HELIOTHERAPY Helio-means sun and therapy means treatment. The use of natural sunlight for therapeutic purposes is better known as heliotherapy. Heliotherapy is defined as the treatment of disease by exposing the body to sunlight It is the treatment by means of Sun’s electromagnetic waves The use of sunlight is prevalent since the times of ancient Greeks and Romans. In modern days, persons can be seen taking sunbaths at the beaches in the coastal regions. Heliotherapy is effective in the treatment of psoriasis and other skin conditions as the sunrays emit ultraviolet radiations.

1. HELIOTHERAPY

2. CONTENTS

3. (HELIOTHERAPY )
 Use of natural sunlight is called Heliotherapy.
 ACTINOTHERAPY: Use of artificial light for medical purpose
is called Actinotherapy.
 Heliotherapy also called solar therapy or phototherapy.
 BENEFITS OF HELIOTHERAPY:
 1) Melanin production.
 2) Stimulate metabolism.
 3) Positive effect on general health.
 4) Improve condition of gland and secretion.
 5) Vitamin - D formation.
 6) Sunlight soothes nerve and boost mood increase
production of endorphins and serotonin

4. PHOTO MEDICINE:
 Photo medicine is an interdisciplinary branch of medicine that involve the
study and application of light with respect to health and disease.
 (A branch of photo medicine is light therapy in which bright light strike the
retina of eye used to treat the circadian rythum and mood related disorder.)
 USES OF PHOTO MEDICINE:
 1) Skin conditions ( psoriasis, vitiligo, Acne , Atopic dermatitis.
 2) Mood related disorder ( non seasonal depression)
 3) Sleep related disorder ( circadian rythum)
 4) Neonatal jaundice
 5) vit -D photosynthesis.
 Pro vitamin D7, 7 dehydrocolestrol is transformed into pre vitamin in outer
skin.
 The active spectrum of U.V Inducing vit-D is limited to the U.V range below
320 nm.
 vit-D insufficiency lead to an adequate calcium phosphorus resulting
ineffective bone mineralization.

5. USE IN REHABILITATION:
 Muscle Health:
 Affect calcium handling involve the sarcoplasmic reticulum and
calcium signalling in muscle cells.
 NEO NATAL JAUNDICE:
 1) Neo natal jaundice also called Hyperbillirubinemia.
 2) Neo natal jaundice light is blue.
 3) Photo medicine used in NICU treatment is neo natal jaundice.
 PHOTO DYNAMIC THERAPY: PDT is a treatment that use a drug
called a photo sensitiser and photo sensitizing agents and a
particular type of light.
 USE OF PHOTO DYNAMIC THERAPY:
 use for skin cancer , pancreas and superficial cancer recently FDA-
US approved method of treatment.

6.  ACNE VULGARIS:
 Acne vulgaris is a chronic skin disorder chiefly found in adolescents,
caused by Inflammation of skin gland and hair follicles mainly of
face, chest amd shoulder.
 VITILIGO:
 It is a multi causal disease starting with the formation of antigen.
 PSORIASIS:
 Psoriasis is a genetic multi causal skin disease caused red lession
with slivery white scales
 PUVA ( PSORALEN U V A RAYS):-
 Psoralen is taken orally and irradivation with UVs 311- 313nm.
 UVB PHOTO THERAPY:
 PSORIASIS is in long wave part of UVB spectrum ( 305 to 315nm)
 .

7. SUN
 SUN Is the nearest star accounts for 99.86% of the mass in
the solar system The Sun is travelling at 220 km per second.
 The Sun is all the colours mixed together, this appears white
to our eyes. The Sun is composed of hydrogen (70%) and
Helium (28%).
 The Sun is 109 times wider than the Earth and 330,000 times
as massive. The Sun’s surface area is 11,990 times that of
the Earth’s. The distance between the Earth and the Sun is
an Astronomical Unit (AU) Consists of mainly hydrogen and
helium and iron, oxygen, and carbon
 The temperature is about 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit on the
surface and more than 28 million degrees Fahrenheit at the
core

8. INTRODUCTION
 HELIOTHERAPY Helio-means sun and therapy means
treatment. The use of natural sunlight for therapeutic
purposes is better known as heliotherapy.
 Heliotherapy is defined as the treatment of disease by
exposing the body to sunlight It is the treatment by means of
Sun’s electromagnetic waves
 The use of sunlight is prevalent since the times of ancient
Greeks and Romans. In modern days, persons can be seen
taking sunbaths at the beaches in the coastal regions.
Heliotherapy is effective in the treatment of psoriasis and
other skin conditions as the sunrays emit ultraviolet
radiations.

