Infrared Sauna Sounded Too Good To Be True
Whenever I come across a potential treatment that has so many claims attached to it, I have to be a bit skeptical. This is when I look further into sources and ask myself- are there multiple places that are reporting this or do they all link back to one, and how reputable are they? I also look at whether the treatment has been around a while or could it potentially be a fad.
Science Backs Using Infrared Saunas For Rheumatoid Arthritis
Infrared saunas have been scientifically shown to reduce the risks associated with rheumatoid arthritis, and research on infrared rays conducted by Dr. Aaron M. Flickstein notes that several clinical studies on infrared technology and rheumatoid arthritis are evidence that infrared heat and wavelengths significantly improve the quality of life and levels of pain for those suffering from this frustrating condition. To view these clinical studies, click the link below.
Clinical Study Downloads
Muscle Aches Arthritis And Joint Pain
Too much of anything can take its toll, including exercise. The benefits of infrared saunas include helping relieve inflammation, stiffness and soreness by increasing blood circulation and allowing the deep, penetrating infrared heat to relax muscles and carry off metabolic waste products, while delivering oxygen-rich blood to the muscles for a faster recovery.
Infrared helps warm the muscles for greater flexibility and range of motion, while relieving muscle tension and pain.
Studies have also shown that time spent in an infrared sauna can bring relief from different forms of arthritis.3 Radiant heat has been effective in the treatment of sprains, neuralgia, bursitis, muscle spasms, joint stiffness and many other musculoskeletal ailments. Much of the normal stiffness, aches and pains that come with aging can be lessened with regular sauna usage.
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Reduced Symptoms Of Rheumatic Diseases
A that looked at the clinical effects of regular dry sauna bathing, suggests that saunas may benefit people with rheumatic diseases such as fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis.
Regular sessions may also benefit people with:
- chronic fatigue and pain syndromes
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- allergic rhinitis
Sauna Benefits #1 Extreme Stress Reduction
Saunas are huge stress fighters. Thanks to sugar, coffee, lack of sleep, stressed adrenals, and toxic chemical exposure, many of us are stuck in the sympathetic or fight or flight state. Saunas encourage our bodies to go into the parasympathetic state, which allows us to de-stress, digest, rest, and heal.
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What Is A Far Infrared Sauna
Known for its deep penetrative heat and superior detoxification properties, far infrared saunas have long been used to relieve pain and stress and to treat a variety of health issues including rheumatoid arthritis. Different than the steam saunas of old, the far infrared heats your tissues 1.5 to 2 inches in depth, stimulating the bodys cellular detoxification process, enhancing circulation, metabolism and oxygenating your tissues. All of this is accomplished through the use of far infrared light, a section of the natural band of light that is invisible to the human eye but can be felt as heat and which heats you from the inside out not from the outside in like steam saunas do.
Infrared Saunas And Arthritis
There are many different types of arthritis with symptoms that vary, so depending on the type of arthritis you have will determine if infrared saunas will help to ease those symptoms and how effectively.
Studies have shown the effects of infrared saunas in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, resulting in short-term improvement of pain and stiffness, and a trend towards long-term beneficial effects.
The most common symptoms of arthritis are joint pain and inflammation and the good news is that regular infrared sauna use has been shown to ease both. Here is how infrared saunas can help with two of the most common types of arthritis:
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Infrared Therapy And Arthritis
People living with arthritis suffer from joint pain and often use painkillers for relief from pain. While the painkillers do help a great deal to alleviate the pain however, in the long run, it can be quite harmful to the liver and kidneys. This has led to a rise in alternative therapies to increase mobility and reduce pain. And, it has been seen that infrared sauna therapy is among the most effective methods for pain reduction and it also can be used alongside traditional medical therapies.
According to the Arthritis Foundation, heat therapy like an infrared sauna can help a great deal in helping to soothe stiff and painful joints. So, what is infrared therapy and how can it help? Infrared energy has a similar wavelength to the energy that is emitted naturally by the human body.
Since the wavelengths are similar, the infrared heat produced by an infrared sauna heats the body evenly and induces hyperthermia. It penetrates our body, deep into the muscles and tissues. The infrared heat helps to dilate the blood vessels and boosts the circulation and flow of oxygen-rich blood.
This increase in blood circulation and increased oxygen has healing effects on the body, helping to reduce muscle spasms, joint and muscle stiffness, soreness and pain and the range of motion of the affected joints are increased significantly. The heat from the infrared sauna also releases endorphins or feel-good chemicals that interact with the brains receptors and help to reduce pain.
Steam Rooms Saunas And Your Health
If you’ve ever been to a spa, or to a particularly fancy gym or sports club, you’ve more than likely noticed a sauna and/or a steam room. Whether you’ve used either one of them before or not, you’ve probably at least been made aware of their existence. There is a distinct difference between saunas and steam rooms. Knowing the difference between the two types of therapeutic outlets, as well as understanding how each of them can benefit your overall health and wellness, can set you on a path to natural well-being.
