Infrared therapy is thought to stimulate the release of nitric oxide from the hemoglobin of the blood, which dilates the blood vessels, thereby reducing swelling and increasing circulation. Infrared has been proposed for treatment of conditions such as peripheral neuropathy, pain management and wound healing.
Shui and colleagues (2015) noted that physical therapy (physiotherapy), a complementary and alternative medicine therapy, has been widely applied in diagnosing and treating various diseases and defects. Increasing evidence suggests that convenient and non-invasive far-infrared (FIR) rays, a vital type of physiotherapy, improve the health of patients with cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease. The authors concluded that FIR therapy may be closely related to the increased expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase as well as nitric oxide production and may modulate the profiles of some circulating miRNAs; thus, it may be a beneficial complement to treatments for some chronic diseases that yields no adverse effects.
- Shui S, Wang X, Chiang JY, Zheng L. Far-infrared therapy for cardiovascular, autoimmune, and other chronic health problems: A systematic review. Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2015;240(10):1257-1265.
