Difference between revisions of "Make A Simple Hot Compress for Muscle Pain"

Make a [[Make A Simple Hot Compress for Muscle Pain|hot compress]] to soothe aching muscles. This can be helpful to alleviate pain in chronic injuries or injuries that are more than a day or two old.<ref name="rf1">https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=85&ContentID=P00918</ref> If you are treating an acute muscle injury (recent ones within the last 24–48 hours), you should [[Ice an Injury|treat the injury with ice]]. Note, however, that if your injury is serious you should always seek evaluation from a medical professional or a physiotherapist.

[[Category: Hot and Cold Compresses]]

#Heat your whole body.<ref name="rf2">http://www.healthline.com/health/chronic-pain/treating-pain-with-heat-and-cold#Heatvs.Cold1</ref> Rather than making a compress for a specific area of your body, if you have multiple sore muscles or your whole body is sore after a grueling working heating your whole body can be an effective way for pain relief (and it can also speed up your post-workout recovery time). Options include:

#*Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water (at least 8 cups a day). Prolonged exposure to heat can cause dehydration so it's important to drink ample water.<ref name="rf2" />

#*Be careful not to burn yourself. Check the temperature of the hot towel before using or, if you are using a heating pad or hot water bottle, you should wrap it in a towel or cloth prior to use to ensure you do not burn your skin.<ref name="rf1" />

#Understand why heat can be soothing and help to ease muscle pain. Heat helps your sore muscle(s) to relax by stimulating the blood flow to the area and diminishing muscle spasms.<ref name="rf1" />

#*Muscle pain commonly occurs in over-worked muscles due to the build-up of something called lactic acid.<ref name="rf1" />

#*Lactic acid is a metabolic by-product of challenging workouts (or challenging sports games), and you need to increase the blood flow to the sore muscle in order to clear the lactic acid out.<ref name="rf1" />

#*Note that if you have chronically sore muscles, heat prior to working out (or prior to a sports event) can help to ease any pain you may feel during the activity itself.<ref name="rf1" />

#Try other options. If you have a heating pad at home, or a hot water bottle, these can be quick and effective "home remedies" for sore muscles.<ref name="rf2" /> If you find that you have sore muscles regularly, you may want to invest in a heating pad or a hot water bottle to avoid having to make your own hot compress with a towel and hot water every time.

#Use an anti-inflammatory cream or gel.<ref name="rf3">http://www.webmd.com/drug-medication/otc-pain-relief-10/topical-pain-relievers</ref> Rub it on the sore muscle(s) following exercise. Examples include Bengay or Voltaren. Ask your doctor or local pharmacist for other suggestions.

#Try topical capsaicin. This is derived from hot chili peppers, and can serve as an effective pain-killer.<ref name="rf3" /> When you first apply capsaicin to your skin, it may have a tingling or slight burning sensation.<ref name="rf3" /> Do not worry as this is to be expected.

#*Note that capsaicin may take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks (applied once daily) to become effective in terms of pain relief.<ref name="rf3" /> If you are going to try this method, stick to it for this time frame before coming to any conclusions about whether or not it works for you.