Home — World self-care & traditional therapies — Heat & water
Local heat therapy (pack, wrap)
heat pack
A listing is not a recommendation.
Origin: Worldwide (a basic method in physiotherapy) · Tradition: Physical therapy and household heat · Heat & water
What it is
Basic self-care of warming a local area to ease the sense of muscle tightness or pain. It is often used for period pain and for long-standing low back pain or stiff shoulders.
A short introduction (not a treatment instruction)
- Around 40°C, through a cloth, for 15 to 20 minutes. Watch for low-temperature burns.
- Do not leave an electric pad or a warmer directly on the same place for a long time.
- When acute swelling or inflammation is strong, first judge whether cold is more suitable (if unsure, see a professional).
Symptoms or aims often mentioned with this practice
- Low back pain
- Stiff shoulders
- Period pain
- Muscle stiffness
- Neck pain
Related symptom videos
Research notes (this is not a promise of effect)
B: Randomised trials or systematic reviews exist, but reports are modest, the group studied is limited, or study quality is limited
Superficial heat is used to ease symptoms in acute to subacute low back pain and similar conditions, and it appears in the context of conservative care on NCCIH’s low-back page. Any change is symptomatic.
Sources
Safety notes
Low-temperature burns (especially in older people, diabetes, or a warmer left on during sleep).
If you are unsure, or if you have a health condition, are pregnant, or take medicine, consult a qualified professional.
Situations in which this is better avoided
- Long use on an area of reduced sensation
- Acute inflammation with strong heat and swelling (when judgement is unsure)
- A malignant-tumour site: consult a professional