Tanning beds to ease pain?!
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
United States
April 28, 2009 4:52am CST
my mom swears this friend of hers uses a tanning bed to ease the pain of her arthritis and has been bugging me to do the same for my fibromyalgia pain..
first off this sounds freaking insane!! but my hubby swears he heard of people doing it before too.. i do NOT want to tan.. i like staying pasty lol so i dont want to go try it out and tan just to find out it doesnt work..
has ANYONE ever heard of this? is it true? for any type of pain or just arthritis? have you used it before? did you have to stay in long enough to tan or just hop in and hop out?
my mom can find some off the wall things sometimes.. heck she was believing some freak that was saying cancer and everything on earth was caused by fungus and had her convinced if she took like yeast infection meds it would cure everything! so yeah im skeptical lol..
3 responses
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
28 Apr 09
Nope, never heard of it, and I've had three rheumatologists. Well, four if you want to count the one from Johns Hopkins Hospital that I saw once, the one who actually diagnosed me for the first time. NONE of them ever mentioned tanning beds.
But, being out in the sunshine does seem to help my pain. Whether it's physical or mental, I don't know, but I always feel better when I'm out in the sun. I think it may be the heat from the sun. I do know that I feel much better when I soak in a tub of hot water for awhile so it would make sense that the heat from the sun would help, also.
But, as far as tanning goes, I doubt that would help. I haven't read anything like this before, for or against tanning to reduce pain, not arthritis or fibromyalgia pain.
Believe me, if it worked, I wouldn't be here posting, I'd be inside a tanning bed! LOL
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
30 Apr 09
I burn very easily, too. It's the curse of redheads, I'm afraid. I'm so covered in freckles that it would be hard to play 'connect-the-dots' because they're so close together. LOL
I always hoped that one day my freckles would all run together and I'd look like I had a great tan, but of course that never happened.
These days, I still spend as much time outside as I can, but I make sure to use a sunscreen with a high SPF. I also usually wear a hat because I've had my scalp sunburned before where my hair parts. But, that sun sure feels good on my aching muscles; well, as long as it's not TOO hot.
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
30 Apr 09
yeah sun seems to help but i figured maybe it was because i was out of the house for once! but i burn so easy i couldnt make it a habit of hanging out much
@commanderxo (1494)
• Canada
28 Apr 09
Besides heat...sunshine is THE BEST source of vitamin D, and definitely does wonders for muscles, joints, and bones.
Mind you, I've found that even a hot bath with that "special someone", can pretty much produce the same effect! (-smile-)
;-0 !!!
cdrxo
@liquorice (3887)
•
28 Apr 09
Is suppose this is a similar idea to the heat lamps you can buy, in that heat can be soothing and helps your muscles to relax, and I guess it probably helps to relax other parts of your body that can ease arthritis pain as well. I've been on a tanning bed a couple of times (several years ago) and I did find it very relaxing. However, since then I've learnt about how dangerous they are with regards to skin cancer and I wouldn't go under one again. I think you're sensible wanting to stay pale!
If you want to get the heat effects then you can buy a heat lamp quite cheaply and point it at a part of your body that's aching. For example, I've got one that's the same as (or very similar to) this one; http://www.amazon.co.uk/150-Watt-Infrared-Heat-Lamp/dp/B000VOFF9G/ref=sr_1_1/277-0985294-9167707?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen&qid=1240913140&sr=8-1
I don't know if there's something extra in sunbeds that are good for arthritis which wouldn't be found in an infra-red heat lamp, but I would just be wary of the risks.
1 person likes this
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
30 Apr 09
the only prob is my pain is everywhere lol.. do they make them in super duper size?? but yeah this sounds more healthy and is something i will check out
1 person likes this
@liquorice (3887)
•
10 May 09
Thanks for BR! Yes, I get what you mean. Maybe they need to make the heat lamps in sunbed-size for people with whole body pain! 
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
28 Apr 09
Well I can see where it might help a bit...because of the heat....heat is healing...so when you have something wrong first cold then heat is supposed to relieve some of the pain...I am with you though...no tanning for me....I have never been in a tanning bed and don't plan on going into one..even for my arthritis!
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