The anatomical and physiological implication of Thermotex™ IR products and the application of IR for relief of pain is founded on the properties and critical functions performed by the body's blood supply and circulatory system.
The principal of Homeostasis refers to the body's natural reaction to maintain, or attempt to maintain, a stable internal environment through the body's coordinated responses of the organ systems that automatically compensate for environmental changes. Exposure of the body to IR radiant energy creates an environmental change (absorption of energy and conversion to heat) which accelerates the body's homeostatic response. These natural responses include, among other things, blood flow stimulation (stimulation of peripheral and central thermoreceptors), circulation enhancement (vasodilation and increased permeability of blood vessels) and oxygenation supply and toxic removal from muscle tissue.
The body's homeostatic response to IR radiation may be in any or all of the following forms of change: in body temperature, blood pressure, chemical compositions (enzymes, blood sugar levels, hormones, etc.) and organ function (e.g. enhanced response by the excretory organs including the kidneys, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract).
The most direct homeostatic response to Thermotex™ IR radiation is the body's homeostasis of body temperature regulation (referred to as homeothermic response).
The human body, regardless of wide fluctuations in environmental temperature, can maintain a constant core temperature near 37C (98.6F); the desired normal range for internal body temperature. Body temperature is maintained by mechanisms that attempt to keep heat production and heat loss in balance. In response to an increase in blood temperature, the body's peripheral thermoreceptors located in the skin and mucous membranes stimulates the body's heat losing centers which respond through vasodilation, perspiration and decreased metabolism to lower the body temperature.
Vasodilation, which is an increase in the diameter of the blood vessels, results in increased permeability allowing substances (oxygen supply and toxic removal) to be passed more easily.
Through an accelerated and enhanced circulatory response the body naturally fights pain in a fundamental manner: by addressing the cause of the pain (inflammation, injury to nerve fiber or irritation caused by the release of toxic chemicals from microorganisms). |
