Infrared Saunas and Pain Relief

Relieve Pain With Infrared Sauna Therapy

The soothing and relaxing heat from a Clearlight Infrared Sauna offers a variety of healing benefits including a significant reduction in chronic pain often even after the first use! According to Dr. Jeffrey Spencer, a sports medicine expert from the University of Southern California and consultant to Lance Armstrong, “infrared wavelengths penetrate the body to create heat, which creates profound therapeutic benefits. They increase blood flow to the muscles, delivering more concentrated oxygen, which creates more energy to heal.” 1

A study reported in Clinical Rheumatology showed that infrared saunas gave significant relief for patients with chronic pain (such as rheumatoid arthritis). Four weeks of 30-minute, twice-weekly sessions in an infrared sauna resulted in a 40 percent improvement in pain and stiffness. 2
A recent study published in Internal Medicine, showed that patients with chronic pain saw their pain levels drop by nearly 70% after their first session of infrared sauna therapy. Pain scores remained low throughout the observation period. 3

How Do Infrared Saunas Work To Ease Pain?

Our bodies are held together by a web like structure that weaves itself all through the body called fascia. A good metaphor for understanding how fascia plays a role in relaxation is to think of a knitted sweater: if you pull on one string of yarn the entire sweater can unravel. Similarly, as one part of the fascia web begins to relax and unwind, your whole body follows in kind.

With infrared therapy, the infrared wave penetrates 1.5” to 2” into the body stimulating a relaxation response allowing the muscles and tendons to unwind and release tension. The penetrating heat also raises the core body temperature which creates a “false fever” in the body forcing the immune system to spring into action and start making more white blood cells. The result is a reduction in swelling and inflammation, two major factors in easing chronic pain.
In addition, as the infrared heat elevates your core body temperature, capillaries and arteries dilate to increase blood flow allowing more oxygen rich blood to travel to areas of tension and pain. Your muscles, joints, and soft tissue experience relief and healing.

You emerge from a 20-30 minute session in your infrared sauna feeling relaxed and renewed!

1. http://www.cancerdefeated.com/newsletters/Infrared-Saunas-A-Fun-Relaxing-Way-to-Detox.html
2. Clinical Rheumatology, January 2009
3. Internal Medicine (Tokyo) Aug 15, 2008 by Matsushita K, Masuda A, Tei C. The First Department of Internal Medicine, Kagoshima University Hospital, Kagoshima, Japan.