All About Saunas
A sauna is a room filled with very dry heat. It is often decorated with wooden benches for people to sit on. The heat usually radiates from very hot rocks placed in a specific area of the room. The heat from saunas is known to be helpful to people who deal with chronic pain-related illnesses, such as arthritis, joint pain, and migraine headaches. Sauna heat can ease muscle tension, and also relax the nerves and muscles in the body. Saunas can also help to reduce stress and anxiety, which in turn can help promote better sleep by reducing instances of insomnia. The heat from saunas encourages the body to release endorphins, which are the chemicals that promote happiness and feelings of calmness. When you exit the sauna, melatonin will begin to release in your body as well, which will help you start to feel sleepy naturally.
All About Steam Rooms
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic.
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Increase Collagen Production And Repair Cellular Damage
Another plus that rheumatoid arthritis sufferers benefit from when exposing themselves to infrared light is an increase in collagen production. Collagen is crucial for good elasticity in the skin and bones. When you improve collagen production, bone marrow regenerates faster to lower the damage caused by rheumatoid arthritis.
When there is inflammation in the joints for long periods of time, it starts to stretch and weaken the ligaments and tendons around the joint and is responsible for joint deformity in the surrounding areas. This happens in the later stages of rheumatoid arthritis, so when collagen is increased the joint tonus increases as well. As a result, any inflammation that is happening in the joints will not have the same negative and damaging impact.
Additionally, enhanced collagen production will stimulate cellular regeneration in the bodys bone marrow and heals the damage that happened from long term inflammation. Exposure to infrared light is not only a great way to reduce inflammation, but it can also increase collagen production, which helps to heal damaged bones, tendons and ligaments that have developed over the years of living with rheumatoid arthritis.
Benefits Of Ozone Therapy
Ozone therapy is a technique based on the application of a concentration of oxygen and ozone. The compound rapidly dissolves in the body and comes into contact with the molecules, generating acute oxidative stress. This has many benefits:
- It improves tissue oxygenation by increasing oxygen transport capacity.
- Antiplatelet effect.
- It improves the bodys antioxidant systems.
- Bactericidal and disinfectant effects.
- It helps the immune system combat infections and autoimmune diseases.
In addition to these benefits for the treatment of osteoarthritis, ozone therapy, in many cases, is making it possible to reduce medication. Not to mention that recovery is becoming faster. And, as they start feeling better, the state of mind of patients also improves. This enables them to return to their day-to-day activities earlier, which increases their quality of life. Also, because it does not involve the use of drugs, ozone therapy has no side effects and does not interact with other drugs.
All of this explains why ozone therapy is increasingly being used for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and conditions with chronic inflammation such as arthritis. In fact, it is also being used to treat other disorders such as herniated discs, lower back pain and cervicalgia. It is a quick, effective and painless technique. And it can be applied on an outpatient basis, has very few contraindications and produces no complications if it is carried out by qualified personnel.
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Are Infrared Saunas Good For Arthritis
Swelling and sore joints are common with arthritis. Healthcare gives medicines to help with pain. Patients often need other methods as well. Heres why you should use infrared sauna treatment for arthritis:
As you relax, your body produces endorphins. These special chemicals make your body feel good. This also helps with arthritis pain. Studies show that arthritis patients are less tired and sore after infrared sauna use. For example, the Maxxus Low EMF Far Infrared Sauna with Canadian Hemlock is a great sauna. It is well equipped to soothe painful arthritis symptoms.
Sauna Benefits Heart Health Arthritis And More In Kelowna Bc
Do you enjoy the warmth of a spring or summer day? Now that winter is here in Kelowna, BC Sauna therapy is one way to harness that warmth and use it therapeutically! Our Sauna is an infrared radiant Sauna that warms the body the way sunlight would. The Sauna heats the body directly, rather than the air around it.
Europeans have been using sauna therapy for hundreds of years. Most notably, Scandinavians use Sauna therapy as a routine health practice, so much so, that there is one sauna for every five citizens in Finland. Sauna therapy is a wonderful way to reduce anxiety and stress, while promoting relaxation, contentment and peace of mind. However, saunas are much more than just leisure products. In the latest 2011 Alternative Medicine Review1, studies that document the effectiveness and physiologic benefits of Sauna therapy have been summarized below:
Physiologic Benefits of Sauna:
- Balances stress hormones in a positive way
- Increases levels of growth hormone
- Increases endorphins creating pleasure and analgesic effects
- Muscle relaxation, increased elasticity of tendons and joint capsule
- Reduced viscosity of synovial joint fluid benefiting arthritis
- Aids in detoxification and toxin release from stored tissues
Cardiovascular Health:
Weight Loss:
Asthma, Bronchitis & COPD:
Chronic Pain & Arthritis:
Detoxification:
Fertility:
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You Can Get Effective Natural Safe Pain Relief From Arthritis Take Control Of And Manage Your Condition And Live Life Fully The Secret Is Infrared Therapy
A Health Mate® infrared sauna gives effective, safe, natural pain relief from arthritis The therapeutic infrared heat gives greater relief from joint and muscle pain by penetrating more deeply into the body than other types of heat therapy, it reduces inflammation, helping to fight auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
The amazing health and wellness benefits of infrared saunas are widely recognised around the world. But until now, they have been virtually unheard of in the UK. Health Mate® is changing that. And changing the future for the millions of people with arthritis in the UK.
