Can women use hot compress during the remission period of chronic pain?

There is no absolute yes or no to this question. Most women can use hot compresses during the remission period of chronic pain. Only a few cases with special causes should be avoided.

We usually encounter the most chronic pain in women, such as neck and shoulder muscle strain caused by long-term desk work, primary dysmenorrhea, and non-acute chronic pelvic pain. In the remission period, there is no problem of acute edema and leakage. Warm stimulation can loosen muscles and tendons that have been tight for a long time. The membrane can also speed up local blood circulation and slowly take away the inflammatory metabolic waste accumulated in the soft tissue. To put it bluntly, it is like flushing some warm water into a partially blocked sewer pipe. The accumulated dirt will move away faster, and the discomfort of soreness and stiffness will naturally be much lighter.

There was a 34-year-old junior high school teacher who came to me to check her waist. She had been giving lectures for 10 years and had chronic lumbar muscle strain for almost 5 years. When it was severe, she even had trouble bending down to pick up chalk. I always thought that it only needed to be dealt with when the pain was severe and that I didn't need to worry about it during the remission period. Later, I asked her to go home. All she needed to do was apply a waist warmer at about 42 degrees for 15 minutes. She didn’t need to apply it every day. She only had to apply it once during workdays after get off work. She persisted for two months. She used to suffer from acute back pain at least twice a month. Now, she hasn’t had much pain in two months. Even the waist sinking feeling that she always had during menstruation has become much lighter.

But this is really not suitable for everyone. Last week, I saw a 26-year-old girl who suffered from post-herpetic neuralgia after getting shingles. She had pain in her right waist for almost half a year. She finally got through the remission period and the pain was less frequent. After seeing other people saying that hot compress was effective, she applied a hot water bag every day. However, after applying it for a week, the stinging sensation worsened, and it hurt even if she rubbed her skin with clothes. When she came to check, she found that the warm stimulation had increased the sensitivity of the damaged nerves, which was not helping.

In addition to this kind of neuropathic chronic pain, if there is eczema or damage to the local skin during the remission period, do not use hot compresses as it can easily aggravate the infection.； There are also some people who have not yet found out the cause of chronic abdominal pain. If they feel an unknown mass in their stomach, do not apply heat casually. If the mass is an inflammatory abscess or the like, hot compress will speed up blood circulation and easily spread the inflammation, which may cause problems.

If it is really suitable for hot compress, don't be too hot. The temperature should be controlled at 40-45 degrees. It is best to feel warm to the touch without burning the skin. Apply it for 15-20 minutes each time. Don't sleep with it on. Every year, we encounter several people who fall asleep with a hot water bag and get low-temperature burns. They originally wanted to feel more comfortable, but instead suffered a lot. It is completely unnecessary.