Infrared heating has greatly grown in popularity over the years, somewhat thanks to the many health benefits. Among many advantages, research suggests that Infrared heating increases blood circulation, reduces joint pain and inflammation. It has long been used in medical applications such as physiotherapy to improve rehabilitation. As well as being useful in cases of muscle aches and speeding up the recovery process, it can also be beneficial for the common cold. The team at Infrared Heating Supplies are eager to investigate whether infrared heating could be used to fight the novel coronavirus.
Infrared radiation is a form of electromagnetic energy invisible to human eyes but which we can feel as heat. The infrared waves penetrate up to 4cm beneath the skin, which is what makes infrared heating unique and is why we think it may protect against the coronavirus. In comparison to traditional convection heating which only heats the surrounding air, infrared rays heat objects such as people. For this reason, viruses could overheat in infrared radiation, which causes them to die. Previous research which was conducted on the SARS virus concluded that “heating and UV radiation can efficiently eliminate the viral infectivity”. Could infrared heating therefore be used to kill airborne microorganisms of COVID-19?
One of the best methods people use to help boost their immune system is sitting in infrared saunas. The reason this is effective is because the hot environment in a sauna tricks the body into thinking it has a virus or infection. It is the reason why you get a fever when you are ill – it is the body’s natural response to illness. The conditions in a sauna replicate those of a fever and the body is stimulated to create antibodies and white blood cells to set itself up for combating the infection it believes it has because of the replicated “fever”. This information is integral to everybody during a time when all efforts are being made to boost one’s immune system.
It is important to emphasise that we are not suggesting that infrared heating will be the cure for COVID-19. Nevertheless, we believe that the evidence for its potential to beat this global pandemic is striking and vital to share with the public. Now is the time to investigate all possible measures in the fight against the coronaviruses, among all other RNA viruses. Could infrared heating be the breakthrough we’ve all been anticipating?
