What is Steam?
Steam is hot vapor created by the action of heating water to its gaseous state, steam.

What is the difference between a sauna and a steam bath?
Steam Sauna air is heated by hot, porous rocks that emit a long-lasting heat. Because the humidity in a sauna is low, saunas are usually made of softwoods. In a steam room, the water vapor carries the heat. The wall construction is typically acrylic, tile, marble, or other stone. Steam rooms are much cooler than saunas although they often feel warmer.

How Hyperthermia Works with Sauna
A state of hyperthermia exists when the body temperature rises above its normal level of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. An increase in body temperature causes many physiological responses to occur in the body. Hyperthermia takes advantage of the fact that many invading organisms tolerate a narrower temperature range than body tissues and are therefore more susceptible to increases in temperature (they may die from overheating before harm is done to human tissue). Examples are viruses such as rhinivirus1 (responsible for one-half of all respiratory infections), HIV (human immuniodeficiency virus), and the microorganisms and bacteria that causes syphilis and gonorrhea.

Hyperthermia Improves Your Immune System
Hyperthermia treatments may not be able to kill every invading organism, but they can reduce their numbers to a level the immune system can handle. Hyperthermia stimulates the immune system by increasing the production of antibodies and interferon (a protein substance produced by virus-invading cells that prevents reproduction of the virus). Hyperthermia is also a useful technique in detoxification therapy because it releases toxins stored in fat cells.

Hyperthermia can be produced either locally or over the whole body. Locally-applied hyperthermia is most often employed to treat infections such as upper respiratory infections (with inhalation of steam or a local application of diathermy), or for infected wounds in a hand or foot (generally produced with immersion in a hot water bath). Whole-body hyperthermia, on the other hand, is used when there is a general infection, when a local application is impractical, or when a general whole-body response is desirable.

For whole-body hyperthermia, practitioners normally utilize the methods of full-immersion baths, steam baths, and blanket packs. For a localized application, immersion baths, steam, or, occasionally, diathermy are used.

Hyperthermia for Sinusitis
Hyperthermia in all of its forms is often employed in the treatment of bronchitis, pneumonia, sinusitis, and other conditions of the lungs and body cavities, and is used as a modality for physical therapy.

Conditions Benefited by Hyperthermia
Hyperthermia can be used in the treatment of upper and lower respiratory tract infections, bladder problems, and urinary tract infections such as cystitis.

Sauna and HIV Infection
At a Natural Health Clinic of Basyr College, hyperthermia is commonly used in the treatment of HIV and other chronic and acute viral infections. In 1988 and 1989, the Natural Health Clinic conducted a "Healing Aids Research Project" (HARP). Hyperthermia treatment was included in the treatment protocol developed for the study because of it's immune-stimulating, detoxifying, and disinfecting properties.

Sauna and Cancer
Current medical literature is filled with references to the use of hyperthermia in confessional medical settings as an adjunct cancer treatment. Studies have shown that hyperthermia treatment modifies cell membranes in such a way as to protect healthy cells and make tumor cells more susceptible to chemotherapy and radiation.6 This makes hyperthermia a useful adjunct in cancer therapy, as its application enables the use of lower doses of chemotherapy and radiation. (see Steam Sauna)

Other studies have shown that hyperthermia treatments play a role in stimulating the immune system. White cells counts appear to drop immediately following treatments, but rise within a few hours.

Read on for more information on Sauna Benefits and for a comprehensive guide on building your own Home Sauna, visit http://HomeSauna.saunadetox.info. We do urge you to find out more on Steam Saunas, what the benefits are for you and your entire family and also where to get good, cheap and reliable Home Steam Saunas today!