Heat Therapy
Bone And Joint Health Articles > Heat Therapy
The overall beneficial qualities of heat have long been associated with comfort and relaxation - heat therapy goes a step further and can provide both pain relief and healing benefits for those suffering from bone and joint pain. Heat therapy is also relatively inexpensive and easy to use. It is also very effective especially with lower back and neck pain. Sore, stiff, nagging muscle or joint pain is ideal for the use of heat therapy.
Heat therapy works in a variety of ways:
Heat therapy dilates the blood vessels of the muscles surrounding the lumbar spine increasing the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles and helping to heal the damaged tissue
- Heat stimulates the sensory receptors in the skin decreasing transmissions of pain signals to the brain and partially relieving the discomfort
- In the case of bone and joint pain, heat treatments relax muscles and send soothing signals to the brain. Heat increases blood flow and the manipulability of connective tissue. It decreases joint stiffness, pain, and muscle spasms.
- Heat also helps lessen inflammation and the buildup of fluid in tissues (edema) by improving blood flow and washing out a lot of metabolic byproducts.
Heat therapy could either be moist heat or dry heat:
- Dry heat, such as electric heating pads and saunas, draw out moisture from the body and may leave the skin dehydrated but tend to be more convenient
- Moist heat, such as hot baths, steamed towels or moist heating packs can aid in the heat’s penetration into the muscles
The application of heat may be superficial or deep. Some common options of heat therapy applications include:Hot water bottle
- Electric heating pad
- Heated gel packs - Certain types of gel packs provide moist heat, which some people prefer
- Heat wraps - wraps around the lower back and waist and may be worn against the skin under clothing, providing convenience and several hours of low level of heat application.
- Hot bath, hot tub, sauna, steam bath
Other options include infrared heat, paraffin (heated wax) baths, diathermy (the generation of heat in tissues by electric currents) and ultrasound (the use of high-frequency sound waves).
The most effective heat therapy products are the ones that can maintain a “warm” temperature. The desired effect is for the heat to penetrate down into the muscles. Simply increasing the temperature of the skin will do little to decrease discomfort. In most cases, the longer the heat is applied, the better. Finally, it is important to use enough insulation between the heat source and the skin to avoid overheating or burning the skin.
Heat therapy can be used in conjunction with other pain relievers, such as over-the-counter pills, but it’s not a good idea to use heat creams or rubs in addition to the heat pad. For many people, heat therapy works best when combined with other treatment modalities, such as physical therapy and exercise.
There are circumstances in which heat should not be used, such as if the lower back is bruised or swollen. Dermatitis, deep vein thrombosis, diabetes and open wounds are also unsuitable for heat therapy.
Because heat therapy is so simple, it is often overlooked and physicians may forget to mention it, but when used in the right way it can be a valuable part of many bone and joint pain treatment programs.