MOIST HEAT THERAPY FOR NATURAL PAIN RELIEF

Transcription

1 MOIST HEAT THERAPY FOR NATURAL PAIN RELIEF Written by: Melvin F. Baron, PharmD, MPA; Associate Professor Sandra K. Jean, MS; Medical Writer

2 MOIST HEAT THERAPY FOR NATURAL PAIN RELIEF Written by: Melvin F. Baron, PharmD, MPA; Associate Professor Sandra K. Jean, MS; Medical Writer INTRODUCTION Over 50 million adults in America report that they experience one full day of pain each month. 1 Many people turn to prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) drugs to relieve their pain. However, recent studies suggest that regular use of prescription or OTC pain relievers may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. There is a need for nondrug alternatives to relieve pain safely and effectively, and heat therapy offers such an alternative. PROBLEM STATEMENT According to a comprehensive health survey released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of four adults report that they suffered pain that persisted for at least 24 hours during the past month. 1 The most common complaints are low back pain, headache pain, and joint pain. The National Arthritis Foundation estimates that nearly 50 million people currently suffer from some form of arthritis, and that figure is expected to grow to 68 million by the year Sedentary lifestyles, expanding waistlines, and the aging of baby boomers contribute to the increase in arthritis and the joint pain associated with arthritis. Another common form of pain is menstrual pain. As many as 90% of adolescents and 50% of all women of reproductive age experience menstrual pain each month. 3,4 These figures demonstrate that an enormous number of people suffer from pain, and they are looking for ways to relieve their pain and carry out their normal activities. Many people rely on oral prescription or OTC drugs for pain relief, but regular use of these drugs is coming under fire. Many pain relievers are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and this class of drugs has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular problems. 2 of 7

3 Vioxx (rofecoxib) and Bextra (valdecoxib), both COX-2 selective NSAIDs, were withdrawn from the market in 2004 and 2005 because of increased risks of heart attack and stroke. The labeling of all prescription NSAIDs was revised to include a boxed warning highlighting the potential for increased risk of cardiovascular events and the serious, potential life-threatening gastrointestinal bleeding associated with their use. The labeling of OTC NSAIDs was revised to provide more specific information about the potential cardiovascular and gastrointestinal risks and to remind patients to limit the dose and duration of use of these products in accordance with the package instructions. 5 Use of common OTC pain relievers is also linked to increased blood pressure. A study published in 2005 found that the risk of hypertension increased with the use of acetaminophen and NSAIDs in women. 6 A study published in 2007 found that frequency of use of acetaminophen and NSAIDs was associated with a moderate increase in the risk of hypertension in men. 7 The authors conclude that these findings have important public health implications because of the widespread use of these products and the high prevalence of hypertension in the American population. The study authors recommend that these drugs be used with greater caution. Given the emerging concerns about the risks associated with use of these products and the aging of the population, there is a need for non-drug remedies to provide safe and effective relief of pain. SOLUTION Heat therapy offers a safe, natural alternative to the use of prescription or OTC drugs for pain relief. Heat therapy will not interfere with prescribed medications and can be used alone or in combination with appropriate physical therapy or exercise to prevent or reduce muscle pain, joint pain, and other common types of pain. Heat therapy meets the criteria for an ideal analgesic modality: 8 Does not require injection or any other invasive method that may produce tissue injury Is free of interactions with current medication regimens Is free of addiction potential Is free of contraindications Is free of aesthetic problems (such as odor or greasy feeling) that may affect compliance Has no systemic effects Is available in a form that minimizes the opportunity for a child to accidentally consume or be injured by the product Is portable Does not cause skin problems such as contact dermatitis May be used safely by women who are pregnant 3 of 7

4 In February 2007 the American Heart Association published a scientific statement regarding the prescribing of pain relievers for patients with or at risk of heart disease. This scientific statement is based on accumulated evidence that NSAID pain relievers (with the exception of aspirin) increase the risk for heart attack and stroke. We advise physicians to start with non-pharmacologic treatments such as physical therapy and exercise, weight loss to reduce stress on joints, and heat or cold therapy. If the non-pharmacologic approach does not provide enough pain relief or control of symptoms, we recommend a stepped-care approach when it comes to prescribing drugs. 9 Heat therapy involves the external application of heat wraps, heating pads, hot water bottles, or other forms of heat to an injured or painful area. Heat therapy can relax muscles, increase blood circulation, relieve pain, and reduce stiffness in joints, tendons, and ligaments. A Cochrane Collaboration review of clinical trials concluded that there is moderate evidence supporting the use of heat therapy for short-term relief of pain and disability in people with low back pain. 10 a continuous heat wrap was also found to be as effective as ibuprofen in relieving menstrual pain. 11 Recently introduced eight-hour heat patches have been proven effective and are convenient to use, but they can only deliver dry heat and take two hours to heat up. They cover only a small area, can cause burns, and are expensive for everyday use. Moist heat therapy is preferable to dry heat therapy because moist heat is able to penetrate the skin at lower temperatures and penetrate more quickly than dry heat. Moist heat is used in clinics, hospitals, and doctors offices every day. Doctors and physical therapists use and recommend moist heat therapy for the temporary relief of acute and chronic pain. Physical therapists wrap moist hot packs in several layers of towels and apply them directly on the area that needs treatment. The heat provided by the hot packs has several important benefits. It relaxes tight muscles, causing tissues to relax. This decreases pain caused by muscle tension or spasms. It also causes vasodilatation of the blood vessels, which increases circulation to the area. Patients with muscle strains, spasms, or arthritis often benefit from treatment with moist hot packs. The Arthritis Foundation recommends that people with joint pain apply moist heat to the joint before exercising to prevent the development of pain and swelling. 12 Up until now, only electric wire heating pads, gel packs, and grain-filled packs have been available for use at home. Unfortunately, electric heating pads have proven dangerous to use. Gel packs cannot safely deliver moist heat therapy and they can explode, leak, and cause burns when microwaved. Grain packs cannot safely reach the temperature range necessary to deliver heat therapy. They dry out, produce offensive odors, develop hot spots, and cannot be washed, resulting in bacteria and fungi growth. 4 of 7