10. ELECTROMAGNETIC
RADIATION
 Consists of
 Radio waves (1 mm to 100 km)
 Microwaves (1 mm to 1 m )
 Infrared radiation ( 0.74 µm to 300 µm)
 Visible light (380nm to 740 nm)
 Ultraviolet radiation ( 0.01 nm to 10nm)
 X rays (100 A to 0.01 A)
 Gamma rays

11. WHY SUNLIGHT IS IMPORTANT
 Essential for the evolution of life on earth
 Visible light needed for photosynthesis
 IR gives warmth
 Directly or indirectly every body depends on
sun

12. SAUNA BATH
 The use of sauna bath was started from Finland. Its first use came into
picture in 1936 in Berlin during the period of Olympic games. Many players
saw Scandinavians using this bath. Its use at a very large scale comes into
picture in 1972 during Munich Olympic Games where a large number of
sauna bath chambers were made available to the athletes by which it
becomes popular worldwide.
 Sauna bath is administered in a wooden chamber. One hot oven is used
inside the sauna chamber. Stones are placed on the oven and allowed to
heat. Water is poured to produce some steam in short bursts. Wooden
chamber is used for sauna bath because it absorbs humidity from the
inside air and thus restores dryness in the chamber. Regular monitoring of
temperature and humidity is done with thermometer and hygrometer.
Sauna is a dry hot air bath. The temperature is kept between 60-90ºC and
relative humidity of the air is maintained between 5-10%. One treatment
session is about 30-40 minutes and consists of two phases: The sweating
phase and the cooling phase.

14. The physiological effects of sauna bath
 The physiological effects of sauna bath include increase
of general circulation. It provides lots of fresh blood to
the tissues. It helps removing waste products of
metabolism from the body. It relaxes the body and gives
a sense of general well-being. Pain is also relieved
substantially from the body.
 Sauna baths are now days used in weight reduction
programs. Making weight (reducing or increasing weight)
by athletes taking part in competition is not advisable

15. SUN BATH
 Sunbath can be taken by all people of all ages
and both genders
 Early morning and evening is the best (7 to 9
AM and 4 to 6 PM)
 10 minutes to 15 minutes of daily exposure is
useful for maintaining normal functioning of
the body

16. TYPES OF SUNBATH
 Ordinary Sun Bath
 Rickley Sun Bath
 Kuhne Sun Bath
 Sun Bath With Wet Cloth
 Atapa Snana

17. ORDINARY SUN BATH
 Spread a blanket or mat on ground
 Protect head from sunlight
 Lie down wearing minimum clothing

18. RICKLEY SUN BATH
 Taken just after sunrise
 Portion of the body exposed to sun is gradually
increased every day
 First only feet, then thighs, navel region and
gradually entire body
 After sunbath patient may sit in shadow for about
5-15 minutes
 The body may then be wiped with a wet towel
 Very helpful in cases of eczema, growth
stagnation in children, blood deficiency diseases
etc.

19. KUHNE SUN BATH
 Patient lies down in sun wearing minimum
clothes
 Banana leaves cover the head, face and
navel
 Opens the pores of the skin
 Can be taken from ½ to 1 hr.
 If sun is strong reduce the duration

20. SUN BATH WITH WET CLOTH
 Patient is covered up to neck by a dry sheet
or blanket and kept under sunlight
 When the body is heated replace using a wet
cloth
 Head must be covered by wet cloth
 Bath can be taken for 20 to 40 minutes

21. ATAPASNANA
• Patient is covered up to neck by adry
sheet or blanket and kept undersunlight
• When the body is heated replace usinga
wet cloth
• Patient must be covered by bananaleaves
• Headmust be covered by wet cloth
• Bath canbe taken for 20 to 40minutes

22. PRECAUTION WHILETAKING SUN
BATH
• Headmust be protected while taking sunbath–
either by keeping it in shade or by covering it
with awet cloth
• Donot take bath in strongsunlight
• If headache or any othertrouble
occurs, duration of sunbath should bereduced
the next day

23. BEFORE TAKING SUNBATH
• Washhead, neck and face
• Only half the stomach must befilled
• Drink two glassesof water

24. METHOD
• All parts of body should beexposed
• Period of sunbath must be dividedfour
times
• ¼th left side
• ¼th right side
• ¼th front side
• ¼th back side

25. DURATION
• Variesaccording to physiologicalcondition
of the person
• Time should be increased gradually
• Duration should not exceed1hr.

