Heat therapy increases circulation, which decreases inflammation and helps your muscles to repair themselves. This is why heating pads can be so beneficial for minor aches and pains.
Falling asleep while using a heating pad should always be avoided. Whether it's heat or ice, for that matter, there is no need to fall asleep with either on the skin as both can cause severe and disfiguring burns.
If you suffer from soreness or muscle fatigue, you likely own a heating pad and use it fairly often. But is it safe to sleep with a heating pad? For your own safety, you should not fall asleep while using a heating pad. Extended use of heat or ice on your body can actually cause more harm than help.
A hot pack can provide pain relief to the chronic aching joints that accompany arthritis. Here are some tips on safe use of a heating pad. Do not sleep with a heating pad or you may get a burn. Only use a heating pad for 15-30 minutes per hour.
There are many benefits and uses for heating pads that can help relieve aches, pains, cramps, and muscle stiffness. Heating pads are a form of heat therapy that promotes consistent circulation throughout the body. When faced with an injury, heating pads are a great way to reduce muscle or joint discomfort.
Prolonged use of hot packs and heating pads, or application of a heat source that is overly hot without a barrier on the skin, can cause contact burns.
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“Heat actually has the opposite effect of ice,” Dr. Behr says. “It causes small blood vessels to open which can stimulate inflammation rather than relieve it.” Heat treatments should be used for chronic conditions to help relax and loosen tissues, and to stimulate blood flow to the area.
Heat. Brings more blood to the area where it is applied. Reduces joint stiffness and muscle spasm, which makes it useful when muscles are tight.
Heat helps soothe sore muscles that cause back pain or neck pain. It works best for injuries that are at least few days old. Heat opens blood vessels, which can assist the healing process and alleviate some of your pain. Additionally, some arthritis pain from stiff joints can benefit from heat as blood flow increases.
Apply heat for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Moist heat (hot packs, baths, showers) works better than dry heat. Try an all-day heat wrap, available in pharmacies. If you are using an electric heating pad, avoid falling asleep while the pad is on.
It Can Burn Your Skin
But, if you leave it in the same spot for a while, your skin will feel the heat. Eventually, it is going to burn. You can burn your skin due to overexposure to one area of the body. So, avoid sleeping with the heating pad in your bed.
Don't apply a pad to damaged skin, open wounds, or any area with nerve damage. Never use a heating pad with a cracked electrical cord.
Sleeping with your electric heating pad is dangerous and can lead to fires or skin burns, even if it has an auto shutoff function. If you're looking to ease your pain while you sleep, a recommended method is to use a microwaveable heating pad.
Use of heat, such as applying heating pads to aching joints, taking hot baths or showers, or immersing painful joints in warm paraffin wax, can help relieve pain temporarily. Be careful not to burn yourself. Use heating pads for no more than 20 minutes at a time.
Most injuries cause your body to react with inflammation and swelling. Ice is used to cool down the injured joint or tissue and reduce swelling. By contrast, heat would cause an opposite and undesired reaction. Heat treatment is more appropriate to use during recovery as you rehab back to full health.
Applying heat to a body part stimulates blood circulation to the injury site. This oxygen-rich blood brings nutrients to the affected area, promoting healing. Heat also helps to remove lactic acid buildup from overtaxed muscles, which allows them to “un-clench.”
DON'T: Use a heating pad and an electric blanket at the same time. Use an electric blanket or heating pad that has a cracked, frayed or charred cord. Put anything on top of a heating pad or an electric blanket, including other blankets or pets, as this can cause the devices to overheat.
Never use a heating pad or electric blanket while you are sleeping. These products are designed for use while you are awake and can pose a serious fire risk if left unattended while you are sleeping.
Heat therapy can help ease acute and chronic back pain. A person should apply heat to their back to help relax the muscles, reducing pain. Applying heat to the muscles can cause the blood vessels to dilate, improving circulation. This promotes the healing of any damaged muscle.
Generally, heat should be applied 1-3 times a day for 10-15 minutes at a time – however, if heat is added too early in the healing process, it can perpetuate the inflammation cycle and be harmful to the body. Ultimately, the decision to use ice or heat for pain relief is up to you.
If your sciatica pain recurs often, try keeping a heating pad near your bed, which you can use as soon as you wake up. By loosening your tissues and improving your blood circulation soon after waking, you can prevent sciatica from starting or flaring once you get up and begin to move around.
Heating pads, electric blankets, hot water bottles, or even extremely hot baths can all be relaxing and soothing, but for someone with diabetes, they can be dangerous. If you already have nerve cell damage, you may not be able to tell how hot a heating pad is, and you run the risk of burning your feet.
Both heat and cold have been shown to help reduce headache pain. Heat from a rice bag or heating pad increases the blood flow to your brain while cold from an ice pack decreases the blood going to your brain. Which you choose all depends on preference and what you think works best.