What is a “Healing crisis”?
Some temporary symptoms of organism detoxification (healing crisis) may occur especially if you start too fast.
Some chemicals and toxins we take into our bodies with air or food are difficult for our bodies to digest or excrete, and because they are fat-soluble, they end up getting stored in our fat tissue.
Similarly, all drugs stored in your fat tissue can affect you as you mobilize them and sweat them out.
The problem is that before toxins are excreted and exit through the sweat pores, they are absorbed from your fat tissues (even deep fat is decomposed during this process, which is actually good news) into the bloodstream.
Remains of past toxins, anesthetics, antidepressants, sedatives, chemotherapy, or other medications you’ve used can be released from fat storage during the mat use.
While traveling through the bloodstream on their way to be eliminated, substances can exert the same effects that they did when you had originally taken them. If many residues were accumulated in your fat tissue and their release is too fast, the buildup of these poisons can make you feel worse. That is what is called detoxification or a healing crisis.
Therefore, the detoxification program should not be done without a doctor’s or at least a buddy’s supervision. Educate yourself on the subject and strictly follow your health professional’s protocol.
If you are chemically allergic or extra sensitive, the dangers of infrared therapy, regarding the release of toxins, may be serious.
William Rea, MD, one of the most knowledgeable doctors in the world regarding environmental toxicity and sauna detoxification, warns: “Uncontrolled, too-rapid mobilization can have devastating effects on chemically sensitive patients.”
Of course, it does not mean that chemically sensitive people cannot get rid of toxins, just that it should be done very slowly and carefully and with a doctor’s supervised detox program.
Slowly and gradually, increasing heat level, session length, and frequency is the best path forward.
It is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED to decrease the intensity, duration, and frequency of heating sessions and contact your health professional if you feel symptoms of a healing crisis.
It may also occur in the form of worsening of an existing medical condition. During the crisis period, some patients may feel:
- Acidic Body Condition: weakness, feeling sleepy, thirsty, yawning during the daytime*
- High Blood Pressure: feeling dizzy, slight headache for about 1 to 2 weeks*
- Poor Blood Circulation: feeling tired, joint or muscle pain for 1 to 4 weeks*
- Anemia: may have slight nosebleed*
- Gynecological Patient: increased menstrual discharge, early menstruation*
- Diabetic patients: blood sugar may increase slightly, temporarily, limbs may swell slightly*
- Weak Stomach: diarrhea, hot feeling in the chest, loss of appetite*
- Gastro ptosis: a feeling of heaviness and gas in the stomach, stomach ache, nausea*
- Kidney Problem: protein may decrease slightly in the short term, the face may swell slightly*
The symptoms may also be the signs of serious illness. If symptoms persist, stop at all any use of the mat until you get a doctor’s approval.