If you are a working mum who suffers from neck pain and has a busy life at home and at work, you may be looking for a quick fix for your neck pain. Heat has been commonly used for centuries to help with pain relief. In this blog lets discuss if a hot pack really helps with neck pain and how to decide if it is the right for your neck pain as compared to a cold pack.
One common question that is asked about hot packs is: which is better for neck pain – dry heat or moist heat? An example of dry heat would be the electric or microwavable hot pack and moist heat can be from a hot shower or hot bath. Moist heat has better penetration but dry hot packs are more convenient to use. The kind of hot pack that you use depends on your personal preference. Just be mindful of not applying the hot pack that is too hot or going to sleep with a hot pack on due to risk of burns. Another word of caution for those who suffer from diabetes or other neuropathies and cannot differentiate between hot and cold sensation. Please refrain from using a hot pack due to risk of burns.
Lets discuss how a hot pack can help with neck pain. When you apply a hot pack, it causes the blood vessels in the area to expand and this causes the blood to flow into the area. This flow of blood brings with it an influx of nutrients and oxygen, which helps with healing the area. It also washes away the pain producing substances that may have accumulated there. This is especially helpful when you have a muscle spasm or tightness in the muscle or when you wake up with a stiff neck. Applying a hot pack does not mean it guarantees pain relief as we also need to look into and try and fix the cause of the neck pain.
On the other hand a cold pack is more helpful with acute neck pain as cold can help to ease the inflammation in the area. Cold packs are also very helpful to ease the soreness or achiness that you may feel in the neck due to the inflammation or physical stresses that built up on the neck as the days goes by. Watch this video for more details on cold packs and how to decide whether you should use a hot or a cold pack for your pain:
If you want to know the hot and cold packs that I use, you can find them HERE.
HERE is a guide to find out 'What is the source of your neck pain?' Some specific symptoms of neck pain can give you an idea of what structures can be possibly involved. Once you understand the reason for your pain you can work on the treatment accordingly. This guide will help you to learn some differentiating symptom of common neck conditions.
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