Do you have pain, discomfort or stiffness in your shoulders, back, or a well-located point of the body such as your neck, shoulder or wrist? Before you decide to take specific oral medications, you may want to give it a try with self-heating patches or thermal bands. The side effects on the body are certainly minor, since they act from the outside, and often completely solve the problem.
When to use self-heating patches and thermal bands?
At the base of heating patches is thermotherapy, or heat therapy, known since ancient times. It is used today for the treatment of pain. The thermal bands are designed to adapt perfectly to the body and can give relief for up to 8 consecutive hours. It can be used for various disorders of an unidentified nature such as:
- Muscle aches;
- joint pain;
- Cramps;
- cervical;
- muscle contractures;
- myalgia;
- back pain;
- pains in the joints;
- Witch’s blow;
- Stretches;
- Distortions;
- Pain.
How do patches and thermal bands work?
Thermal bands fall into the category of medical devices that can be purchased in pharmacies without a prescription. They are products for joints and muscles designed to exploit only heat therapy, in fact they do not contain any active ingredient unlike medicating patches which, instead, contain natural or synthetic active ingredients and locally release anti-inflammatory substances. In general, heating patches contain substances such as iron and coal that heat up to 40 ° C when in contact with the environment. The temperature reached remains constant for many hours. Thanks to the heat, the muscles relax and you can get relief in case of contractures. The heat, then, promotes vasodilation and therefore the blood supply (promotes blood circulation) oxygen to painful or inflamed tissues giving a sense of well-being (even in depth) and promoting healing. In short, thermal bands can be a real therapeutic treatment (therapeutic heat) and completely solve problems such as muscle tension due to fatigue or wrong posture.
What does muscle tension depend on, how can it be avoided?
Muscle tension can depend on multiple factors, such as:
- Stress
- Wrong posture
- Whiplash following an accident
- Too much sporting activity
- Little sporting activity
In many cases you do not even realize that you have this disorder, since the symptoms are barely perceptible, but then, after a few days, the pain begins to become more acute. A muscle tension that is ignored over time can cause serious problems, you can even risk being immobilized with your back and neck for a few days sometimes. It always depends on where you feel the discomfort of course, but in any case it should not be taken lightly.
In some cases it may be necessary to request the applications of a physiotherapist who, thanks to tecar therapy, an instrumental physical therapy that uses the internal heat of the body to repair tissues, can help to recover mobility of the affected part. However, this is a specific case that concerns in particular athletes, who often suffer from these disorders.
The muscles need heat to relax, as during training they tend to suffer contractions that make them “shrink”. For this reason it is always advisable to do a lot of stretching, immediately after training, just to give back to the muscles a post-exercise relaxation, which helps them to stretch again.
On the contrary, the other causes, and therefore stress, a wrong posture or an unfortunate accident – of the non-serious ones – are a little more difficult to cure only with stretching, indeed in some cases it can be harmful. Medical advice should always be consulted.
If, for example, you work many hours sitting in the same position, it is normal to create muscle tension in your back, neck and legs. We human beings were not designed for such a sedentary life, our body needs to do physical activity, if only to regenerate the mind.
So, if you spend many hours at the PC or on books, the advice is to get up every now and then even for ten minutes and do some exercise. Taking a wrong posture can cause serious problems over time.
In the case of whiplash, however, it is good to consult medical advice, because it could become a very serious discomfort if neglected.
Self-heating patches and thermal bands are alternative solutions, but it is always necessary to consult your doctor for a more complete and specific treatment.
Our recommendations
If you have occasional pain, stiffness or tension, it may be great to use a self-heating patch to relieve discomfort. These products can counteract pain for up to 8 consecutive hours thanks to constant heat. If the pain persists after a few days of treatment we recommend contacting your doctor, it could be a more serious problem for which it is advisable to investigate or start a therapy or targeted physiotherapy that perhaps also includes massages for the muscles.
Before applying the patch on the painful part, make sure that the skin is well cleansed and dry. Open the bag with your hands (without using scissors) following the appropriate instructions and apply the adhesive side of the band on the painful area avoiding applying excessive pressure. It will take about half an hour before the patch reaches the right temperature, after which it will take effect for about 8 hours.
During treatment it is recommended to stay warm and resting.
After use, the band should be removed gently and without being frightened if you notice a slight redness: this is normal.
Side effects, warnings and contraindications of self-heating patches and thermal bands
If the pain lasts for about a week or worsens, or if the painful events are repeated frequently over time, it is advisable to seek medical attention.
The self-heating bands are disposable so they cannot be reused. Before using them, you should read the package insert carefully as improper use could cause sunburn even at low temperatures.
Do not use on red, injured, bruised or irritated skin, if bruises are present in the affected skin area or in combination with other medical or cosmetic products such as creams or gels, it could damage the surface of the skin.
In case of burning, swelling, irritation after use on the affected area or direct contact with heating patches consult your doctor immediately.
It is recommended to first seek medical advice if you have circulatory problems, heart disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, or nerve injury, if you are prone to allergies, or in the case of women, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
It is not recommended for use on children under the age of twelve.
Joycelyn Elders is the author and creator of EmpowerEssence, a health and wellness blog. Elders is a respected public health advocate and pediatrician dedicated to promoting general health and well-being.
The blog covers a wide range of topics related to health and wellness, with articles organized into several categories.