2025 Volume 3 Pages 3-9
This report summarizes the content of the keynote lecture delivered at the 3rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society of Warm Therapy, covering the theoretical background of Waon therapy, its multifaceted effects and mechanisms, and future research topics. The multifaceted effects of Waon therapy emerged from the experiences and findings of patients who responded positively to this therapy. As diverse clinical effects of Waon therapy, we have published many papers concerning chronic heart failure, vascular insufficiency, lower limb arterial disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), mild depression, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome from Kagoshima University. The efficacy of Waon therapy has also been confirmed for postoperative ileus, skin ulcers in collagen diseases, and pruritus in hemodialysis patients. Regarding the mechanisms underlying the multifaceted effects of Waon therapy, we have reported pathways involving thermal stimulation, nitric oxide, and heat shock proteins. The temperature-sensitive TRP channels possess numerous subtypes, and they are also thought to contribute to some mechanisms of the diverse effects of Waon Therapy. Through our commitment to learning from patients, we anticipate that Waon therapy with pleiotropic effects will continue to evolve broadly from preventive medicine to disease treatment and rehabilitation.
