Back pain is a common affliction that affects most of us at some point in our lifetime. Whether it is a chronic or genetic condition, environment related, a stiff back because of sitting too long at work, a twinge because you lifted something heavy, back pain is one of the most common pains in the world.

Our back supports most of our body weight, which is why any pain in the back becomes very difficult to get rid of. While sometimes back pain may be temporary, at other times, it can become chronic, affecting your daily functioning and quality of life. This is a key reason why continuous attention and care are required to overcome the back pain holding you back.

Infrared Sauna Therapy for Back Pain

According to the Mayo Clinic, acute back pain can be treated using OTC (over the counter) painkillers and heat. However, if these pain relief medications and heat do not work, then you may have to use topical pain relievers, muscle relaxants, antidepressants, narcotics or cortisone injections. However, all these come with health risks and side effects.

Thankfully, there is another safe and effective option that you could consider to break your pain cycle and that is the use of infrared sauna therapy. Using infrared therapy has shown to be beneficial in relieving acute, as well as chronic back pain.

The radiant heat produced by the infrared sauna penetrates the skin’s surface deep into the muscles and tissues and soothes the sore and aching muscles. The infrared heat opens up the blood vessels and provides oxygen and nutrients to the muscles and ligaments, while the warming action of the infrared sauna helps to make the muscles and ligaments less stiff and more flexible. The increased blood circulation kicks your body’s painkilling response into top gear and also hastens the healing process.

It has been proven clinically, that infrared sauna therapy can help to alleviate lower back pain. The infrared heat from the sauna has an effect that is very similar to muscle relaxants. It helps to relax the muscles and interrupts the pain cycle, without the drugs and side effects.

 

And, the best part about the infrared sauna is that the benefits are not just restricted to the 20 to 30 minutes that you spend inside the sauna itself. The benefits of using an infrared sauna regularly continue all day. Sauna therapy has proved to be extremely beneficial for recovery from injuries, post-workout recovery, in improving your brain health, helping you sleep better and a lot more.

 

Infrared Sauna and Back Pain Research

A study by the University of Medicine and Dentistry, New Jersey found that compared to oral OTC medications like Tylenol, acetaminophen, etc., low-level heat therapies are more effective to reduce back pain. And, when you combine infrared sauna therapy with light stretching, it helps to increase the flexibility of the muscles and ligaments in the affected area, offering significant pain relief. Several studies show that the pain relief produced after a single sauna therapy session is around 50% and multiple sessions have shown further reductions in the pain.

 

A study by Japanese researchers reveals the effectiveness of Waon therapy in pain relief. Waon therapy essentially is where the patient has infrared sauna therapy for around 15 minutes and spends the next 30 minutes in a room that is at a temperature slightly above room temperature, where he/she is wrapped up to the neck in a blanket. These treatments were administered around 2 to 5 times a week and researchers found that after the first session, patients found that their pain reduced by half and the pain continued to reduce and stabilized after 10 sessions.

 

Living life with pain is not fun at all. This does not mean that you have to live with back pain all your life and not do anything about it. If you suffer from chronic back pain, then it’s a good idea to purchase an infrared sauna and set it up in your home. With an infrared sauna readily accessible, you can use it whenever you need it and reap the benefits.

People with chronic back pain who make use of infrared sauna therapy around 4 to 7 times a week have reported immense benefits, right from pain relief to improved mental focus to complete relaxation. Some people have also reported that they have been able to completely reduce their dependence on painkillers for pain relief. The results with an infrared sauna are achievable and real and it offers an excellent opportunity to be healthy and feel good.