The mechanism of physical effects of aeroionotherapy



Aeroionotherapy — treatment with ionized air. Aeroion therapy is based on the property of atoms and molecules of gases, as well as tiny particles of various substances (aerosols) suspended in the air, to acquire an electrical charge. The article reveals the therapeutic effect of aeroion therapy is associated with the increased chemical activity of beneficial aerosols and gaseous substances, primarily oxygen molecules that easily acquire a negative charge, carbon dioxide molecules with a positive charge, as well as other ions of air microelements inherent in aeroion therapy.

Keywords: air ions, atmosphere, concentration, ionizer, therapy.

Nature has determined that the habitat of terrestrial bio organisms and animals is air, which, as the main component, includes the most common chemical element in the structure of the planet — oxygen. But is it only the stable chemical composition of air that should be considered the healthy basic one required by a living organism? And why is forest, sea, mountain and village air called healthy, while the air in cities and especially indoors where people stay and work for a long time is called dead air? But dead air, in terms of the composition of chemical elements in it, is practically no different from healthy air. So what makes the air — our living environment — healthier? This health-improving agent should be considered atmospheric electricity, or rather its carriers — air ions, and more precisely — light air ions of a negative charge [1].

In recent years, there has been renewed interest in the use of air ions for medicinal and health purposes. Apparently, this is not accidental and is due to the deteriorating state of the air conditions of the atmosphere and premises. One of the main reasons for frequent headaches, nervous system disorders and increased fatigue in people who spend most of their time indoors is a deficiency of light negative ions in the air(3). Negative air ions are highly reactive, have a bactericidal effect, have a beneficial effect on the mucous membranes of the respiratory system, activate the ciliated epithelium of the trachea and bronchi and increase the efficiency of sputum drainage. By influencing the patient’s skin, air ions promote regeneration and enhance local protection of biological tissues, improve metabolism in them and restore the disturbed ratio of inhibitory-excitatory processes in the central nervous system.

Even in ancient Greece, the great physician Hippocrates (460–370 BC) noticed that mountain and sea air have a beneficial effect on humans, healing many diseases. He was the first to propose creating aeraria — special areas for walking. Hippocrates believed that “air is the pasture of life and the greatest ruler of everything in everything.” This was the beginning of aeroionotherapy, i.e. air treatment — the oldest method of healing human ailments [7].

The significance of the body’s interaction with ionized air is evidenced by the fact that back in the 18th century, in his essay “On the Electricity of Healthy and Sick Persons” (Paris, 1780), Pierre Bertolon argued that “all diseases, without any exception, have an extremely great relationship to electrical state of the air». He was the first to recommend being in an atmosphere saturated with negatively charged ions, believing that it has a healing effect. He used an electrostatic machine as a source for electrifying the air [12].

There is also a reflex mechanism of the effect of air ions on the body. It is based on irritation of receptors (nerve endings) located in the lungs. The resulting nerve impulses are then transmitted to the central nervous system, which, in turn, affects other organs and tissues. Both of these mechanisms do not act in isolation, but in constant interrelation.

Studies have shown that light negative ions of oxygen in the air have the most beneficial effect on health. Presumably, the flow of ions interacts with biological membranes on which an electrical potential exists. In addition, negative oxygen air ions can interfere with a wide variety of biological oxidation occurring in the body.

What tissues and organs are affected by negative air ions?

Aeroions affect the functioning of the nervous system, blood pressure, tissue respiration, metabolism, body temperature, hematopoiesis; their influence changes the physicochemical properties of blood, blood sugar, and the electrokinetic potential of red blood cells. This is not a complete list. This kind of universality of the physiological effects of air ions is explained by the fact that they influence the basic physical and chemical processes occurring in the body.

The opposite effect of negative and positive air ions can be traced in many physiological reactions [5].

Under the influence of negative air ions, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate decreases, and positive air ions cause the opposite effect.

Under the influence of negative air ions, blood clotting decreases and its viscosity increases, and under the influence of positive air ions, the opposite phenomena are observed.

The composition of blood cells clearly changes: negative air ions increase the number of erythrocytes and decrease the number of leukocytes. Positive air ions cause opposite shifts [13].

Metabolic processes in the body change: under the influence of negative air ionization, the amount of potassium decreases and calcium increases; with positive air ionization, these ratios change in the opposite direction.

