Does Heat Pack Help Lower Back Pain

When Not To Use Heat

Heat is not suitable for all injury types. Any injury that is already hot will not benefit from further warming. These include infections, burns, or fresh injuries.

Heat should not be used if:

• the skin is hot, red or inflamed
• the person has dermatitis or an open wound
• the area is numb
• the person may be insensitive to heat due to peripheral neuropathy or a similar condition

Ask a doctor first about using heat or cold on a person who hashigh blood pressure or heart disease.

Excessive heat must be avoided.

When cold is applied to the body, the blood vessels contract, vasoconstriction occurs. This means that circulation is reduced, and pain decreases.

Removing the cold causes vasodilation, as the veins expand to overcompensate.

As the blood vessels expand, circulation improves, and the incoming flow of blood brings nutrients to help the injured tissues heal.

Alternating heat and cold can be useful for:

• exercise-induced injury or DOMS

Contrast water therapy uses both heat and cold to treat pain. Studies show that it is more effective at reducing EIMD and preventing DOMS than doing nothing.

A review of studies has suggested that, for elite athletes, CWT is better at reducing muscle pain after exercise compared with doing nothing or resting.

However, the researchers point out that it may not better than other strategies, such as heat treatment, cold treatment, stretching, or compression. They say that more evidence is necessary.

When Ice Therapy Is Not The Answer

As with heat therapy, there are times when it can be tempting to slap a bag of ice on any sore or twitching muscle. But doing ice therapy for back spasm and a number of other problems can actually do more harm than good.

You should not ice for:

• General muscle pains
• Reducing body fat

Also, this is pretty intuitive, but you should not apply ice if youre already shivering.

Another word to the wiseyou may think you have pulled or strained a muscle in the back or neck, but actual tissue damage is quite rare. The tissue of the back is really thick and it takes a lot of forcelike whiplash from a car accident or lifting something very heavyto actually tear muscles.

So when it comes to answering the questionwhats good for back pain, heat or cold?heat usually wins out.

And if you indeed have a back strain from lifting or something else, you should only apply ice for a few days and then switch to heating pads.

Heat Reduces Reliance On Medications

Heat therapy is more effective and more cost-friendly than over-the-counter pain medications.12Lloyd A, Scott DA, Akehurst RL, Lurie-Luke E, Jessen G. Cost-effectiveness of low-level heat wrap therapy for low back pain. Value Health. 2004 7:413-422. doi:10.1111/j.1524-4733.2004.74004.x The low risk of side-effects is one of the key advantages of heat therapy. Low back pain tends to arise frequently, so treatment with pain medications for every episode of pain may lead to drug dependence. Heat therapy offers a valuable alternative to drug therapy for chronic low back pain.

Heat application is the treatment of choice for individuals who desire a natural form of pain relief that simultaneously acts on multiple levels healing the body, soothing the muscles, facilitating exercise, and relieving stress.

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Benefits Of Heat Therapy For Back Pain

Heat therapy is an effective remedy for back pain because it boosts circulation, which then allows nutrients and oxygen to travel to joints and muscles. This circulation helps repair damaged muscles, relieves inflammation, and improves back stiffness.

Any type of heat therapy can help relieve back pain. Yet, heating pads are ideal because theyre convenient and portable. Theyre also electric, so you can use them anywhere in your home, such as lying in bed or sitting on the couch.

Hot or warm baths provide moist heat, which also promote circulation and reduce muscle pain and stiffness. A bath might work better if you have pain or stiffness in other parts of your body, too.

The problem with baths, though, is that its difficult to maintain the water temperature. That water will slowly cool down.

On the other hand, heating pads have adjustable levels and provide a continuous flow of heat for as long as the pad is turned on.

If you dont have a heating pad, taking a warm shower or relaxing in a hot tub may also relieve back pain and stiffness. One benefit of a hot tub and shower over a bath is continuous heat similar to a heating pad.

Electric heating pads can get hot quickly and injure the skin, so its important to use them correctly.

Try The Heat And Ice Method

Alternating hot and cold packs on the lower back is a common method for relieving back pain. However, if you prefer one temperature over the other, you dont have to switch between them! Although using both hot and cold packs is not required, switching between the two extremes can provide a broader range of benefits when it comes to relieving back pain.

Heated compresses have many advantages. Hot compresses relieve pain by blocking the signals that travel from your lower back nerves to your brain. Heat also promotes circulation. This increased blood flow aids in the healing properties found in your bloodstream. On the other hand, cold compresses and packs come in handy because they can stop spasms, numb pain, and reduce swelling in the affected areas.

Your therapist will most likely apply one or both of these packs to the affected areas during physical therapy. Its a good idea to consult with your physical therapist about the best type of compress for your at-home treatment. Heating pads and ice packs are both inexpensive and easily accessible options.

