According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), around 4.0 million people in Australia are estimated to be living with back problems. We believe that its prevalence may be linked to an aging population, but may also be attributed to sedentary lifestyles. Estimates from The University of Sydney report that back pain cases will likely balloon to over 800 million cases by 2050. However, there may be hope – recent research suggests that ir sauna benefits may help curb this statistic.
In this article, we’ll highlight these studies and how IR sauna benefits people suffering from this condition.
Defining Back Pain
Back pain refers to a range of conditions that may affect the bones, joints, tissue, muscles, and nerves of the neck, upper back, lower back, and even the tailbone.
While acute back pain may seem concerning from a medical perspective, most of these instances are not problematic, and may resolve on their own over time.
People may experience incidences of non-chronic back pain from overexerting themselves when lifting heavy items, during sedentary periods with awkward posture, or even sleeping poorly on a mattress.
However, long-term back pain may pose a real problem.
How Dire is Back Pain?
According to one report, back problems, once chronic, can become a big detriment to an individual’s quality of life.
Common problems that may arise involve physical limitations, as well as emotional well-being due to loss of participation and withdrawal from social, community, and occupational activities.
Pain is the most prominent symptom and can worsen when back pain is further diagnosed with comorbidities. AIHW’s clinical guidelines for treatment include self-care and physical therapy supplemented by massage, acupuncture, mindfulness, and even heat therapy.
How IR Saunas Relieve Backaches
The healing heat of infrared saunas has been established to help with pain relief for years, but how effective is it in addressing back problems?
Based on the studies we reviewed, it’s very effective.
According to a 2019 study, infrared saunas can help manage the condition by lowering the sensation of pain itself and restoring mobility – owing to sensations of relaxation brought on by high rates of blood flow to muscle tissue, as well as heating of fluid between joints. To test its effects, researchers assigned participants to 15-minute heat therapy sessions twice a day for five days.
Findings reported that participants had noticeable improvements in quality of life. Researchers also noted that the sauna sessions reduced the participants’ lower back pain by 2 points (on a 1-10 scale) and improved their disability scores without any side effects.
These effects can also improve with the prolonged engagement of IR sauna sessions over time. Another study that explores the same benefits above, albeit longer term, found that individuals treated with infrared heat had decreased their back pain score by around 50% in six weeks.
These are significant results, as the treated participants experienced better pain management when compared to those who didn’t receive, with little to no injury risks and contraindications.
Stay Healthy With Sun Stream Saunas
All in all, research suggests that infrared saunas can help make back pain a little bit bearable while improving your mobility.
However, keep in mind that infrared saunas are not the sole solution to a bad back. We recommend keeping yourself physically fit through a combination of exercise, a healthy diet, and avoiding stressful situations.
Infrared saunas serve as a supplementary tool to amplify the benefits you’ll receive, and they are most effective when combined with a comprehensive approach to health.
For more information and insights on how IR saunas benefit you, feel free to reach out to us today. We’ll help you navigate these resources and even recommend sauna models tailored to your needs, should you decide to take one home for yourself.