The accumulation of lactic acid in the blood caused by muscular work is quickly eliminated under the influence of negative air ions and increases under the influence of positive ones [6].

Under the influence of negative ionization, tissue respiration increases on average by 50 %. Negative air ionization sessions increase oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide release. Positive air ions act in the opposite direction.

Negative air ionization causes an increase in the content of protein breakdown products in the blood and, accordingly, stimulates urination.

It is also important that instead of a natural increase in the amount of sugar in the blood, noted under the influence of negative ionization in healthy individuals, in patients with diabetes, negative air ions cause a clear decrease in the level of sugar in the blood.

Aeroions of a negative sign help prevent vitamin deficiency B, C and D. This is explained by their stimulating effect on the formation of vitamins and their accumulation in the blood and tissues.

The influence of positive and negative air ions on the psycho-emotional state of a person. Particularly contrasting is the difference in the effect of negative and positive air ions on a person’s psycho-emotional perception of the surrounding world [14].

The weather also affects the state of the body: in rainy, foggy weather, especially in autumn, when the number of negative air ions in the air decreases to a minimum, infectious diseases occur more often, chronic ailments worsen, and a person’s state of mind worsens; the mood becomes melancholic. It was found that it is air ions of positive polarity that have an extremely unfavorable effect on people of weak constitution, the elderly, rheumatic patients, and neurasthenics, causing them to feel pain, weakness, and chills.

The therapeutic practice of using light negative ions of air oxygen indicates that, both in practically healthy people and in patients under the influence of dosed aeroion therapy (therapeutic doses: 108–106 aeroions per 1 cm ³ , daily, for 15–20 minutes) the general condition quickly normalizes, sleep improves, blood pressure decreases, fatigue decreases, attention increases, rest time decreases, a cheerful neuropsychic tone is created, which contributes to a faster recovery of working capacity. At the same time, the breathing rate decreases, it becomes rhythmic and deep.

It is the high concentration of light negative oxygen ions that resorts in the highlands, sea coasts and coniferous forests owe their healing properties to. The mechanism for the formation of light negative ions is different, but the effect is the same — healing.

However, it must be remembered that an overdose of exposure to negative air ions can lead to distortion of the body’s reactions, i.e. to the appearance of undesirable effects similar to those caused by positive air ions. In addition, there are, although relatively rare, pathological conditions in which exposure to positive charges of electricity is more effective than negative ones.

Currently, the effectiveness of using aeroion therapy in the treatment of many diseases, including chronic lung diseases, has been proven. It should be noted that there is a significant difference in the use of air ionizers for domestic and therapeutic and prophylactic purposes. When using household air ionizers (various chandeliers, balls, sconces, etc.), the ionic load that the patient actually receives cannot be taken into account. In addition, these devices often create a strong electrostatic field and produce ozone and nitrogen oxides, which, undoubtedly, are far from indifferent to the body, especially if there is a tendency to hyper reactivity of the respiratory tract.

There are two ways that air ions influence the human body — the skin and the lungs. Bombarding the skin, the flow of air ions increases its gas exchange and excites the receptors of the nervous structures of the peripheral nervous system. However, the skin surface accounts for less than 1 % of the total gas exchange, so the supply of oxygen aeroions in this way is very small. At the same time, information was obtained about the influence of air ions on the receptors of the skin: changes in tactile and pain sensitivity, capillary diameter, increased hair growth. Good results were also obtained in the treatment of skin diseases (eczema, furunculosis). The influence of air ions on skin receptors can reflexively change the tone of the central nervous system and have a positive effect on the metabolism of the body as a whole. Actions of air ions through the skin A. L. Chizhevsky called it external electrical exchange [6].

The surface area of the lung alveoli in an adult is about 100 m ² , which is 50 times the surface of the body. Blood flows through them, separated from the alveolar air by only two layers of capillary endothelial cells and alveolar wall cells. The leading role in gas exchange is played by erythrocytes, the total area of which is 3000 m ² , i.e. 1500 times the surface area of the body. The diameter of the capillaries of the lungs is so small that it allows red blood cells to pass only one by one, forcing them to come into contact with their walls. This facilitates gas exchange and makes it possible to more efficiently use the surface of red blood cells.

