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Heat therapy sounds far more inviting than cold therapy. As one who has yet to suffer the infamous hot flashes, I love to feel warm all over, no matter what time of day or what time of year. Heat has so many benefits, one of which is to treat chronic injuries or injuries that do not have any inflammation or swelling.
If you suffer from sore, stiff, and annoying muscle or joint pain, heat therapy can be your friend. Some athletes actually use heat therapy before exercising in an effort to increase the elasticity of joint connective tissues and to get their blood pumping.
If you are experiencing tight muscles or muscle spasms, heat can do wonders for those. It is important to note, however, that you should not apply heat after a workout. At those times, ice is the better choice for the treatment of a chronic injury. Also, do not apply heat to acute injuries or to any injury that presents with inflammation and/or swelling.
What exactly does heat do when applied to the body? For starters, it increases circulation and raises the temperature of the skin. You can safely apply heat to your injury for up to 20 minutes at a time. Be sure to have enough layers between your skin and the heating source to prevent burns. (You don’t want to know about my run-in last winter with my coveted heat lamp and my bare skin …not a pretty sight ... and that heat was not even directly applied to my skin!)
Warm temperatures have four main effects on the body: pain relief, muscle relaxation, blood vessel alterations, and connective tissue relaxation. Heat causes the blood vessels in the smooth muscles to relax. As such the vessels open and allow for increased blood flow to the affected area. This helps to allow the tissue to get rid of debris and the by-products of tissue injury. Heat therapy also allows for the relaxation through lengthening of the collagen tissues, thereby helping greatly in the stretching process.
Use caution when employing heat therapy, however. When the skin is already sensitive or damaged, it can create further damage. It can encourage increased bleeding in the soft tissue injury. It can also increase the swelling of the affected joint if the injury is acute. Also, it is not advisable to use heat therapy on young children or on pregnant women.
Heat therapy may be used after the swelling of an injury has stopped, which is usually one to two days after the injury is sustained. Heat can be applied in the form of moist heat packs, hot water, such as a whirlpool bath, a heat lamp (I should insert my story here!), or by conversion, which is the creation of heat through sound waves or electric currents through the tissue.
Heat also allows for increased blood flow to the area, reduce related muscle spasms, and increase the amount of oxygen to the injured tissue, carrying unnecessary waste products from the site.
When using heat therapy, most sources indicate that moist heat is your best choice. The use of a hot towel is a great option. You can even purchase special hot packs or heating pads if you find yourself using heat frequently. However, it is not advisable to use a heating pad for more than 20 minutes or while sleeping.
Due to the serious nature of some injuries, it is best to consult your doctor if the injury does not seem to improve, or if it gets worse, within 48 hours.
(Sources for this article include information from the following web sites:
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/rehab/a/heatorcold.htm
http://www.genufix.com/heat_and_cold_therapy.htm
http://www.scienceclarified.com/Oi-Ph/Physical-Therapy.html)
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