Fibromyalgia Sauna Treatment: Can It Relieve Symptoms?

When you're suffering from fibromyalgia, it can feel like you're trapped in a never-ending cycle of discomfort. Your joints ache, your muscles twitch, and even your sleep can be affected. 

While several treatments are available to manage this chronic illness, including muscle relaxants, cognitive-behavioral therapy, acupuncture, and physical therapy, the real question is: can sauna therapy help manage fibromyalgia symptoms, or is it just another wellness myth? 

What does research say about this? In this article, we'll share everything about fibromyalgia sauna therapy, the science behind it, and whether saunas like Almost Heaven Charleston can help manage fibromyalgia symptoms.

What Is Fibromyalgia?

Medical News Today explains fibromyalgia as a chronic disease that causes widespread musculoskeletal pain, which increases as the patient's brain and spinal cord misinterpret or overreact to normal pain signals. 

People with fibromyalgia may experience a wide range of symptoms, including but not limited to:

• Morning stiffness and tenderness

• Persistent fatigue

• Cognitive difficulties, often referred to as "fibro fog"

• Sleep disturbances

• Migraine 

• Tingling and numbness in hands or legs

• Abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, and constipation

• Sensitivity to temperatures, loud noises, and bright lights

• Anxiety and depression

While the exact cause of fibromyalgia remains unknown, certain genetic mutations, traumatic events, and sleep and mood disorders have been linked to the onset of this disease. It often coexists with other health issues such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), chronic fatigue syndrome, restless leg syndrome, interstitial cystitis or painful bladder syndrome, temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ) and rheumatoid arthritis, making it even more challenging to manage.

If you suspect having fibromyalgia, it's important to consult with a healthcare provider for a proper diagnosis and personalized treatment plan. Since there's no cure for fibromyalgia, your healthcare provider may suggest over-the-counter pain medication, antidepressants, massage therapy, or stress management techniques. Some people even claim to find relief through alternative therapies such as tai chi and acupuncture. 

If you're looking for another natural remedy, fibromyalgia sauna therapy is worth checking out.

How Do Saunas Help With Fibromyalgia? 

A 2018 study published in the European Journal of Epidemiology reveals that sauna bathing decreases C-reactive protein levels, which are linked to widespread inflammation. 

Since inflammation often affects the nervous and musculoskeletal systems, reducing these inflammatory markers can decrease the severity of fibromyalgia symptoms, such as pain and tenderness. 

Persistent fatigue is another hallmark of fibromyalgia. If you've tried different remedies but haven't found relief, consider sauna therapy. A 2015 study has shown that regular sauna use significantly reduced perceived fatigue, as well as symptoms of anxiety and depression in participants. 

This positive effect can be partly attributed to the release of beta-endorphins. Research shows that this natural chemical mimics the effect of morphine, helping reduce acute and chronic pain while inducing happiness. 

The Arthritis Foundation further supports the use of passive heat therapy, such as sauna bathing, in managing conditions like fibromyalgia. This therapy helps deliver essential nutrients and increase blood flow to the injured tissues, accelerating healing, loosening stiff joints, and relieving muscle aches. 

If you're suffering from fibromyalgia-associated tingling sensation, you should try contrast therapy. Research states that spending a few minutes in a warm environment followed by a quick dip in cold water can significantly improve such neuropathic issues and reduce discomfort. 

All About Saunas

The following are different types of saunas that you can use for fibromyalgia:

Traditional Saunas

Also known as dry saunas, traditional saunas come equipped with a stack of saunas rocks and wood burning or electric heater that increases the room's temperature to a sweat-inducing 150 to 195 degrees Fahrenheit. The humidity level usually stays between a dry 10% and a steamy 30%, depending on how much water you toss on the rocks.

Thanks to this temperature and humidity combination, traditional saunas offer a range of health benefits, including better cardiovascular functioning, strengthened immune system, enhanced liver health, pore cleansing that might be beneficial for eczema sufferers and those who are acne-prone, and better sleep quality. The 30% humidity levels also offer respiratory relief — a big plus if you have asthma or a sinus infection. 

Infrared Saunas

If traditional sauna heat is intense, an infrared sauna might be better. Unlike traditional saunas, where heaters and rocks warm up the atmosphere, infrared saunas use infrared heaters to emit electromagnetic waves that directly heat your body. 

In these saunas, the temperature stays between 120 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit while the humidity levels remain relatively low, around 5% to 10%, allowing for a longer, more comfortable sweat session.

Although these saunas have lower ambient temperatures, the direct heating mechanism still helps with detoxification while relaxing your muscles, relieving arthritis and back pain, and easing out anxiety.

How to Use Saunas for Fibromyalgia

Saunas can help manage the symptoms of fibromyalgia, but only if you do it right. 

Keep the following pointers in mind while using the sauna:

• Adjust timing according to your fibromyalgia symptoms. Morning sauna sessions can ease those stiff muscles and joints, setting a more positive tone for the day. On the flip side, an evening session might just relax your body and mind, preparing you for a restful sleep at night.

• Consistent sauna use can lead to better long-term results. Circle it on your calendar as your "me-time" and stick to it. Ideally, you should start with three to four sessions per week and adjust as your symptoms improve.

• Try deep breathing exercises while in the sauna. The combination of heat and controlled breathing can encourage relaxation, reduce stress, and ease fibromyalgia-related tension.

• To manage fibromyalgia, incorporate low-impact and high-therapeutic-value yoga poses into your sauna routine. Focus on poses that target tender points, enhance joint health, and improve concentration, like the bow pose for mental determination, the bridge pose for spinal support, or the lotus pose for complete relaxation.

• After finishing your sauna session, give yourself time to cool down gradually. Enjoy a lukewarm shower to rinse off and then rest, allowing your body to stabilize before moving on with your day or evening.

• Fibromyalgia symptoms can vary greatly from day to day. Always listen to your body — if a sauna session feels too intense one day, skip or shorten it.

FAQs: Fibromyalgia Sauna 

Does heat help fibromyalgia?

Yes, absolutely! Heat therapy, such as warm baths or heating pads, can provide relief for fibromyalgia symptoms like pain and stiffness by relaxing muscles and improving circulation.

Does heat make fibromyalgia symptoms worse?

While some individuals with fibromyalgia find relief from heat therapy, others may experience an exacerbation of symptoms due to increased sensitivity to temperature changes.

Individuals need to monitor their response to heat therapy and adjust accordingly.

Why do I feel so good after sauna therapy?

Saunas can induce feelings of relaxation and well-being by increasing circulation, promoting the release of endorphins, and reducing muscle tension. The heat and steam can also help relieve stress and improve overall mood.

Does a sauna increase healing?

Saunas may have some healing benefits due to their ability to improve circulation, relax muscles, and promote detoxification through sweating. 

However, their effectiveness for specific conditions may vary, and they should be used under medical supervision in conjunction with other appropriate treatments.

Final Words: Fibromyalgia Sauna 

Fibromyalgia is a complex condition that makes daily tasks more challenging than usual. However, you can always use sauna bathing to ease some symptoms. 

As with any other health condition, consult your doctor or a physiotherapist before starting any new wellness routine, including sauna baths.

If you want to enjoy sauna therapy from the comfort of your home, check out GRIM PARENT LIMITED's collection of easy-to-use and effective traditional and infrared saunas. For more details, contact us today — our skilled team will be thrilled to help you!