Why Use Moist Heat for Back Pain?

If you have an aching back and are desperate to make the pain go away, using moist heat may be the route to go.

Healing

• According to Dr. Stephen H. Hochschuler, a bath or a whirlpool creates moist heat. This type of heat can assist healing by relaxing your spasming muscles and increasing your circulation.

Effects

• The goal is for the heat to penetrate deep into your muscles, which can be achieved via moist or dry heat. Heat helps reduce the stiffness of your muscles.

Hot vs. Cold

• While applying ice to your back may be helpful the first two days after the pain begins, heat therapy is more effective after that. Some people use both hot and cold compresses or techniques.

Dry vs. Moist Heat

• There is a difference between moist heat therapy and dry heat therapy. Using a heating pad is applying dry heat. The disadvantage of this approach is that it can dehydrate your skin, because dry heat draws out moisture, according to Moistheatingpad.net. Using heat wraps, moist heating packs, hot baths or steamed towels are examples of moist heat therapy. The advantage of doing this is that it does not dry out your skin, and the moist heat penetrates into the joints, soft tissues and muscles more effectively.

Warning

• If you have diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, severe cognitive impairment, deep vein thrombosis, dermatitis, an open wound, or your muscle is bruised and swollen, do not apply either dry or moist heat.