5 NEW PRODUCTS Microwave Activated Moist Heat Wraps Bruder Healthcare Company offers a variety of THERMALON moist heat wraps and sleeves. THERMALON products contain patent pending MediBeads that continuously absorb and store water molecules from the air. After the THERMALON wrap is heated in the microwave, the stored moisture is released to provide clean, moist, penetrating heat. The minute or two it takes to heat THERMALON provides immediate relief that delivers therapeutic moist heat for up to 30 minutes. In order to deliver analgesia, heat therapy products must safely warm the skin to a range of 104 F to 113 F (40 C to 45 C) and maintain the skin in that therapeutic range for 30 minutes. 13,14 To achieve this, THERMALON products maintain a temperature range of about 116 F to 148 F for the time prescribed. Comparisons of THERMALON moist heat therapy products with other heat therapy products reveal that while THERMALON remains in the therapeutic heat range for the full 30 minutes: Hydrocollator steam packs (with cover) stay in the required heat range for only about 8 minutes. Generic gel packs, when heated according to manufacturers instructions, never safely reach the minimum temperature needed for therapeutic relief. Grain-filled moist heat wraps cannot safely reach the minimum temperature needed for therapeutic analgesic relief. THERMALON wraps are washable, remain odor-free, and do not support bacterial or fungal growth. Several styles are available in the THERMALON brand, including pads, wraps, rests and slip-on sleeves. They are designed to cover a full range of the anatomy including the neck, face, shoulders, elbows, hands, wrists, abdomen, back, hips, legs, knees, feet, and ankles. All conform comfortably and completely to body contours and both sleeves and wraps allow full mobility during treatment. All styles are reusable and may last several years with proper use. 5 of 7

6 Advantages of THERMALON Moist Heat Wraps THERMALON moist heat wraps and sleeves have the following advantages over other types of heat products: Reach higher temperatures, and unlike other products on the market maintain heat within the therapeutic range for an entire 30-minute period, the treatment time recommended by most medical professionals Require no special covers and will not dry out, dissolve, disintegrate, support microbial growth, or develop unpleasant odors like grain and organic products Penetrate deeply and more quickly at lower temperatures than dry heat wraps or gel packs Do not cause irritation or burns, unlike disposable 8-hour heat wraps or patches that are held against the skin for hours Deliver therapeutic moist heat immediately, unlike disposable 8-hour heat wraps that may take 2 hours to heat up Do not get hotter after removal from the microwave, so there is no risk of rupture, burns, or scalding as may occur with gel packs Are reusable and much more economical than disposable 8-hour wraps or patches CONCLUSION THERMALON moist heat products provide safe and natural pain relief. They are convenient and easy to use. The wraps and sleeves are designed to allow full range of motion during treatment. THERMALON provides effective therapy that complies with medically accepted protocols. 6 of 7

7 REFERENCES 1. National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health, United States, 2006 with Chartbook on Trends in the Health of Americans. Available at: Accessed May 5, Arthritis Foundation. Arthritis prevalence, activity limitations to skyrocket. Available at: Accessed May 3, Dawood MY. Primary dysmenorrhea: advances in pathogenesis and management. Obstet Gynecol. 2006;108: French L. Dysmenorrhea. Am Fam Physician. 2005;71: Food and Drug Administration. FDA Public Health Advisory. FDA announces important changes and additional warnings for COX-2 selective and non-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Available at: Accessed May 5, Forman JP, Stampfer MJ, Curhan GC. Non-narcotic analgesic dose and risk of incident hypertension in US women. Hypertension. 2005;46: Forman JP, Rimm EB, Curhan GC. Frequency of analgesic use and risk of hypertension among men. Arch Intern Med. 2007;167: Nadler, SF, Pray WS, Smith RP. Multidisciplinary Management of Musculoskeletal and Menstrual Pain. Creative Education Concepts, Inc American Heart Association. AHA statement recommends doctors change approach to prescribing pain relievers for patients with or at risk for heart disease. Available at: Accessed May 5, French SD, Cameron M, Walker BF, Reggars JW, Esterman AJ. A Cochrane review of superficial heat or cold for low back pain. Spine. 2006;31: Akin MD, Weingand KW, Hengehold DA, Goodale MB, Hinkle RT, Smith RP. Continuous low-level topical heat in the treatment of dysmenorrhea. Obstet Gynecol. 2001;97: Arthritis Foundation. Managing your arthritis. Available at: Accessed May 5, Lehman JF, DeLateur BJ. Therapeutic heat and cold. In: Lehman JF, ed. Therapeutic Heat and Cold, 3rd ed. Baltimore, Md: Williams & Wilkins; Kanui TI, Lokken P. Thermal alleviation of capsaicin chemogenic pain in rats. Pain. 1987;30(suppl 1):S50. 7 of 7