Hyperthermia - What is Alternative Medicine?
Hyperthermia, or heat therapy, raises the body temperature, which has several important physiological effects. First, elevated body temperatures increase immune resistance by increasing antibody production, and the growth of some microorganisms is inhibited by raising body heat above their normal temperature. Second, a slight increase of body temperature to 102°F (38°C) also stimulates the activity of certain enzymes which are heat sensitive. Increased sweating, for example, increases the elimination of salt and water through the skin.
Maria Abdin reports in the June 1995 Townsend Letter for Doctors that heat helps eliminate toxins from the body, including metals (such as nickel, copper, zinc, and lead), toxic volatile hydrocarbons (benzene, styrenes, toluene, and trichloreoethylene), drugs (cocaine, methadone, barbiturates, and benzodiazepine), fluorine, nitrogen-containing chemicals (urea, creatinine, and ammonia), and immunoglobulins.
Heat therapy may become an important component of treating AIDS, and HIV-related diseases. Abdin reports that an initial clinical trial has shown that heat therapy has effectively induced remission of Kaposi's sarcoma and hairy leukoplakia in seven of 10 patients, with no activation of HIV.
Medical Uses of Hyperthermia
- Localized infections. Localized infections/abscesses are often helped by heat application.
- Psoriasis. Regular sauna bathing reduces symptoms, provided a vitamin E skin cream is used after the sauna.
- Muscle spasm. Hot packs have been used to alleviate muscle spasms, including those of poliomyelitis.
- Arthritic and rheumatic disorders. Exposure to hot, moist air has been shown to alleviate symptoms of arthritic conditions. Saunas have helped reduce pain and improve joint mobility in rheumatic patients. In some cases, however, symptoms have been reported to worsen the following day unless the sauna was followed by cooling with cold water.
- Malignancies. Hyperthermia has been used in conjunction with chemotherapy and radiation to treat malignancies. The methods of inducing hyperthermia include localized heating by means of ultrasound or microwaves with careful temperature regulation.
- Respiratory conditions. Symptoms of the common cold and allergic rhinitis have been improved by the use of local hyperthermia.
Hyperthermia can result in skin burns, prolonged rectal temperature, brain damage, and can cause heat stroke and death. Thus, heat therapy is contraindicated for patients with heart disorders, hemorrhage (such as active pulmonary tuberculosis or gastric ulcer), active alcoholism, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
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