Living with chronic pain isn’t easy. Chronic pain is persistent, nagging, and ever-present, whether it’s in the back, joints, head, or any other part of the body. It could be due to arthritis, chronic migraines, or an ailment that’s yet to be determined, making treatment difficult, and it affects more people in the U.S. than diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer combined, according to the American Academy of Pain Medicine. Because it’s the No. 1 cause of disability in the country, chronic pain has a significant impact on the economy.
It’s no wonder, then, that chronic pain sufferers have turned to less-conventional methods of management, including far-infrared (FIR) therapy. “Infrared saunas are tremendous for relieving various forms of chronic pain such as joint and muscle pain, headaches, and fatigue,” claims Harry Early, Jr., manager at Chesapeake Spas in Edgewater, which stocks infrared spas, a popular method to enjoy FIR therapy.
Research on the use of FIR for managing pain is limited, but it theoretically works by increasing blood flow in deep tissue and potentially disrupting the structure of proteins to the point where physiological changes could take place on the cellular level. The FIR rays heat your body without warming the air around you, according to the Mayo Clinic, and it’s often more accessible to people who can’t stand the heat of a conventional sauna, which is usually around 150 to 175 degrees. By contrast, infrared saunas typically heat up to about 125 degrees.
A small 2015 study published in the Journal of Athletic Enhancement on male athletes found that FIR heat therapy improved muscle recovery after intense training, while another 2015 study in Experimental Biology and Medicine suggested that FIR rays also had the potential to improve health in people suffering from cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes.
While FIR therapy isn’t guaranteed to help the pain, it’s not going to hurt as an alternative coping method, according to current research. However, you should always talk to your doctor before using any type of sauna, particularly if you suffer from high blood pressure or a heart condition.