Yes, Deep Heat (heat therapy) can help nerve pain, especially when caused by muscle tension, by relaxing tight muscles, increasing blood flow, and temporarily blocking pain signals, but it's less ideal for acute inflammation where ice is better; use heat for chronic stiffness and after the initial injury phase (after 48-72 hours), but avoid if there's significant swelling or inflammation.
Once the inflammation calms down, heat can help relax any tense muscles near the pinched nerve. Heat can also stimulate blood flow, which can aid in healing. Try using a heating pad or a warm compress. As with ice, you should protect your skin from direct heat.
To stop nerve pain immediately, topical lidocaine or capsaicin creams/patches can provide quick numbing relief, while prescription options like anti-seizure drugs (gabapentin) or strong painkillers (tramadol) offer faster but not always instant relief; gentle stretches, TENS, and relaxation techniques can also help manage acute flare-ups by blocking pain signals or relaxing muscles.
Nerve Pain
Pain caused by conditions such as sciatica respond well to ice or cold treatments because that temperature tends to calm inflammation and numb any soreness in the tissue. It's best to use cold when the pain is still sharp and move on to heat once that sharpness has subsided.
A cold pack or ice for a pinched nerve can calm swelling if the area is visibly inflamed, but this likely won't speed up recovery³. A heat pack for a pinched nerve often provides better relief and faster recovery because it relaxes tight muscles contributing to the compression⁵.
These treatments might include:
For use on the skin only, avoid contact with eyes, mouth, or other sensitive areas. Do not apply this heat rub to broken or inflamed skin. Speak to your doctor before using Deep Heat Cream if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, asthmatic, or using any prescribed medicines.
Heat can worsen nerve pain through: Increased blood flow (vasodilation), which may irritate inflamed tissues. Loss of fluids and electrolytes, which affects nerve impulse transmission. Body temperature elevation, especially problematic in conditions like MS.
During recovery, exercise is incredibly important not just to help your muscles regain function, but also to increase blood flow throughout your body. This, in turn, speeds nerve healing. Likewise, inactivity slows progress. You don't want to overdo it, but the more you move your muscles, the better.
Deep Heat Max Strength is a particularly effective pain relief tool that can help you to ease high levels of discomfort or pain by rubbing the topical cream onto the base of the spine (the rear of your pelvis) where the sciatic nerve is.
Peripheral neuropathy can result from traumatic injuries, infections, metabolic problems, inherited causes and exposure to toxins. One of the most common causes of neuropathy is diabetes. People with peripheral neuropathy usually describe the pain as stabbing, burning or tingling.
The best creams for nerve pain in Australia often feature Capsaicin (like Zostrix HP) or Lidocaine, which work by blocking pain signals, while some natural options include Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA); however, effectiveness varies, and consulting a doctor or pharmacist is crucial to find the right product, especially with options like strong capsaicin (prescription-strength) or topical NSAIDs (Voltaren) for related inflammation.
Common nerve healing signs include
First-line treatments for trapped nerves include:
Use on clean, dry skin. Tear open the plastic packet, remove the protective film from patch and apply to affected area. The patch activates within 1 minute and will heat up within 5 minutes providing penetrating warmth for 8 hours. Once removed it can continue to provide pain relief for a further 8 hours.
Capsaicin cream and patch
You may benefit from using capsaicin, which comes as a cream or a patch you wear on your skin. Capsaicin is the substance that makes chilli peppers hot and is thought to work in neuropathic pain by stopping the nerves sending pain messages to the brain.
Mild nerve injuries, such as those caused by compression, often heal within weeks. Patients typically experience significant improvement in about 6-8 weeks. It is common to experience nerve pain, including sharp pain, during the early stages of recovery. Consistent care and therapy might accelerate this timeline.
One promising strategy to accelerate peripheral nerve regeneration is the application of electrical stimulation directly on the injured nerve. Immediately following nerve injury, electrical stimulation has been shown to enhance early regenerative stages, including neuronal survival and axonal sprout formation [20].
The signs of nerve damage include the following:
Heat is helpful when there isn't inflammation, when you want to help reduce joint stiffness, loosen tight muscles and increase blood flow. Avoid using heat 48 hours after injury, where there is tissue damage or inflammation. This can increase bleeding under the skin, and may worsen the condition.
Contains: Methyl salicylate 12.8%w/w, Menthol 5.91%w/w, Eucalyptus oil 1.97%w/w, Turpentine oil 1.47%w/w. Caution: Not suitable for use in children under five years.
Deep Heat may help relieve sciatica, so you can incorporate this cream into your massage if it's suitable [7]. Treat yourself to a professional massage. Talk to your massage therapist about your condition and key areas of pain to get the most from your treatment.
Create the right sleeping environment
Make sure that your pillows and mattress are comfortable and don't leave you with added pain or stiffness throughout the night or in the morning. Moving bedsheets and blankets so they're not touching your legs and feet can also help with intensified nerve pain.
Vitamin and Nutrition Deficiency-related nerve damage
People can develop nerve damage because they have deficiencies in certain vitamins. The deficiencies that are most likely to cause this are copper and vitamins B1, B6, B9, B12, folic acid (B9) and E. Too much vitamin B6 can also cause this.