Type II diabetes is a chronic condition that is suffered by millions around the world. It has two primary outcomes: poor quality of life and terrible health complications. Due to the limitations of traditional treatments like lifestyle changes and medication, alternative therapies – such as thermal therapy – have emerged as viable approaches. Thermal therapy using infrared saunas takes the focus of the Sun Stream Saunas AUS team today – we dive into a study by Dr. Richard Beever that highlights the effect of repeated thermal therapy, specifically on patient quality of life suffering from type II diabetes mellitus.
Unveiling the Study: Setting, Design, and Intent
The pioneering study, designed and executed by Dr. Richard Beever, a well-known medical researcher, evaluated the outcome of participants undergoing far-infrared sauna treatments in a randomised trial in Fraser Lake, British Columbia, to assess the effect of far-infrared sauna therapy on patients with Type II diabetes. Type II diabetes is often associated with chronic pain, fatigue, and other symptoms that seriously compromise their quality of life.
It was a sequential, longitudinal, interrupted time series study. In other words, all the participants were patients at the Fraser Lake Community Health Centre to closely observe their health and wellness changes over time. They had 20-minute infrared sauna sessions three times a week for three months.
Participants and Methods
Of 165 invited patients to join the study, 22 agreed to participate, of whom 15 then completed the investigation. The average age was 66.5 years (80% men and 20% women), with participants also being asked to refrain from altering their other exercises, consuming different diets, or taking herbal medications for the duration of the trial. This was mainly to isolate the effects of the trial, and ensure that no changes were made outside the environment to avoid bias.
Participants were subjected to a thorough baseline assessment over the week before the sauna sessions commenced. This included completing the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey Version 2 (SF-36v2) and “Zero-to-Ten” Visual Analogue Scales to gauge their levels of stress, fatigue, pain, and overall well-being. Post-intervention measurements were taken between one and three days after the final sauna session.
Impactful Results from the Thermal Therapy
The study’s findings were significant. There were noticeable improvements in physical health, general health, and social functioning indices of the SF-36v2. Specifically, stress and fatigue levels, as measured by the Visual Analogue Scales, showed marked improvement. However, there were no significant changes in pain or overall well-being scores.
Participants reported feeling less stressed and fatigued, which are critical factors in managing diabetes. The general health index improvement suggests that regular infrared sauna use could positively affect how diabetes patients perceive their health status and manage their condition.
A Deeper Look at the Significance
Dr. Beever’s study is groundbreaking, as it offers evidence that infrared sauna therapy can enhance the quality of life for Type II diabetes patients. This research is particularly relevant for those seeking alternative or complementary treatments to conventional diabetes management strategies. The study’s design and setting in a rural community provide a realistic view of how such therapy might be integrated into everyday life, highlighting its potential for broader application.
One of the study’s strengths is its focus on an ambulatory population rather than hospital inpatients, which better represents the general diabetes patient demographic. The high adherence rate (75%) to the therapy sessions also suggests that infrared sauna treatments could be a viable and attractive option for many patients.
Despite these positive findings, the study acknowledges its limitations, including a small sample size and the lack of a randomised, blinded, placebo-controlled design. Future research, in other words, with larger sample sizes and control groups will be necessary to confirm results, and explore the long-term benefits of infrared sauna therapy for diabetes management.
Final Thoughts
The research of Dr. Richard Beever could potentially support many Type II diabetes patients in their daily lives – largely through alternative approaches that can easily be integrated into their lifestyle.
If you’re looking for infrared saunas that can give therapeutic benefits to your health, you might be interested in Sun Stream Saunas AUS. Here at our site, we offer premium infrared saunas that allow customers to enjoy therapeutic benefits that can help them remain healthy and well. To know more about us and how an infrared sauna can help you with your health regimen, contact us now!