Far infrared radiation (FIR) is considered harmless for humans. Infrared heaters are even used to heat premature babies in hospitals incubators. But some people with certain illnesses and conditions shouldn’t use an infrared sauna or should use it with great caution.
The list of infrared sauna contraindications includes, but not limited to:
- insensitivity to heat
- hemophilia, prone to bleeding
- cardiovascular conditions or problems (hyperthension/hypothension), congestive heart failure, impaired coronary circulation and others
- conditions associated with impaired sweating, like multiple sclerosis, central nervous system tumors, Parkinson’s, and diabetes with neuropathy
- if you take prescribed drug it can impair the body’s natural heat loss mechanisms or its effect can be changed when your body is exposed to far infrared radiation
- certain Diseases with adrenal suppression, or systemic lupus erythematosus
- joint conditions should not be heated within the first 48 hours or until the swelling subsides
- pregnancy
- menstruation
- acute joint injuries
- silicone and other implants
For menstruation, use of infrared sauna can increase menstrual flow. The popular opinion is that it’s a woman’s choice to take or not to take sauna sessions during that period, because some women find heat relieving and some don’t like it.
For implants, it’s harder to tell. I see no obvious reasons why implants should be prohibited in an infrared sauna, because they are unlikely to heat more than body tissues, but there is a variety of implant types and materials and effects of infrared heating can be unpredictable.
Tomorrow is the infrared weekly round up and some great news about awake and living!!