This tracks with my personal experience of sunburn. Years ago I intuited a treatment that has never failed me: ASAP get into the shower under water as hot as I can take, for as long as I can take. The contrast is simply room temperature.
What a fantastic approach! A great elaboration, too.
I use hot and cold somewhat, but mostly hot.
I use far infrared lamps extensively, both at home and in treating patients with pain. They provide stronger therapeutic effects than a hot bath can achieve, though alternating hot and cold ais a great idea. This is really the folk medicine of many countries.
Far infrared penetrates up to 5 cm into tissues. It also boosts nitric oxide production, which acts not only as a vasodilator and muscle relaxant but also provides anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Mitochondrial function improves as well, promoting overall body relaxation. Microcirculation improves greatly.
When my son crashed into a skip (a huge metal structure) while speeding downhill on his bike, he suffered severe thigh injuries. The accident cut his thigh muscles, damaged bone and tendons (though nothing broke), and created an enormous hematoma that turned his leg purple with no function. He couldn't walk. Agony of pain.
Doctors prescribed painkillers, and a physiotherapist predicted 12-15 monthsfor recovery. Instead, after one month bedridden (walking impossible), 1.5 months on crutches, and two weeks of walking, he was skiing with his school and even doing ski jumps with no pain and function restored.
His rapid recovery came from daily far infrared therapy (3–4 hours) plus herbs to clear damaged tissue debris and rebuild muscle, tendons, and bone. That was impressive to see actually.
When my children were young and had frequent sports injuries, wounds typically healed in 2–3 days,unless school staff applied too many ice packs, which is standard here. Ice numbs pain but causes vasoconstriction, slowing healing dramatically.
Why do I write all this? Far infrared lamp, the ones used in Chinese medicine (TDP lamps, medicinal), are easy to buy. they are bulky and not the cheapest (150-250 pounds), but they are easy to use (switch on or off) and last for a family for a lifetime. Of course, alternating hot and cold baths can be used anywhere, and are great.
This is a powerful reminder that healing often comes down to restoring flow, not overriding the body. The simplicity here is the signal—heat opens, cold closes, and the alternating pulse moves fresh blood in while carrying waste out. It’s low-cost, accessible, and rooted in the body’s own design rather than endless interventions. The key takeaway for me isn’t rejecting modern care altogether, but remembering that circulation, nutrition, and removal of stagnation are the foundation. Give the body the right conditions and it will do what it was built to do. —Lone Wolf
Excellent discussion on how the body can heal itself. It is medical man's trickery for $$ that is the problem. They ignore the dynamics of a whole and vibrant immune system.
Great article. It really makes you wonder how many unnecessary — and perhaps even aggravating — interventions we’ve all been subjected to over the years.
Does anyone know of a genuinely effective non-surgical solution for a stomach hernia?
You don't understand peripheral neuropathy. I can feel hot and cold and pain. People who can't can use a thermometer. Wrapping feet idea is not practical. Difficult to wrap and you would never get a sock over it. Getting up to pee would cause so much pain that you would never get back to sleep.
If a person has neuropathy of the feet, could this be used if somone else monitors the temperature, and/or the person's neuropathy isn't bad enough to totally numb the feet? I young woman is having tingling/pain in her feet possibly due to over-exposure to a plug-in insecticide used in her bedroom and workspace
This tracks with my personal experience of sunburn. Years ago I intuited a treatment that has never failed me: ASAP get into the shower under water as hot as I can take, for as long as I can take. The contrast is simply room temperature.
Great post, TYVM.
What a fantastic approach! A great elaboration, too.
I use hot and cold somewhat, but mostly hot.
I use far infrared lamps extensively, both at home and in treating patients with pain. They provide stronger therapeutic effects than a hot bath can achieve, though alternating hot and cold ais a great idea. This is really the folk medicine of many countries.
Far infrared penetrates up to 5 cm into tissues. It also boosts nitric oxide production, which acts not only as a vasodilator and muscle relaxant but also provides anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Mitochondrial function improves as well, promoting overall body relaxation. Microcirculation improves greatly.
When my son crashed into a skip (a huge metal structure) while speeding downhill on his bike, he suffered severe thigh injuries. The accident cut his thigh muscles, damaged bone and tendons (though nothing broke), and created an enormous hematoma that turned his leg purple with no function. He couldn't walk. Agony of pain.
Doctors prescribed painkillers, and a physiotherapist predicted 12-15 monthsfor recovery. Instead, after one month bedridden (walking impossible), 1.5 months on crutches, and two weeks of walking, he was skiing with his school and even doing ski jumps with no pain and function restored.
His rapid recovery came from daily far infrared therapy (3–4 hours) plus herbs to clear damaged tissue debris and rebuild muscle, tendons, and bone. That was impressive to see actually.
When my children were young and had frequent sports injuries, wounds typically healed in 2–3 days,unless school staff applied too many ice packs, which is standard here. Ice numbs pain but causes vasoconstriction, slowing healing dramatically.
Why do I write all this? Far infrared lamp, the ones used in Chinese medicine (TDP lamps, medicinal), are easy to buy. they are bulky and not the cheapest (150-250 pounds), but they are easy to use (switch on or off) and last for a family for a lifetime. Of course, alternating hot and cold baths can be used anywhere, and are great.
This is a powerful reminder that healing often comes down to restoring flow, not overriding the body. The simplicity here is the signal—heat opens, cold closes, and the alternating pulse moves fresh blood in while carrying waste out. It’s low-cost, accessible, and rooted in the body’s own design rather than endless interventions. The key takeaway for me isn’t rejecting modern care altogether, but remembering that circulation, nutrition, and removal of stagnation are the foundation. Give the body the right conditions and it will do what it was built to do. —Lone Wolf
Jack Kruse writes extensively on this.
Excellent discussion on how the body can heal itself. It is medical man's trickery for $$ that is the problem. They ignore the dynamics of a whole and vibrant immune system.
I have to get Barbara's book.
BTW, does Barbara spell Sitz bath as "sits?" Sitz baths are well known for their therapeutic effects. These were both great examples of that.
Great article. It really makes you wonder how many unnecessary — and perhaps even aggravating — interventions we’ve all been subjected to over the years.
Does anyone know of a genuinely effective non-surgical solution for a stomach hernia?
You don't understand peripheral neuropathy. I can feel hot and cold and pain. People who can't can use a thermometer. Wrapping feet idea is not practical. Difficult to wrap and you would never get a sock over it. Getting up to pee would cause so much pain that you would never get back to sleep.
If a person has neuropathy of the feet, could this be used if somone else monitors the temperature, and/or the person's neuropathy isn't bad enough to totally numb the feet? I young woman is having tingling/pain in her feet possibly due to over-exposure to a plug-in insecticide used in her bedroom and workspace
Any ideas on how to set up a hot/ cold soak for a knee? It’s awkward to stick my knee in a bucket…
I know that my mom used to peel a potato to put in any soup or dish she’d put too much salt in.
The soul is in the blood.