$Unique_ID{BRK00798}
$Pretitle{Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue}
$Title{What Kind of Heat is Used for Back Pain?}
$Subject{back pain treatment}
$Volume{M-18}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


What Kind of Heat is Used for Back Pain?


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QUESTION:  I went to my doctor to be treated for back pains, and he
recommended that I "put some heat on it."  However, he was not very specific
as to what kind of heat to use or how to apply it.  Can you help?

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ANSWER:  External applications of heat are an effective way to bring
additional circulation to an injured portion of the body and speed the healing
process.  There are different techniques of applying heat to the body, but the
easiest and most convenient devices to use are the heating pad, hot pack, or
the ever-reliable hot water bottle.  Infrared sources of heat are easy to use,
but they do not always heat body areas evenly.  Both infrared and paraffin wax
are useful in heating irregular-shaped areas of the body (such as the hands
and feet), but you may find the wax a little messy to deal with.
     Your doctor, or a specialist in the field can make use of shortwave or
microwave diathermy, literally passing a current through the body to heat
internal structures.  Ultrasound is only effective on very small areas, and is
used to treat conditions such as tennis elbow.
     Curiously, treating afflicted areas with cold rather than heat
(cryotherapy as opposed to thermotherapy) often achieves the same goal of
relieving pain, although through different bodily processes.  Most people
usually prefer heat treatments, probably for the same reason Hawaii is a
more popular vacation spot than Alaska.
ÿ
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
