Treating Lower Back Pain With Heat Therapy by Joan Friedman

Hot baths, heating pads, saunas, and hot water bottles are all great examples of heat therapy that have been used for centuries to tackle pain in the lower back. In fact, clinical studies have shown that muscle and joint tenderness can be significantly reduced with the application of localized heat.

Heat is effective, as it is able to penetrate deep into the muscle by warming it up and loosening any tightness or stiffness in the muscles and surrounding tissue. When heat is applied to the skin, it reduces the sensation of pain. Heat effectively stimulates thermoreceptors in the body, which prevent the body’s pain transmitters from sending signals of pain to the brain.

It also increases circulation at the affected area, allowing increased oxygen and nutrients to be sent to the damaged tissue. Traditionally, a maximum of 20 to 30 minutes of heat followed by bouts of no heat were ideal to treat sore muscles. But studies have shown that consistent heat at low temperatures for more prolonged periods of time are actually highly effective at managing pain.

Application of Heat Therapy

Heat therapy application is highly effective at providing relief of lower back pain a number ways. Firstly, blood vessels of the muscles are dilated with heat therapy. As a result, oxygen and nutrient flow to the muscles helps to bring a sense of relief to the strained muscles, and helps to heal any tissue that is damaged.

Heat is a stimulant of the skin’s sensory receptors. This means that when heat is applied to the lower back, transmissions of pain signals to the brain are lowered, which helps to relieve discomfort and pain in the area. Heat also helps to make the tissues much more pliable, allowing them to stretch and become less stiff. Overall flexibility not only brings a sense of relief, it also helps to reduce further injury to the affected area.

Many people may find that heat therapy works ideally when used in conjunction with other methods of treatment, including exercise, stretching, and physical therapy. Since it is non-invasive and requires no medication, heat therapy is a highly-sought-after means of pain relief for the lower back.

Types of Heat Therapy

Patients may choose between either dry or moist heat for heat therapy. Dry heat includes the use of heating pads, and saunas that help to extract the moisture from the body that could leave the skin dehydrated. Moist heat includes steamed towels and hot baths that help to penetrate deep into the muscles.

The type of heat that may feel better and be more effective will depend in the person. Perhaps some experimentation should be done to determine which type of heat is best.

Various means of applying heat can be employed, including:

Electric heating pads - These maintain a constant level of heat when plugged in;

Hot water bottles - These stay warm for approximately 20 to 30 minutes;

Heated gel packs - These can be microwaved and tend to say warm for approximately 30 minutes;

Heat wraps - These wrap around the lower back and waist and can even be worn under clothing;

Hot baths or saunas - General feelings of comfort and relaxation are stimulated with these types of heat therapy to lower muscle spasm and pain.

It is essential that enough insulation between the skin and the heat source is applied in order to avoid burning the skin or overheating.

The best heat therapy products are those that are able to maintain their level of heat at the proper, constant temperature. "Warm" is appropriate - hot may be scalding and dangerous. Those who are employing heat therapy shouldn’t have their heat source get too hot to the point that it can burn the skin. The optimal effect is to get the heat source warm enough to be able to penetrate deep into the muscles. Increasing the temperature of the skin is not sufficient - the heat must go deeper than that.

The longer the heat is applied, the better - for the most part. How long the heat should be applied will depend on the type and severity of the injury, and the degree of pain felt. Between 15 to 20 minutes of heat application should be sufficient. For more severe injuries, it may be necessary to apply heat for longer periods of time (even up to an hour or two).

Be Careful With Specific Medical Conditions

While heat therapy can be very helpful, it may not be considered a safe method of therapy under a variety of circumstances. For instance, if there is swelling or bruising at the injured area, heat should not be used. That’s because swelling means there is already too much heat in the area, in which perhaps cold therapy might be warranted instead. Also, patients with hypertension or heart disease may want to speak with their physicians first before using heat therapy as a treatment method to relieve pain and discomfort.

The application of heat therapy should also be avoided under the following scenarios:

• Deep vein thrombosis
• Diabetes
• Dermatitis
• Vascular disease
• Open wounds
• Cognitive impairment

Heat therapy can certainly be a highly effective means of relieving pain and discomfort. Used appropriately, it can be a valuable component of a lower back pain treatment program.

About the Author: Joan Friedman suffered a lower back injury though her days on the tennis court. Rather than seeking out more invasive and expensive treatments, she opted for hot and cold therapy, and discovered that it was just as effective as when she took over-the-counter medications.