All body fluids (cell cytoplasm, intercellular fluid, lymph and blood) are electrostatic colloids, i.e. carry a negative charge. All formed elements of blood and plasma proteins have a negative charge, which causes the phenomenon of electrical expansion between them and prevents them from colliding with each other and aggregating, and this creates optimal conditions for blood circulation and microcirculation. The entry of negative oxygen aeroions into the bloodstream increases the number of negative charges of blood elements and the electrical dispersion between the formed elements of the blood and plasma proteins. Blood enriched with air ions washes all the cells of the body, increases their overall negative charge and maintains the sol-like state of the cytoplasm and the optimal level of metabolism. Negative air ions ensure a stable state of cells (energy balance) and prevent their electrical discharge, and consequently, coagulation with the transition from sol to gel [12].

Indications for aeroionotherapy are also some diseases of the cardiovascular system, in particular, vegetative-vascular dystonia, hypertension I and II degrees, rheumatic heart defects without heart failure.

References:

1. Ball, Emily L.; Owen-Booth, Bethan; Gray, Amy; Shenkin, Susan D.; Hewitt, Jonathan; McCleery, Jenny (19 August 2020). «Aromatherapy for dementia». The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2020
2. Shin ES, Seo KH, Lee SH, Jang JE, Jung YM, Kim MJ, Yeon JY (2016). «Massage with or without aromatherapy for symptom relief in people with cancer». Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016 (6):
3. 2021 Aug:60:102739. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2021.102739. Epub 2021 Jun 21. Effect of aromatherapy on sleep quality of adults and elderly people: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis Jihoo Her 1, Mi-Kyoung Cho 2 / https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34166869/
4. В. М. Боголюбов, Г. Н. Пономаренко. Общая физиотерапия: — М. Медицина. 2019 г.
5. В. М. Боголюбов. Техника и методика физиотерапевтических процедур. — М. Медицина. 2023г.
6. Л. М. Клячкин, М. Н. Виноградова. Физиотерапия. — М., 2015г.
7. Г. Н. Пономаренко. Физические методы лечения: Справочник. — СПб., 2002г.
8. Waring, M. S.; Siegel, J. A. (August 2011). «The effect of an ion generator on indoor air quality in a residential room: Effect of an ion generator on indoor air in a room». Indoor Air. 21 (4): 267–276.
9. .University, Colorado State. «Study uncovers safety concerns with ionic air purifiers». phys.org. Retrieved 2023–06–28.
10. Schulz, Michael (2023). «Three-Dimensional Imaging of Atomic Four-Body Processes». Nature. 422 (6927)
11. Todd, J. F. J. (2001). «Recommendations for Nomenclature and Symbolism for Mass Spectroscopy (including an appendix of terms used in vacuum technology) (IUPAC Recommendations 1991)". Pure Appl. Chem.63 (10): 1541–1566.
12. Keldysh, L. V. (1995).«Ionization in the Field of a Strong Electromagnetic Wave».Soviet Phys. JETP. 20 (5): 1307.
13. Perelomov, A. M.; Popov, V. S.; Terent'ev, M. V. (1966).«Ionization of Atoms in an Alternating Electric Field».Soviet Phys. JETP. 23 (5): 924. Bibcode:1966JETP...23..924P.
14. Perelomov, A. M.; Popov, V. S.; Terent'ev, M. V. (1997). «Ionization of Atoms in an Alternating Electric Field: II». Soviet Phys. JETP.24(1): 07.
15. Larochelle, S.; Talebpour, A.; Chin, S. L. (1998). «Coulomb effect in multiphoton ionization of rare-gas atoms» (PDF). Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics. 31 (6).
16. Ammosov, M. V.; Delone, N. B.; Krainov, V. P. (2016). «Tunnel ionization of complex atoms and of atomic ions in an alternating electromagnetic field». Soviet Phys. JETP. 64 (6).
17. Sharifi, S. M.; Talebpour, A; Yang, J.; Chin, S. L. (2010). «Quasi-static tunnelling and multiphoton processes in the ionization of Ar and Xe using intense femtosecond laser pulses». Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics. 43 (15).
18. Krainov, Vladimir P. (1997). «Ionization rates and energy and angular distributions at the barrier-suppression ionization of complex atoms and atomic ions». Journal of the Optical Society of America.