Can hot compress be used during the remission period of chronic pain? How can women apply it well?

In most cases, women in the remission period of chronic pain can use hot compresses. Choosing the right method can effectively relieve muscle tension and reduce the soreness and stiffness caused by chronic strain. However, there are a few special cases where it is not suitable. Blind application may actually aggravate the discomfort. There are also some views in the academic circle that some types of hot compresses during the remission period of chronic pain will slow down recovery, and cannot be generalized.

A girl in the same department had been suffering from myofasciitis on her waist for half a year. When she was in pain, she even had to bend down to pick things up. She finally got through the remission period and stiffness only occurred after sitting for a long time. She would hold a hot water bag and apply it on her waist for 20 minutes every day when she got home from get off work. This lasted for less than two weeks. She used to have to rub her waist for a long time to move when she got up in the morning. Now she can get down to the ground directly after getting up, and most of the stiffness has disappeared. But don’t think of hot compress as a panacea for all kinds of pain. When I accompanied her to the pain department for a follow-up consultation, I heard the doctor mention different applicable boundaries. If your chronic pain is neuropathic, such as post-herpetic pain, or there are local skin breaks, dermatitis, or chronic joint pain caused by gout. If you apply it casually before the uric acid is controlled to the normal range, the dilated blood vessels will cause local inflammatory factors to spread faster, and the pain that has been suppressed can easily resurface. Some studies also believe that for the remission period of chronic pain accompanied by latent edema, hot compresses may aggravate tissue exudation, but are not as effective as normal temperature wet compresses. There is no need to adhere to hot compresses. There is another special situation that we girls should pay attention to. If it is the remission period of chronic pelvic pain or dysmenorrhea, and the menstrual flow is relatively heavy, it is best not to apply it on the lower abdomen near the menstrual period, otherwise it may lead to heavy menstrual flow and prolonged menstrual period.

If you confirm that your situation is suitable for hot compress, you don’t just put a warmer on the painful area. I have tried several methods of applying it and walked through many pitfalls before I found a comfortable and effective way. It is best not to apply the warmer directly on the skin, which gets hot as soon as it is torn off. I tried to apply it on my shoulders and neck before, but it turned red in less than ten minutes and left marks for a long time. It is best to wrap it with two layers of soft cotton towels before applying it, or directly use a warm and wet towel that is twisted to about 42℃ without dripping water, and the hot compress position is Just find the "source" of the pain. For example, if you have a shoulder or neck pain, apply it to the hard trapezius muscle nodule. Don't apply it here and there to dissipate heat. Applying it for 15 to 20 minutes each time is enough. I used to apply it for almost an hour just to feel comfortable. In the end, my skin was red and itchy for a long time before it disappeared. It was totally not worth the gain.

Now in winter, I always keep a small silicone hot water bottle in the drawer of my work desk. After sitting for an hour, I put it on the back of my waist and apply it for ten minutes. It is much milder than that spicy plaster, and it has no smell and will not disturb the colleagues next to me. If your muscles are sore and swollen just after exercise, don’t apply it right away. Wait half an hour for your sweating to subside and your heart rate to stabilize before applying it. Otherwise, your pores will be fully open and you will easily be exposed to cold wind. In fact, there is no unified "best way to apply it". If you are not sure whether you can apply it, just ask the doctor who treated you first. After all, everyone's pain causes and physical constitution are different, and the one that suits you is the most effective.