26. AFTER SUNBATH
• Donot take food immediately
• Bathe withcold water after ½hour and
wipe all body parts withwet towel
• Spinal bath for 15minutes

27. INDICATIONS
 Osteomalacia
 Rickets
 Obesity
 Insomnia
 Psoriasis
 Fatal breast cancer
 COPD
 Acne vulgaris .
 Vitiligo.
 Psoriasis .
 Neo natal jaundice
 Psychology
depressants
 Rheumatoid arthritis
 Lowerback ache
 Osteo arthritis
 Hemiplegia
 Scabies
 TB
 Etc.

28. CONTRA - INDICATIONS
 Fever
 Acne Vulgaris
 Angina Pectoris
 Cardiac disorders
 Poisoning
 Hypertension
 Leukemia
 Edema
 Chicken pox
 Measles
 Hyper vitamin D
 Conjunctivitis

29. BENEFITS
 Healthy looking complexion
 Regular exposure builds natural resistance against harmful
sun rays
 UV rays – antiseptics
 Clears skin diseases
 Enhance immune system
 Encourages healthy circulation
 Sooth nerves and boost mood by increasing production of
endorphin and serotonin
 Increases melatonin output at night

30. BENEFITS cont.…
• BalancesPMS
• Improves function of theliver
• Decreasesrisk breast, colon and prostate cancer
• Metabolizes cholesterol
• DecreasesBP,resting HR,increases O/Pofblood
• DecreasesSADlike sadness,insomnia and
carbohydrate cravings
• Reducesfrequency of cold up to 40.3%

31. BENEFITScont.…
 Sunbath leads to sweating
 Sunlight treats foreign particles and it comes
out through sweat, urine or stool
 Opens the pores of the skin
 Helps body to metabolize Vitamin D

32. PATHOLOGICAL EFFECTS
 Over exposure causes
 Premature aging
 Wrinkling
 Skin cancer

33. WHAT DOES SUNLIGHT
THERAPY ACTUALLY DO?
 1. Increase circulation by formation of new capillaries to replace
damaged ones to speed up the healing process by carrying more
oxygen as well as more nutrients needed for healing and carry
waste products away.
 2. Stimulate the production of collagen, the most common protein
found in the body essential for repair of damaged tissue and to
replace old tissue. By increasing collagen production less scar
tissues are formed at the wounds.
 3. Increase RNA and DNA synthesis helping damaged cells to be
replaced more promptly.
 4. Stimulate fibroblastic activity, which aids in the repair process.
Fibroblasts are present in connective tissue and are capable of
forming collagen fibres.
 5. Stimulate tissue granulation and connective tissue projections,
which are part of the healing process of wounds, ulcers or
inflammation.

34.  6. Stimulate the release of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is the major
carrier of energy to all cells. Increases in ATP allow cells to accept nutrients
and get rid of waste products faster by increasing the energy level in the
cell.
 7. Increase lymphatic drainage. Research has shown that the lymph vessel
diameter and the flow of the lymph can be doubled and the venous
diameter and the arterial diameters can also be increased with the use of
light therapy. This means that both liquid and protein components of
oedema can be evacuated at a much faster rate to relieve swelling.
 8. Relieve pain. Light therapy is successfully used in pain management,
dermatology and rheumatology with excellent therapeutic effects.
 9. Stimulate acetylcholine release and other parasympathetic effects.
 10. Increase phagocytosis, as an important part of the infection fighting
process. Destruction of the infection and clean up must occur before the
healing process can take place.
 11. Induce thermal effect, which raises the temperature of the tissue being
treated, to kill or disable bacteria and viruses