Heat Therapy for Pain

Heat Therapy for Pain, also known as thermotherapy is a natural treatment for pain relief. It is therapy that can include wheat packs, hot cloths, hot water bottle, hot baths and more. It’s beneficial for those suffering from muscular aches, joint pain and arthritis.

The application of heat therapy to sore, painful joints and muscular aches helps promotes enhanced circulation and blood flow to the region. This surge of fresh, oxygenated blood can also help to diminish pain as it can dilute the build-up of lactic acid waste, which also is a factor in chronic pain. (Painscale.com)

Heat therapy is particularly popular when trying to beat DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). DOMS occurs 1-3 days after a particularly intensive workout.

In 2006 a study by U.S. Spine & Sport Foundation concluded that continuous low-level heat wrap therapy was of significant benefit in the prevention and early phase treatment of low back DOMS. At hour 24 post-exercise, pain intensity, disability, and deficits in self-reported physical function in subjects with the heat wrap were reduced by 47% (P<.001), 52.3% (P=.029), and 45% (P=.013), respectively, compared with the control group.

Capsaicin, the active ingredient in Eco Pain Patches, also can make you feel pretty hot! Capsaicin is the active chemical in chili peppers and can directly induce thermogenesis, the process by which cells convert energy into heat, according to a new study. (American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)

Capsaicin has a reputation for relieving certain kinds of pain, and is a widely used ingredient for products to help with the management of arthritis, back pain, joint pain and muscular aches. You can read more about in our blog post Capsaicin Research on Pain.