CASE STUDY: A 2007 study performed by the Masuda Clinic has shown that the use of an infrared sauna may help to improve the condition of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Out of the 13 patients, 2 showed dramatic improvements in fatigue, pain and low grade fever. Furthermore, in the other 11 patients, both fatigue and pain also improved.
Heat therapy using the infrared sauna also had a relaxation effect, reduced appetite loss and also reduced complaints in mildly depressed patients. The conclusion of the study was that repeated use of thermal treatment such as with an infrared sauna may be a promising method for treating CFS.
CASE STUDY: Thirty four patients, 17 suffering from ankylosing spondylitis and 17 suffering from rheumatoid arthritis were treated with an infrared sauna for a 4 week period. The results showed that fatigue decreased and showed clinical improvements among the patients. (Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Enschede, The Netherlands, 2009).
CASE STUDY: Two patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) underwent treatment with prednisolone (PSL) (PSL is a drug used in the treatment of a wide range of inflammatory and auto-immune conditions), with no satisfactory effect. They were subjected to thermal therapy that consisted of a far-infrared ray dry sauna at 60°C and post sauna warming. The therapy was performed once a day, for a total of 35 sessions. After discharge, these subjects continued the therapy once or twice a week on an outpatient basis for 1 year.
» RESULTS: Symptoms such as fatigue, pain, sleep disturbance, and low-grade fever were dramatically improved after 15 to 25 sessions of thermal therapy. Although PSL administration was discontinued, the subjects showed no relapse or exacerbation of symptoms during the first year after discharge. The patients became socially rehabilitated 6 months after discharge.
» CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that repeated thermal therapy might be a promising method for the treatment of CFS. (Kagoshima University Hospital, Japan, [1,2])
[1] A new treatment: thermal therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome. Masuda A, et al.
[2] The effects of repeated thermal therapy for two patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, Akinori Masuda, et al.
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