Best ways to use heat to treat muscle pain

There’s nothing like a hot towel or a warm bath to sooth tired, aching muscles. But is the heat actually doing anything for your pain, or is it just all in your head?

The science behind the way heat interacts with sore muscles is still not very well understood. But most doctors and scientists agree on one thing – heat is effective at soothing muscle pain.

What is known is that heating up a part of your body will cause your blood vessels to relax and increase blood flow to the area. That increased blood flow brings oxygen and nutrients that help heal damaged tissue.

There are many ways to apply heat to sore muscles, from applying warming creams to simply putting a blanket over your knees. But is any one method more effective than others?

Best ways to use heat to treat muscle pain

The first thing to note is that heat works best for chronic muscle pain, or for muscle injuries only after the initial swelling has gone down. This is because heat can increase inflammation in an acute injury and actually cause you more pain.

For muscle injuries that have just occurred, it’s much better to apply cold to the area to slow blood flow and inflammation.

Many people report that wet heat – such as heat from a moist towel or a sauna – is more effective at treating their muscle pain than dry heat from a blanket or heater. Studies have shown that wet heat is able to penetrate into deep tissue faster than dry heat, which may explain why.

Heating pads

Heating pads are specifically designed medical devices for applying heat to sore muscles and are highly effective if you’re willing to spend the money. Some heating pads are heated using your microwave while some are electrically powered. There are a number of different styles including cushions and flexible pads that can be wrapped around limbs.

Most heating pads are dry heat only, but there are some that are designed to be moistened to deliver wet heat. These are usually a bit more expensive and are mostly seen in physical therapist’s offices, although there are some available for home use.

Warm towels

While a heating pad will definitely be effective, it’s not necessarily going to be any more effective than wrapping your sore arm or leg in a towel you’ve warmed up on the heater or in the dryer.

Run your towel under hot water, then you even have the option of applying wet heat as well and – best of all – it’s free if you already own a towel.

Sometimes us humans can really overcomplicate things.

Baths, showers and saunas

The ultimate options for wet heat delivery, a hot bath, shower or sauna can work wonders on tired and strained muscles. Because they’re delivering penetrating heat all over your body, blood flow and oxygen levels increase everywhere, and you feel much better as a result.

They can also be good for your heart. Famous for their love of saunas, a Finnish study followed 1600 men over a 25-year period to see if sauna use had any impact on blood pressure levels.

Those who visited a sauna two or three times a week were 24 per cent less likely to have hypertension compared with those who visited once a week or less. Those who visited four to seven times a week had a 46 per cent reduction.

Warming creams

Anybody who played sport growing up will probably remember warming ointments such as Deep Heat, Voltaren or Tiger Balm. These are available from pharmacies and supermarkets and can be a very effective option for muscle pain.

After applying one of these creams directly to the painful area, you generally start to feel heat build up in the affected muscles. This heat increases blood flow, and you get the same pain-relieving effects.

Warming creams aren’t actually applying any heat to your muscles – they’re just tricking your brain into thinking there’s heat. The active ingredient in these creams is capsaicin, the same chemical that gives chilli its kick, and is a key ingredient of pepper spray.

Much like when you eat spicy food, the capsaicin sets off heat receptors and fools your nervous system into thinking you’re hot and reacting accordingly.

Whichever method you choose, applying heat to aching muscles is a good idea. But, remember, if you’ve only just injured yourself (within the past 48 hours) then ice and cold is the way to go.

Do you use heat to treat muscle soreness? Are there any other methods you use? Let us know in the comments section below.

Also read: Surgery won’t fix my chronic back pain, so what will?

Disclaimer: This article contains general information about health issues and is not advice. For health advice, consult your medical practitioner.