Heat therapy is the therapeutic application of heat to the body to treat pain and non-inflammatory conditions. Heat has a relaxing effect on the muscles and can thus help against pain caused by tension.

Heat therapy helps in three ways: It increases blood flow, stimulates tissue metabolism and helps restore the damaged tissue and reduces the perception of pain.
Due to the increased blood flow to the affected area, more oxygen and nutrients are provided to the damaged cells and metabolic waste products are removed more quickly, contributing to relieve pain and help restore the damaged muscle to its normal state.
The applied heat also stimulates the heat receptors. This temperature stimulus competes with the pain stimulus for transmission to the brain. The result: Fewer pain stimuli reach the brain and the pain is perceived less intensely.

Heat therapy is particularly effective for reducing pain and increasing function in unspecific neck and back pain after excessive or improper strain, sprain, overexertion, muscular tension or osteoarthritis.

Heat or cold for pain

Acute/traumatic damage with inflammation and edema (during the first hours after an acute injury) should be treated with cold. Remember that cold is a good pain killer, but alone has not a draining action: it is suggested to use cold combined with compression. Heat on the other hand, helps once the acute inflammatory phase is over, to facilitate healing of the injured tissue. Heat is not recommended for acute inflammation.

Different types of heat therapy exist and they are often used in combination with other practices like massages. But heat therapy is also effective on its own for muscle pain and some of the variants are suitable for heat therapy at home.

Heat pack

In a heat pack, a substance that stores heat is applied to the body and pressed tightly. For example, natural moor, special gels and the mineral mud fango are used for heat therapy. This allows the heat to penetrate into the muscle layers improving blood flow. Heat packs can last for a good amount of time and is not limited to the affected area.

Ultrasound heat therapy

In ultrasound heat therapy, an ultrasound probe is placed on the affected area. This emits waves in rapid succession, which generate heat.

Heat pillow

Cherry pit pillows or heat pads with other fillings are found in many households and are well suited for private use. The pillow is usually heated in the microwave and placed on the painful area. The applied heat stimulates the blood circulation. Heat pillows usually have a more superficial effect than mud packs, for example.

Hot roll

The hot roll consists of one or two thick towels that are rolled up tightly and soaked with hot water. Then the hot towels are slowly rolled out on the area to be treated and pressed onto the skin similar to a massage.

You can easily perform heat therapy at home. Red light lamp, heat pillows and heat plasters or wraps are particularly suitable for this. The advantage of the red light lamp is that it can be flexibly directed at any part of the body. When using it, however, pay attention to the operating instructions so that you do not get burned.
Heat pillows such as millet or cherry pit pillows are simply heated in the microwave and placed on the painful area of the body. With the help of a blanket or a cloth you can fix the pillow and prevent the pillow from heating the air.
Self-adhesive heat patches or heat wraps such as those from ThermaCare® are particularly suitable for neck and back pain. Once applied, the heat wrap gives off a therapeutic heat of approx. 40 °C for at least 8 hours and pain relief up to 16h*. This way you can move freely and benefit from the effects of heat therapy.