Heat Therapy

While originally heat is associated with the qualities of providing warmth, comfort and relaxation, heat is also used to provide relief from pain through thermotherapy, or what is commonly known as heat therapy. It involves exposing suffering body parts to high temperatures in order to enhance their flexibility and decrease stiffness. It can take various forms like hot water, heating pad, heat pack, hot cloth, infrared heat therapy and many others. The effectiveness of a particular therapy depends upon the concerned injury and the time scale that helps in deciding which form of therapy could be used to give quick relief. The therapeutic consequences of heat therapy include relief in pain and muscular spasms, reduced inflammation, increase in blood flow, decrease in joint stiffness, pain resulting from strains, over-exertions and in chronic injuries. It is also used for treatment of certain open skin injuries mostly along with antibiotics.

 

 

Mechanism of Heat Therapy

Heat therapy application can provide relief from pain through several mechanisms like it dilates the blood vessels of the muscles in the surrounding area. This increases the flow of nutrients and oxygen to the tissues and muscles, and helps in healing it. Also, heat stimulates sensory receptors in the skin and therefore decreases transmission of pain signals to the brain and relieves the discomfort. Sometimes, heat application around injured tissues facilitates in their stretching and flexibility. This eventually leads to decrease in stiffness, thereby reducing the pain. Flexibility and mobility is important in case of certain tissues like back muscles. Heat therapy is a quick remedy for lower back pain relief. It is also a self-care treatment method in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical research is studying its use alone and together with radiation therapy and chemotherapy in treatment of cancer. The full benefit of heat therapy for the disease is yet to be established.

 Contra-indications of Heat Therapy

In certain individuals and in particular cases, heat therapy can be unsuitable. It could lead to sensory damage (not being able to feel excess heat), heat injury, high or low sensitivity to heat, blood circulation problems, (even leading to internal bleeding in some cases) and also could lead to infection and influence spreading of germs if used on open wound. Greater exposure to heat could result into burns and blisters. Heat should be used with caution for people suffering from anemia, diabetes, heart diseases, seizure disorders, tuberculosis as well as pregnant women.

Heat therapy is mass appealing as it is quite inexpensive. It can also be done easily in the comfort of your house while relaxing. Taking a hot bath is the simplest way of heat-therapy. Applications of warm, damp towels, heat packs, are also effective for a span of about fifteen to twenty minutes. It is even convenient while being on the move like while driving or working. It is a non-pharmaceutical yet a safe way to take care of pain. It is advised to use heat therapy in combination with other alternative or complementary treatment modules like physical exercise and modern medicines.