Infrared saunas are the newest rage when it comes to spa treatments and therapy. They are sauna chambers fitted with infrared lamps that heat the occupant of the sauna directly, as opposed to using heat or other elements of heat to raise the temperature of the air around them. Infrared saunas heat the body directly and gently and can cause sweating at lower temperatures than traditional saunas. But what is their connection with Lyme disease?
What Is Lyme disease?
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection carried by ticks. The ticks can pick up the infection from deers or white-legged, outdoor mice. These are black-legged ticks or deer ticks which transmit the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi that causes Lyme disease.
The common symptoms of Lyme disease include rashes and symptoms of the flu. There will also likely be joint pain and weakness in the limbs, which causes the bulk of the discomfort in Lyme disease patients.
If caught in the early stages, Lyme disease can be treated through oral antibiotics and a full recovery can be made. Though Lyme disease is treatable, it may leave some chronic effects such as joint pain, arthritis, fatigue, mental fog, etc.
How Do Infrared Saunas Help?
Infrared saunas can help combat symptoms of Lyme disease in a few different ways. While the research into the effects of infrared saunas is still new there have been cases where patients suffering from Lyme disease have experienced relief after being exposed to infrared saunas. This is not exhaustive evidence, but when people with Lyme disease have reported feeling relief from infrared sauna therapy, the following are some of the ways in which this is possible.
Pain Management
One of the most prominent symptoms of Lyme disease is muscle and joint pain. The pain can seem debilitating and chronic, most often treated by a dose of antibiotics.
However, antibiotics may not always be effective in reducing the pain even if it does treat Lyme disease. Infrared sauna, along with antibiotic treatment, can be a great way to alleviate muscle and joint pain. The warmth generated by the infrared sauna permeates directly into the body and can soothe the joints and muscles.
Hostile Host
As is known, infrared saunas are different from traditional saunas because they impact the body directly instead of the air around the sauna. The heat rises gently in the body and penetrates much deeper than the heat generated in a traditional sauna. The infrared heat, therefore, increases the temperature of the body and makes it an unsuitable host for the bacteria. As the body temperature rises, it becomes difficult for the bacteria to survive in it.
This will certainly not work overnight, especially because you cannot be exposed to the infrared light for too long without risking overheating and dehydration. But it can accelerate the process of killing the bacteria alongside traditional antibiotic treatment.
Detox
Infrared saunas and even traditional saunas are known for being great for detox through sweating. You may not be able to rid your body of all toxins and it may not be a guarantee for detoxification, but it certainly helps patients with Lyme disease whose livers are overworked anyway.
The Lyme disease bacteria creates a buildup of toxins in the body. The toxin build up is greater than what the body can expel in its natural processes. Under normal circumstances, the liver and the kidney are responsible for processing and flushing out toxins from the body.
But, in a patient with Lyme disease, both these vital organs are under duress. There may be inflammation and more toxins than what the organs can handle because of the rapid spread of the infection.
In such a case, the elimination of toxins through the skin is a good alternative. By sweating, the body can flush out toxins without engaging the liver or the kidneys. While sweating may not be the primary way of eliminating toxins from the body, it certainly helps to take the pressure off the other two organs and prevents the process of detoxification from stagnating.
Besides, the skin is the largest organ in the body and has a wide surface area. When you are in an infrared sauna, it induces sweating from all over the body, allowing more toxins to be eliminated because of the sheer volume of the activity.
Prevents Anxiety/Depression
There is some evidence to suggest that infrared saunas can help prevent anxiety and depression. Another prominent symptom of Lyme disease can be mood swings, brain fog, and depression. Infrared sauna allows you to relax and de-stress, even from a 20-minute sauna session.
It is also a good way to deal with fatigue and can be useful for a good night’s sleep. All these things can in one way or the other have an impact on mental health. If you are not sleeping well or if your body is stressed out, the chances of feeling low and depressed can be higher. This is a good way to give yourself a breather and enjoy a good sweat.
Wrapping Up
From the symptoms that have been described above, infrared sauna therapy can be helpful in alleviating discomfort in some Lyme disease patients. It may not be helpful for everyone, and not everybody will see the same advantages of an infrared sauna.
But for the people that do see a difference, the benefit can be immense and the duration for the antibiotics treatment plan can be cut short if the sauna therapy works. There are several other benefits of infrared sauna therapy in addition to possibly alleviating the symptoms of Lyme disease.
If it does not work for Lyme disease, you can certainly enjoy these other benefits. However, if you are pregnant, have hypotension, or an unsteady heart, you may want to consult with your physician about attempting this sauna therapy.
In addition to that, treat infrared sauna therapy as a supplement to traditional antibiotic treatment, and not as an alternative. You will still need to take antibiotics to cure the disease and become healthy again. Do not leave it to chance!
