Benefits of Using an Infrared Sauna for Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition which affects the entire body. The illness can cause fatigue, stiffness, insomnia, and headaches, as well as a litany of related emotional problems. Painfully sore joints, tendons and muscles cause fibromyalgia sufferers to spend their days and nights looking for relief from these relentless symptoms.

Typically, fibro sufferers treat their symptoms with analgesic pain relievers like ibuprofen and naproxen. Not only are these drugs inefficient at controlling fibro-related pain, they also have negative side effects of their own with long-term use. Prescription drugs like Bextra, Vioxx and Celebrex have their own set of reported problems and side effects.

More and more chronic pain sufferers are now looking to non-pharmaceutical ways to achieve pain relief. One of the most popular alternatives to medicine for the chronic pain, swelling and discomfort that comes with fibromyalgia is regular infrared sauna use.

Pain Relief

“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 by pain expert Peter Vicente, Ph.D., past president of the American Pain Society and Clinical Health Psychologist. “Through new clinical research, we have found that heat activates complex neurological, vascular and metabolic mechanisms to mediate the transmission of pain signals and effectively provide relief for a variety of pain conditions.”

Relaxation

Infrared saunas are also known for reducing fatigue caused by sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation in fibro patients can come from painful physical symptoms and from the stress and anxiety that often accompanies chronic illness. Scientific evidence shows that far infrared therapy helps the body maintain healthy levels of cortisol.

According to New York Times best-selling author and fitness expert Jorge Cruise and many other health professionals, the more stressed you are, the more cortisol your body will produce. Cortisol is a “fight or flight” hormone made in the adrenal glands that raises heart rate and blood pressure.

Better Circulation

Infrared saunas are heart healthy! The heat in an infrared sauna aids in the stimulation of the heart which sends more blood to your cells. The improved circulation relieves the inflammation and joint stiffness associated with fibromyalgia. Infrared saunas may also relieve tension and headaches caused by poor circulation.