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Heat Interrupts Transmission Of Pain Signals

The gate-control theory of pain involves sensory receptors that are located at nerve endings. Receptors compete with one another to reach the brain, and it is possible that one set of activated receptors mutes or blocks another set of receptors. Heat therapy activates heat-sensitive calcium channels that can block pain receptors directly or stimulate other sensory receptors to reduce pain indirectly.1Petrofsky J, Berk L, Bains G, et al. Moist heat or dry heat for delayed onset muscle soreness. J Clin Med Res. 2013 5:416-425. doi:10.4021/jocmr1521w

See The Gate Control Theory of Chronic Pain

Ice Or Heat For Back Pain: Which Is Better

by Desert Spine & Scoliosis Center | Jun 23, 2022 | Neck and Back Pain |

If you are struggling with back pain, you may wonder whether ice or heat is better to treat it. Its a tricky question to answer, because it depends on what is causing your back pain and where the pain is located. Either heat or ice may be better for some back pain, and actually be detrimental to other pain.

Before we continue to unpack whether ice or heat is better for back pain, its important to remind you that the best advice will come from your doctor, who will have the best understanding of what may be behind your back pain.

Lets review some general principles for when to pick either ice or heat for back pain, and then well look at the most common causes of back pain to help you pick between ice and heat.

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Mechanism Of Action And Indications

Heat creates higher tissue temperatures, which produces vasodilation that increases the supply of oxygen and nutrients and the elimination of carbon dioxide and metabolic waste.

Heat therapy is useful for muscle spasms, myalgia, fibromyalgia, contracture, bursitis.

Moist heat can be used on abscesses to help drain the abscess faster. A study from 2005 showed heat therapy to be effective in treating leishmaniasis, a tropical parasitic skin infection.

Heat therapy is also sometimes used in cancer treatment to augment the effect of chemotherapy or radiotherapy, but it is not enough to kill cancer cells on its own.

Heat therapy is contraindicated in case of acute injury and bleeding disorders , tissues with a severe lack of sensitivity, scars and in tissues with inadequate vascular supply .

The use of Heat therapy for deep-seated tissue can be treated with shortwave, microwave, and ultrasonic waves. This produces a high temperature that penetrates deeper. Shortwave produces a 27 MHz current, microwaves use 915 and 2456 MHz, and ultrasound is an acoustic vibration of 1 MHz. The way ultrasonic waves work is they selectively superimpose the incoming wave and increase the energy for absorption, and the significant part of the longitudinal compression gets converted into shear waves. When they are rapidly absorbed, the interface between soft tissue and bone is selectively heated.

When To Use Cold Therapy:

• If you have had a recent injury where swelling is a problem.
• Apply an ice pack, frozen gel pack or even a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel to the affected area. You should never apply a frozen item directly to the skin, as it can cause damage to the skin and tissues.
• Apply cold treatment as soon as possible after an injury.
• Use cold therapy for short periods of time, several times a day. Ten to 15 minutes is fine, and no more than 20 minutes of cold therapy should be used at a time to prevent nerve, tissue, and skin damage.
• Elevate the affected area for best results.

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Should I Use Ice Or Heat Therapy To Reduce My Lower Back Pain

There are many types of therapies that can bring pain relief to our lower back. Ice and heat are some of the most commonly used at-home therapies, yet often overlooked due to their ease and accessibility.

It is important to know that the appropriateness and benefits of applying ice or heat can vary and that every situation is unique. Start with an understanding of the type of lower back pain you are experiencing and its cause. This will help you determine if and when ice or heat should be used in order to get the most benefit and reduce pain.

When To Use Heat For Pain

Heat can be used to relieve pain caused by chronic conditions of the muscles and joints. Such chronic conditions include:

• Muscle stiffness

Because heat has a pain-relieving effect when applied to the skin, it can also be used for other chronic pain conditions as well. In fact, many people in our therapy clinic request heat for nerve pain conditions as well as back pain caused by disk problems. There is little research evidence to suggest that using heat improves these conditions however, many patients still find the use of heat comforting.

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How Heat Helps Pain

When blood flow increases to a particular area of the body, it brings along oxygen and nutrients that can help to speed up the process of healing. Heat helps to relax muscles, which can work to decrease some types of pain sensations. The sensation of heat on the skin also provides something called an analgesic effect: it alters the perception of pain so you don’t hurt as much. The presence of heat on the skin can also be soothing.

Heat Therapy Helps Relax Stiff Joints

Learn different ways to ease joint pain using warm water or a hot compress.

Looking for a natural way to get your joints moving in the morning? Close the medicine cabinet and try an age-old remedy that has stood the test of time: heat.

If you have a chronic condition like fibromyalgia, arthritis, or lower back pain, try heating things up. Soaking in warm water or applying a heated compress is one of the oldest, cheapest, and safest forms of complementary therapy. Research has shown that heat treatments can loosen stiff joints and relieve achy muscles.

