| Fibromyalgia has been called the "aching-all-over" | | | | While theorists may differ on the specific causes of |
| disease, but that description doesn't begin to describe | | | | fibromyalgia, there is some agreement among doctors |
| the misery the debilitating illness afflicts. A painful | | | | that patients with fibromyalgia can benefit from a |
| muscle disorder in which the thin film or tissue holding | | | | combination of mild exercise, heat therapy, and |
| muscle together becomes tightened or thickened, | | | | relaxation, all three of which can be achieved through |
| fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread | | | | the use of a far infrared sauna. |
| musculoskeletal aches, pains and stiffness, soft tissue | | | | In her book The Holistic Handbook of Sauna Therapy, |
| tenderness, mild to incapacitating fatigue, and sleep | | | | Dr. Nenah Sylver praises the sauna for its power to |
| disturbances. | | | | increase cardiovascular activity and white blood cell, |
| The pain of fibromyalgia is commonly felt in the neck, | | | | enzyme, and norepinephrine, beta-endorphin and |
| back, shoulders and hands, but it is certainly not limited | | | | possibly thyroxin production. As they, in turn, help to |
| to those areas. According to criteria set by the | | | | enhance circulation, raise metabolism, increase waste |
| American College of Rheumatology (ACR) in 1990, a | | | | removal and nutrient absorption, and promote the |
| diagnosis of fibromyalgia requires a patient to have | | | | elimination of toxins, foreign proteins and microbes, Dr. |
| experienced widespread pain for at least three | | | | Sylver considers the aforementioned benefits of |
| months in 11 of 18 tender muscle sites. Among those 18 | | | | proper sauna use crucial in helping people with |
| sites are the rib cage, hips and knees. | | | | fibromyalgia. She adds that "there are actually very |
| Additional symptoms of fibromyalgia include allergies, | | | | few health problems that cannot be helped (or would |
| carpal tunnel syndrome, headaches, tender skin, | | | | become worse) with sauna therapy" but still advises |
| numbness, irritable bowel symptoms, dizziness, anxiety | | | | patients to check with their health care providers |
| and depression. The ACR estimates that fibromyalgia | | | | before beginning sauna therapy. |
| affects as many as 6 million Americans. Most | | | | Dr. Rogers and other health professionals insist that |
| sufferers are women of childbearing age, but | | | | the far infrared sauna or heat therapy room is of |
| fibromyalgia has also been known to strike men, | | | | greater benefit to fibromyalgia sufferers than the |
| children and the elderly. | | | | traditional hot Finnish sauna because of a key |
| As for what causes fibromyalgia, several theories | | | | difference between the two styles of sauna. Rogers |
| exist. The Alternative Medicine Guide to Chronic | | | | calls the infrared sauna "infinitely more tolerable," |
| Fatigue, Fibromyalgia and Environmental Illness states | | | | especially for people with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue |
| that "post-traumatic fibromyalgia is believed to develop | | | | syndrome, and multiple sclerosis, because it can |
| after a fall, whiplash or back strain, whereas primary | | | | function effectively at a much lower temperature than |
| fibromyalgia has an uncertain origin." However, in her | | | | a conventional Finnish sauna. |
| book Detoxify or Die, Dr. Sherry A. Rogers points an | | | | "I'm convinced that the far infrared sauna is something |
| accusatory finger at pesticides, silicone from breast | | | | that everyone should do to restore health," Dr. Rogers |
| implants, mercury poisoning, and the "leakage of putrid | | | | concludes. "It can do what no medication can do - |
| intestinal metabolic products into body tissues" as | | | | reverse disease. |
| possible causes of fibromyalgia. | | | | |