Enseki Far-Infrared Sandbath: Its Basic and Future Therapeutic Possibilities

Abstract

It is well known that heat therapies, including Finnish sauna, have various health advantages and thus long been performed worldwide since ancient time. Recently, we focused on physical nature of ceramic, which emit far-infrared ray upon heating. Accordingly, we developed ceramic beads, whose electromagnetic wave profiles are almost identical to those of a black body, a perfect far-infrared radiator. A bathtub, equipped with computerized hot water circulation system, was first filled with the ceramic beads. Those beads in the bathtub were heated by circulating hot water at 50 ℃ which was drained out thereafter, and then a bather was laid in a supine position and covered with the heated ceramic beads in depth of 5-10 cm except the facial-cranial region and sandbathed for 15 minutes. In this minireview, we briefly overview the physiological response to the far-infrared sandbathing and the immune impacts. Finally, some discussion was done for the logical and mechanical basics and future therapeutic possibilities.

Crossover trial of the effects of a far-infrared heater that heats the feet with ceramic balls on autonomic nervous activity and mood states

“…Classified according to the location of the heater relative to the body, these include heaters that direct FIR rays toward the skin surface from a certain distance, 1 , 2 dry saunas and other heaters that use convection currents, 3 , 4 and heaters that surround the surface of the skin with heated ceramic balls or other materials. 5 , 6 Classified according to the range of heating, heaters can heat the entire body or only parts of the body, such as the back or lower extremities. The FIR heater investigated in this study surrounded the foot with ceramic balls, locally heating the skin of the feet.…”

“…Participants exposed to whole-body heat at 50 °C for 15 min using this heater were evaluated for safety in terms of physiological and biochemical parameters and immune effects such as elevations in peripheral white blood cell counts. 5 , 6 No previous studies, however, have evaluated the relaxation provided by local heat stimulation using such heaters to cover the body or a part thereof.…”