Here is how it works. When you warm up a sore joint or tired muscle, your blood vessels get bigger. This allows more blood, oxygen, and nutrients to be delivered to the injured tissues. Better circulation means more relaxation for those stiff muscles and joints.

Stay away from heat if you have an acute injury or are having a flare. If you have a sudden onset of swelling and redness from overdoing it yesterday, you are better off using cold treatments for a few days. Cold has the opposite effect of heat: it reduces blood flow and decreases inflammation.

Simple ways to heat up your daily routine.

Take a Steamy Shower

Start your day right by taking a long, warm shower. The heat of the water will reduce morning stiffness, limber up the body, and increase your range of motion for the daily activity ahead.

Apply a Warm Compress

Managing Pain

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How To Use Heat For Pain

Using heat at home can be as simple as plugging in a heating pad, or filling up a water bottle with warm water. In fact, many heating products available on the market don’t even require a plug or water: single-use air-activated heating pads can be worn all day and then thrown away. Some therapy clinics use paraffin wax dips, which, while somewhat messy, can be purchased for use at home. These are usually reserved for hands and feet . You can also target many different areas at once with heat therapy by soaking in a warm bath or stepping into a hot tub.

Whenever using heat to relieve pain, it’s very important to be aware that you are not using excessive heat or using it for a long amount of time, as these can lead to burns.

When To Use Both Heat & Ice Called: Contrast Therapy

You can use ice and heat separately, or in some cases, together, which is known as contrast therapy. The key to contrast therapy is to start with heat and finish with ice. This has to do with the dilation and constriction of blood flow to the injured area.

You want to start with dilating the blood vessels with heat, followed by constriction of blood vessels with the ice. This works to create a pumping effect. which promotes healing of the area. Contrast therapy is generally used after the first 72 hours, before you start to apply heat on its own.

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When To Use Ice For Lower Back Pain

In most instances, you should use ice on your back for the first 24 to 72 hours following an injury. Cold therapy helps minimize swelling and inflammation. This, in turn, eases your pain. Cold therapy may also decrease tissue damage.

Whether you use an ice pack, a frozen towel or even a bag of frozen vegetables, place a cloth between your skin and the source of cold to prevent ice burn. Cold therapy should be applied for no more than 20 minutes at a time, but it can safely be applied up to 10 times in a 24-hour period.

Heating Pads For Back Pain

Itâs all too easy to experience back pain while going about your regular routine. Back pain is common and very inconvenient. As part of the healing process, your doctor or health care provider might recommend heat therapy to help relieve sore muscles or spasms. At Walgreens, we have an assortment of heating pads for back pain that are specifically designed to be used on this broad area of your body.

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Ice Vs Heat For Lower Back Pain

For pain in your lower back, consider whether the pain may be caused by an injury, such as a pulled or strained muscle, or if it is chronic. For chronic pain, heat therapy might be best. Dry heat can be applied through a heating pad and moist heat by means of a warm bath or shower. Heat will relax those muscles.

But if your pain is caused by an injury, ice is the better option. In fact, heat may make your back pain worse.

Counterstimulating With Capsaicin: Medium Spice Therapy

Sensory distraction is another classic rationalization for how therapy works . Its probably more legitimate, however.

One sensation can pre-empt another to some degree. This is known as counterstimulation, and it is certainly a real thing it is firmly based on the well-known neurological principle of gate control.27 The canonical example is the way we instinctively rub tissue around acute minor injuries.

If we counterstimulate one noxious stimuli with another, its counter-irritation.

Counterstimulation is a real thing, but not an especially potent thing. You could call it another tool for the pain treatment toolbox, but its not an impressive tool. Maybe just like a small screwdriver or a tack hammer.

But counterstimulation with capsaicin might be different.

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Best Maximum Coverage: Sunbeam Heating Pad For Pain Relief Xl

• Lightweight controller

The best pad for maximum coverage provides heat to your pain area and has a larger surface area, and this one from Sunbeam gets the job done. Its 12-by-24-inches and can be used on multiple parts of your body, such as your legs, back, and lower abdomen. You can change the heat setting to low, medium, or high heat, using a sliding controller. Plus, it comes with a sponge, so you can use the moist heat option.

Once the pad is turned on, it can take a few minutes to start feeling the warmth. Our tester wasnt a fan of the lightweight controller and noted that it tends to slip off the couch easily, but this was a personal preference. Overall, its a large heating pad and is ideal for anyone who needs to cover areas of the body with larger surface area or has arthritis.

Price at time of publication: $23

Charge Type: Plug-in heating pad | Areas Targeted: Back, neck, lower abdomen, legs | Number of Heat Settings: 3 | Auto Off Function: No | Added Features: Moist heat option

Verywell Health / Leticia Almeida