Infrared Saunas and Lyme Disease
An infrared sauna is a new, high tech sauna that warms the body directly with infrared light. A traditional sauna can be humid and uncomfortable, but an infrared sauna is a refreshing place to relax, and can boost the immune system, too!
About Lyme Disease
Deer ticks, or blacklegged ticks, are found on both the east and west coasts. They live in moist areas in shrubs or tall grasses, usually not more than 18-24 inches from the ground. They’re a type of arachnid that attaches to animals in order to feed on their blood. Perhaps more concerning, the blacklegged tick also spreads Lyme disease.
The ticks most likely to spread Lyme disease are blacklegged tick nymphs, the stage of growth between larva and adult. These young ticks resemble adult ticks but can be very hard to find on your body because of their size; a tick nymph is around the size of a poppy seed!
The ticks spread Lyme disease by introducing bacteria (specifically borrelia burgdorferi) into the body of its host. A tick can typically transmit the disease within 24 hours of being attached to its host, so it’s always best to locate and remove any ticks as soon as they are discovered.
Fortunately Lyme disease is very treatable, and heat may even help!
A History of Heat Treatment
Some pathogens in the body have a low tolerance for heat; they’re specifically evolved to thrive and multiply at a normal body temperature. Your body knows this; it may elevate its own body temperature in response to an infection in the body; this response is what causes fevers.
Early heat treatment involved provoking fever in the body, often by infecting the patient with malaria. The malaria infection would raise the patient’s body temperature, inhibiting or preventing the pathogen in question from multiplying. This treatment was used to treat some forms of syphilis as far back as 1917.
However, in modern times we would prefer to not infect patients with malaria, a disease that kills more than 400,000 people a year. Fortunately, there are other ways to raise the body temperature. There are now high tech saunas that in addition to being warm and comfortable, are very hygienic and not damp or uncomfortably dry. These are infrared saunas.
Heat and Lyme Disease
A 1995 study performed in the Karl Franzens University Department of Medicine explored the possibility of treating Lyme disease with heat, such as visiting a sauna. They cultured Borrelia burgdorferi outside the body and subjected the cultures to different temperatures, both with and without the presence of antibiotics.
The study found that Lyme disease bacteria struggled to grow starting at 99 degrees Fahrenheit, or 37 degrees Celsius. This temperature is just a little higher than body temperature, meaning just a comfortably hot sauna is enough to help hinder the growth of Lyme disease and help the immune system to clear the infection.
In order for the bacteria to completely stop reproducing, the study found the temperature had to be increased to 102° F/39° C, which is considered a high fever and can take a toll on the body. Luckily, it is not necessary to go this far. The study concluded that the heat of a sauna plus antibiotics can work together at healthy levels. At 100° F/38° C, the Lyme disease bacteria is more vulnerable to antibiotics and can therefore be more easily cleared from the body, providing a clean bill of health sooner.
The Takeaway on Heat and Lyme Disease
While this study was conducted on bacteria cultured outside the body and it’s important to note that results inside the body may not replicate the results of the study, this shows the potential for heat treatment as a supportive treatment with antibiotic treatment. The fact that temperatures elevated by a little over one degree celsius makes these bacteria more susceptible to antibiotic treatment may make treating Lyme disease easier and more effective. This may be especially important in parts of the body where high concentrations of antibiotic medications are difficult to achieve.
An infrared sauna is a great way to warm you up! Infrared saunas heat your skin directly, and can raise your core body temperature as well, increasing it by 1 - 1.2 degrees celsius. Among other health benefits, infrared saunas can give your immune system a boost! Infrared saunas can also increase blood flow to the skin, all in a peaceful and relaxing environment. If you’re interested in trying out an infrared sauna, check out an wellness spa near you!