Leading toxicology expert Dr Sherry A Rogers describes infrared therapy as the closest we can probably get to the fountain of youth. More than forty years of research has shown that infrared therapy can provide natural and effective health, wellness and sports benefits. These include relief from joint and muscle pain, reduced inflammation and helping to fight autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Infrared therapy is widely used in the United States, Canada and continental Europe by health professionals, leading sportsmen and women and therapists to alleviate a wide range of conditions, assist recovery and boost wellness.
What Are Far Infrared Rays
Far infrared rays are part of the full light spectrum emitted from the sun’s rays and comprise approximately 80% of the total. Far infrared rays transfer pure energy in the form of heat and are absorbed 1.5 inches beneath the skin’s surface. Our bodies also emit FIRs, and also receive these necessary electromagnetic rays from the sun, along with vitamin D.
Because a FIR sauna doesn’t heat the air, it will work at lower temperatures, which makes it safer for people with cardiac issues. Exposing your body to these rays in a concentrated manner, eliminating the more harmful spectrum from the sun, can improve oxygenation of the cells, increase white blood cell production, and stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system which improves overall relaxation.2
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How Dry Saunas Compare To Infrared Saunas
A dry sauna and an infrared sauna both heat your body, but that may be where the similarities end.
When you sit in an infrared sauna, your body is warmed directly by the heat from the infrared lamps that use electromagnetic radiation. Dry saunas, on the other hand, heat the air around you. This type of heat directed to the body is what makes infrared saunas a popular choice for many people.
Infrared saunas also operate at a much lower temperature, usually between 120F and 140F . And you can stay in them longer than dry saunas, with 20 minutes being the average time.
If youre new to this experience, start with a 10- to 15-minute session, and gradually work your way up. Some people will stay in an infrared sauna up to 30 minutes.
Sauna Benefits #6 Improve Circulation And Oxygenation
When you sit in a hot sauna, your body temperature begins to rise. This causes your blood vessels to dilate, which increases blood flow and overall circulation. Blood brings nutrients and oxygen to all body tissues and help them heal. Studies show that infrared therapy recharges mitochondria, so its reaching us at a cellular level and is a great practice for increasing energy and stamina.
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Whats Better For Sore Muscles Hot Tub Or Sauna
Relief of sore muscles after a workout is a benefit for both saunas and hot tubs. In both cases the heat from the air or water causes more blood flow to your extremities. That increased blood flow helps in two key ways.
The addition of the jets in the hot tub can provide a massaging effect. Many people like this as it can be quite relaxing.
Sauna Vs Hot Tub For Weight Loss
Fats wont melt away just sitting in a sauna or soaking in a hot tub. You will also need a proper diet and exercise. However, since were concerned which of the two is more effective, sauna is the winner. In fact, almost everyone I know associates sauna with losing weight.
Sauna actually helps in losing water weight, so you do get lighter. Unfortunately, water weight is easy to gain once you drink a lot of water again. The heat helps to increase blood circulation and gives you the same feeling of doing an aerobic exercise, but actually doing it provides better results than just sitting.
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How To Treat Arthritis Pain With An Infrared Sauna
The treatment of pains associated with arthritis and other chronic pain disorders like fibromyalgia can be complemented by the use of an infrared sauna on a consistent basis. We recommend you spend at least three sessions per week in an infrared sauna to get the maximum health and pain treatment benefits on offer. The first major consideration here is to ensure that youre properly hydrated, so drink at least three glasses of water before you step inside. Once youre inside, spend anywhere between 15-45 minutes in the infrared sauna to allow your body to soak up as much infrared light as possible and transfer this energy into cellular-boosting chemicals.
If youre looking for a safe, stylish and convenient means of treating pains associated with arthritis or chronic pain disorders like fibromyalgia, use our Buying Guide to help decide which is the perfect sauna for you.
Health Benefits Of The Infrared Sauna
Far infrared saunas are used around the world, and especially in the East, for conditions like cardiac disease and failure, type 2 diabetes, chronic pain, and peripheral vascular disease. There are also claims made for improvements in weight loss, fatigue, sleep, dysmenorrhea, some forms of cancer, motor function, and treating sunburns.
One study published in Clinical Rheumatology found improvement of pain and stiffness for people with RA and ankylosing spondylitis.1 In reading about the benefits of this treatment, it almost seems too good to be true.
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