What Exactly Is Heat Therapy And How Can It Be Beneficial To Your Health
Emma is an established nutrition researcher for over 8 years. She’s also passionate about anthropology and writes about the science of how early people lived under extreme conditions like famine, drought, and extreme cold in much of her research. Her passion for nutrition covers fasting, diet, and cryotherapy.
Emma is an established nutrition researcher for over 8 years. She’s passionate about anthropology and writes about the science of how early people lived under extreme conditions like famine, and extreme cold.
Heat therapy, also known as thermotherapy or therapeutic heating, is a highly effective method of treating and managing chronic pain. The treatment simply involves the application of a bearable amount of heat to the affected region using various tools or equipment. Heat therapy eases pains stemming from muscle cramps, spasms, overexertion of force, and particularly trigger points where muscle knots may form.
This method of pain relief was often overlooked in the past due to the lack of scientific evidence supporting its benefits. However, results from recent studies have sparked new questions as it is suspected of doing more than just relieving symptoms. There are indications that it may help accelerate the healing process of damaged tissue or muscles, relieve inflammation, and treat muscle stiffness.1
Heat therapy, when applied correctly, aids in the post-acute phase of healing known as rehabilitation. Additionally, applying thermotherapy to joints and muscles that are in pain also improves circulation, thus increasing the blood flow to that area. With better circulation, more proteins and nutrients can reach the injured area which is highly beneficial for faster healing.2
An increase in the level of oxygenated blood to an area immensely helps to reduce soreness. The lactic acid build-up is typically a by-product produced after some forms of exercise. Along with other factors combined, they significantly intensify chronic pain. One of the ways to eliminate lactic acid from the system is to increase oxygenated blood flow to the area affected.3
Thermotherapy is mainly geared towards providing comfort and relaxation by taking the edge off of body pains. The conditions that heat therapy is best used for include cramps, dull and throbbing pain linked with muscle stiffness, as well as the insensitivity of muscles or joints.4
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Heat therapy helps increase the blood flow, which allows the circulation of oxygen, proteins, and nutrients to the sore areas of the body. As a result, this speeds up the rehabilitation process of injured muscles.
JCDR researchers conducted a study on three different groups of participants, all with acute lower back pain. In the first visit, the pain intensity was measured and found to be equal in all groups. On the second visit, after the application of thermotherapy, the pain had significantly reduced in all three groups. Another study also shows that when heat was applied to the neck, it can effectively reduce the spasms that usually lead to headaches.5,6
In 2006, a group of researchers also found that patients who regularly exercised and applied continuous low-level heat wrap therapy (CLHT) felt less pain compared to those who didn’t. Also, various studies in the past indicated that CLHT helps relieve pain in some people better than acetaminophen, oral analgesics, and ibuprofen. However, this result was dependent on the level of pain or injury and the tissue impacted.7,8
Thermotherapy can significantly reduce the pain intensity and even the neck spasms that commonly result in headaches. Also, the application of continuous low-heat wrap relieves pain better than analgesics.
According to the American Family Physician website, “Trigger points are discrete, focal, hyperirritable spots located in a taut band of skeletal muscle. They produce pain locally in a referred pattern and often accompany chronic musculoskeletal disorders”. "Trigger points may also manifest as tension headache, tinnitus, temporomandibular joint pain, decreased range of motion in the legs, and low back pain.”9,10
Trigger points are commonly found in muscle and could be the result of aging, injuries, bad posture, or lack of exercise. Studies have suggested that an appropriate level of heat might be an effective therapy for trigger points. Hence, accurately locating your trigger points is very essential for thermotherapy to work.11
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Trigger points can be the result of aging, injuries, bad posture, or lack of exercise. These are found in muscles which cause repetitive and spreading pain. Locating them in your body can make thermotherapy more effective.
Like any other treatment, heat therapy is not applicable to all types of injury. You should not seek it for injuries that are already physically “hot” or exposed. For instance, it's not advisable for burns, infections, or fresh injuries as they will worsen the injury. Also, remember to avoid the use of excessive heat as it may burn your skin.
As a rule of thumb, heat should NOT be used in the following scenarios:
Those with heart disease or high blood pressure should always consult a doctor first before incorporating heat therapy into their routine. This has to do with the fact that when your body is exposed to warm water, your heart has to beat faster in order to keep the body at its normal temperature of 98.6°F. Because of this, people with heart conditions may find it difficult to adapt to sudden changes, thus putting them at risk to heart attacks.12
Always consult a physician before starting with heat therapy. Heat is not generally advised for burns, infections, or injuries as they are already physically hot or exposed, as well as for those with heart conditions.
There are many different ways to go about applying heat therapy. For beginners, the most effective heat therapy is more about maintaining the proper temperature for a long duration of time, rather than intense heat and then rapid cooling. Keep in mind, the heat applied shouldn’t feel like a burn to the skin but only slightly warm to the region.
Here are some options to explore when it comes to the application of heat therapy:
For this simple method, all you need to do is:
This is a great way to relax and get aches out of your body. Here’s what you need to do:
These gel packs can be heated in water or microwave and they tend to retain heat for about 30 minutes. Depending on your preference, you can go with a gel pack that either provides dry heat or warm heat.
For this method, you would need to do the following:
This typically wraps around the waist and lower back and could be worn under clothing, directly on the affected region. This provides convenience and extends the duration of low-level heat.
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Heat therapy comes in various options: electric heating pad, steamy shower, heated gel packs, warm compress, and heat wraps. For beginners, start by maintaining an ample amount of heat for an extended duration of time.
Thermotherapy is no doubt one of the cheapest and highly effective ways of relieving pain. However, factors such as the heat source and the type of injury need to be closely considered. Whenever you decided to add it to your regimen, always assess the level of heat if it's bearable or not so you can avoid further injuries, or better yet, consult your doctor first.
