Heat Therapy Right for Your Pain?

Patients suffering from lower back muscle strains or muscle spasms can benefit from heat therapy. 

Heat can help injuries lasting more than six weeks by increasing blood flow, relaxing muscles, and relieving joint pain from worn down cartilage. 

Heat wraps can halt neck spasms that contribute to headaches or migraines. 

Heat treatments won’t prevent rheumatoid arthritis flare-ups, but warming the joints before exercise can help lessen inflammation and pain. 

Heating pads, warm baths or hot towel compresses can conduct heat to muscle tissue and sometimes reduce pain. 

It is normal for your skin to look a little pinker after using heat.  Before turning the heat back on, let your skin return to its normal color and temperature.  If you see purplish-red, dark red, or spotty red and white color (hives), along with swelling or blisters, call your doctor.  These are signs the temperature was too extreme and may indicate skin damage.  This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about heat therapy.

To learn more about heat therapy, please visit WebMD or Spine Health