 weeks of multidisciplinary treatment; 22 of the subjects also had 15-minute daily infrared sauna sessions during those 4 weeks. After two years, those in the sauna group were more likely to have returned to work (77% vs. 50%) and to have improved sleep scores and tended toward greater improvement in pain behavior scores and anger scores. The reason for the pain relief may be the reduction of muscle spasms which cause pain or the relaxing of myofascial trigger points (irritable tight tissues). In one dental study, repeated heat applications eventually led to abolishment of the whole nerve response responsible for pain arising from dental pulp (center soft part of the tooth).
Persons undergoing infrared Sauna Therapy have received relief from a variety of painful conditions:
- Adhesions (scarring) from athletic injuries, trauma or repetitive stress syndrome
- Arthritis: gouty, rheumatoid or degenerative joint disease
- Brain Injury (The effects of acceleration-deceleration injury or brain contusions)
- Compression fracture. For example, in one person, pain stopped for three days of after only a single treament
- TMJ (arthritis and muscle spasms have been reduced or eliminated)
- Low Back Pain
- Muscle Pain (notably post exercise muscle pain)
- Muscle Tension
- Neuralgia (related to disc protrusion)
- Pain which prevented sleep or limited usable sleeping positions
- Shoulder Pain
- Spinal Cord Shock. Post traumatic shock has been reversed.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis has responded extremely well to infrared treatments

Radiation Sickness

Infrared Therapy relieves the symptoms of radiation sickness.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

14 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 14 patients with ankylosing spondylitis, an inflammatory arthritis that causes fusion of the spine, were treated with eight sessions of far infrared sauna therapy over four weeks²⁰. These patients experienced significantly decreased pain and stiffness in the short-term and clinically relevant long-term effects from the therapy.

Scars

Scars fully formed, even keloids, may be gradually softened from infrared therapy. Burns and other wounds or incisions may heal with significantly reduced scarring.

Sciatica

Sciatica is associated with poor blood circulation and responds well to peripheral dilation

Skin/Beauty

The profuse sweating achieved after just a few minutes in far infrared sauna unclogs the skin pores and carries off deeply imbedded impurities and dead skin cells, leaving the skin glowing, youthful, baby smooth, soft, immaculately clean and free of accumulated dirt and dry skin cells. Increased circulation and dilation of the body’s capillary network draws the skin’s own natural nutrients to the surface. It improves complexion, tone, elasticity, texture and fresh color of the skin.
Increased blood circulation has also been shown to relieve acne, eczema, psoriasis, burns, lesions and cuts. In addition, open wounds may heal more quickly, reducing scarring and even burns.

Soft Tissue Injury

Infrared Therapy increases the delivery of oxygen and nutrients in blood cells to the body’s soft tissue areas and promoting regeneration and fast healing. It is now becoming a leading edge care for soft tissue injuries to promote both relief in chronic or intractable “permanent” cases, and accelerated healing in newer injuries.
Researchers have reported over 90% success treating soft tissue injury and lumbar strain
In one small study of auto accident related soft tissue injuries, daily infrared sessions were used until best healing was attained. Then infrared was used to deal with permanent residuals. The pain control effect on the chronic residuals from such injuries lasted three days before another treatment was necessary.

Stomach (Upset)

Upset stomach is associated with poor blood circulation and responds well to peripheral dilation.

Stroke

Infrared therapy relieves abnormalities resulting from of strokes. For example, Hemiparesis (weakness on one side of the body) may be relieved over time.

Stress

Perhaps the most immediate relief this far infrared sauna offers is simple relaxation, as it melts away the stresses and tensions. Infrared sauna therapy gives an overall massaging effect, soothing jangled nerves and knotted muscles. Infrared Sauna therapy leaves you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated

Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are associated with poor blood circulation and respond well to peripheral dilation from infrared sauna therapy.

Sunburn

According to the 9th edition of Clayton’s Electrotherapy, “infrared is the only antidote to excessive ultraviolet radiation.”

Tinnitus

In a case of chronic severe case of tinnitus (ringing of the ear), it cleared up with 10 infrared treatments.

Ulcers

Duodenal ulcers may be eliminated from infrared sauna therapy. Leg and decubitus ulcers (pressure sores) that fail to respond to conventional approaches may respond to infrared. These are associated with poor blood circulation and respond well to peripheral dilation.

Varicose Veins

Varicose veins are associated with poor blood circulation and respond well to peripheral dilation from infrared sauna therapy.

Weight Loss

Infrared Saunas are the only natural, healthy way to burn calories without exercising
In a sequential, longitudinal, interrupted time series trial²², 10 obese subjects underwent 15 minute daily infrared sessions and followed an 1800 calorie per day diet for a two week period. Despite weight loss, hormones that are usually released with calorie restriction were not released so infrared may blunt the negative effects of weight loss due to calorie restriction.
Infrared heat therapy can be used as a complementary aid in weight loss programs for accelerating metabolism which results in large quantities of calories lost in a single sauna heat session.
Weight loss happens through sweating and the energy use needed to produce the sweat and through direct excretion of fat which becomes water-soluble at a temperature of 100 F° before it begins to dissolve and enter the bloodstream to be removed from the body.
Often the inability to lose weight is associated with chemical toxicity. As these toxins are removed from the body while using the infrared sauna, weight loss naturally follows.
Medical research shows that infrared Sauna Therapy burns about 600 calories in 30 minutes. Here is a comparison with different sports:

Activity	Calories Burned by 150 lb. Person in 30 minutes
Infrared Sauna Therapy	600
Rowing (peak effort)	600
Running 2-3 miles	600
Vigorous Racquet Ball	510
Swimming (crawl stroke)	300
Jogging	300
Tennis (fast game)	265
Chopping Wood	265
Cycling (10mph)	225
Golfing (without a cart)	150
Walking (3.5mph)	150
Bowling	120