Pain Relief and Healing

Pain Relief and Healing Far-InfraRed energy provides many therapeutic effects. In addition to sweat detoxification the other most common applications of Far-InfraRed technology have been pain relief and healing. The special ceramic heaters in the sauna emit a very specific and narrow band of infrared wavelengths. These heaters were developed in Japan by Dr. Tadashi Ishikawa in 1965 and their therapeutic benefits have been researched by the Japanese 'InfraRed Society', composed of medical doctors and physical therapists. Over 700,000 whole-body treatment units are in operation in the Orient and their popularity is quickly spreading to other parts of the world including North America. Millions of smaller infrared devices are used in the Orient, Europe, Australia and North America for localized therapy providing pain relief and the stimulation or our natural healing mechanisms. Far-InfraRed has been effectively used in the treatment of arthritis, bursitis, fibromyalgia, backache, sprains, strains and many other muscular-skeletal ailments. How Does Far-InfraRed provide Pain Relief and Promote Healing? Dr. Leon Silverstone, an expert in the field of EMW's (Electro magnetic wavelengths) research and a developer of non-invasive devices for the treatment for chronic pain, explains that: "The mechanism of action is in some ways simple. It is related to vasodilatation, or increased blood flow and local temperature. The penetrating infrared energy brings nutrients and oxygen to the soft tissue region being treated and at the same time stimulates the removal of accumulated toxins." Additionally, Far-InfraRed reduces levels of lactic acid in the body. Lactic acid is a by-product of muscle metabolism that causes soreness and stiffness especially following exercise. Dr. Tsu-Tsair Oliver Chi adds to the understanding of the healing power of Far-InfraRed with his discussion of Resonant Absorption: "These rays are selectively absorbed by the tissues. The internal production of infrared energy that normally occurs within our tissues is associated with a variety of healing responses and may require a boost to a maximal level to insure the fullest healing response possible in a tissue under repair. After boosting a tissue's level to maximum, the remaining rays pass onward harmlessly. This phenomenon is called Resonant Absorption." Many cultures throughout history have believed in the healing power of different 'laying on of the hands' techniques. D.J. Fletcher, writing in Alternative Medicine (Issue 39, January 2001), describes the commonalties between these ancient therapies and modern day Far-InfraRed products: "Energy medicine is very old, ...at least as old as the first Qigong masters and other ancient practitioners of healing touch therapies. These healers all had in common the ability to emit energy through their hands. Contemporary researchers have now proved that these forms of energy medicine use wavelengths in the infrared range. There's at least one startling connection between the infrared Chi of healing hands and Far-InfraRed products like the knee wrap [and sauna]. In a situation in which you've pulled a ligament or muscle, for instance, the knee wrap can become the healing hands. Both employ the same healing mechanism: They stimulate a degree of inflammation a positive sign that fibroblasts [the cells that rebuild connective tissue] are doing their job. Most people don't realize that inflammation is necessary for a period of time to heal such injuries, and they suppress this natural healing process by overusing ice and ibuprofen. Instead, the knee wrap helps to trigger healing by radiating far- infrared energy.... gently but deeply warming the injury site." Ms. Fletcher continues: "Humans, like other living organisms, have evolved to have a unique absorption spectrum and to respond specifically to particular electromagnetic wavelengths [especially Far-InfraRed]... At the molecular level, Far-InfraRed (FIR) exerts strong rotational and vibrational effects that are either biologically benign or, in certain processes, biologically beneficial. This healing ability stands in contrast to the damaging effects of short wavelengths, such as X-rays and gamma rays. The molecular effects of FIR are actually measurable through IR spectroscopy, a method of analyzing the emission and absorption of infrared light that reveals changes in atoms and molecules caused by infrared energy. In healthcare, these effects are being harnessed to promote healing."