Application of a Heat- and Steam-Generating Sheet Increases Peripheral Blood Flow and Induces Parasympathetic Predominance
Figure 5
Time course of changes in the feeling of comfort/discomfort in the abdomen and in the thermal sensation at the fingertips during and after application of the HSG sheet. ∘; Control (only the waist belt applied to the anterior abdominal region or lumbar region), ●; HSG sheet applied with a waist belt to the anterior abdominal region, ▴; HSG sheet applied with a waist belt to the lumbar region. (a) Feeling of comfort/discomfort in the abdomen. (b) thermal sensation at the fingertips. Both the feeling of comfort/discomfort in the abdomen and the thermal sensation at the fingertips were scored on a five-category scale: (a) (comfortable: 5, slightly comfortable: 4, neutral: 3, slightly uncomfortable: 2, and uncomfortable: 1), (b) (warm: 5, slightly warm: 4, neutral: 3, slightly cold: 2, and cold: 1). Both were scored after 20 minutes of acclimation, at 10 and 45 minutes during and after application of the HSG sheet belt or sham belt (the period marked with dotted line in Figure 5), and at 15 minutes after removal of the belt. Data show the mean ± SE of scores from 10 subjects. * and ** indicate significant differences from the control group (Tukey-Kramer’s multiple comparison).
