Go Compare: Heat Pads for Chronic Pain

Where it is essential you seek ICE in the first instance (the acute and sub acute stage needs to stem the flow of blood, whereas heat exacerbates the situation), with chronic pain, particularly herniated / impinged disc pain, the warmth of a (protected) hot water bottle on the back, is actually quite alleviating.

But it’s not always practical to walk around with a hot water bottle, is it? So companies have started developing heat patches you can stick to your skin so that you can carry on with your day.

I went ahead and tested 2 current leading patches; Thermacare Heatwraps (£5.99 for a 2 pack) and Voltarol Thermal Patch (£2.89 for a 2 pack). There are other labels on the market which I have yet to try.

 

ThermaCare Heatwraps

The pack I purchased was for the lower back and hip area. However, they have a range to ensure they mould to appropriate parts of the body, shoulders, knees etc).

The whole shape has been well thought through with individual little pockets of the heating element (iron) as well as the actual material which sticks to your skin, and is very flexible. Therefore the whole wrap envelops your contours and moves with you. You also feel the heat begin as soon as you place this against your skin. It states you can have up to 16 hours wearing it, but this thing kept emitting heat for a further 24 hours sat in my waste paper basket after use!  I was very impressed and therefore, although if you were to use them daily, it could be seen as costly. However, it was a great aid when I needed to be out and about.

Voltarol Thermal Patches

These were far less impressive.

From peeling it and having it stuck against my back, within 2 minutes the pack was already un-sticking itself (peeling at the edges) and was yet to warm up. I’d also given it a fair old shake up (like a ‘sweet n low’ as I tried to shake the iron powder into the corners of the packs so that the correct part of my body would actually benefit from this. From a brief visit to the shops, the pad had already completely unstuck itself and fell down on the floor and it never did really warm up. I was just ‘aware’ of a vague chemical reaction having taken place.  I would have been better Pritt-sticking 2 sugar packets against my back for all the good it did!

Not flexible, unable to adhere to your movements and contours, barely warm and useless shape, covering minimum area. Even though this item is cheaper than the ThermaCare wraps, it didn’t deliver on any level: I will certainly NOT be purchasing this item again. A complete waste of time and money.

Conclusion: Buy ThermaCare Heat Wraps if you need therapeutic heat whilst on the move.

Test Driven: The Backnobber II

I must start with an apology; my infantile rants about the name of this item must not detract from what a great piece of kit this truly is. So, innuendo aside, let me talk to you about the “Backnobber II”.

A simple ‘S’ shaped cousin of the ‘back scratcher’ makes all the difference when you are desperately seeking alleviation from tight/knotted muscles. Of course, a sports massage is the most constructive way to sort your grumpy muscles, but trigger pointing can really help and, after the initial purchase cost, there is no further charge for you to sort yourself out in any emergencies. It’s a way to make you independent but also, like a First Aid kit, at any time day or night, you can grab this tool and press in to any misbehaving muscles in your back, neck or shoulders.

And there’s no need to know about pressure or trigger points; your body will be sending enough signals for you to want to just ram the bulb straight in there and wiggle. In this scenario: “don’t think; feel!” (the only disclaimer I have there is, don’t press directly onto bone, or it will hurt more than muscle!)

The ‘S’ has a simple release button in the centre should you wish to halve its size and pack away in a compact case for example. 

I find this item a perfect piece of kit to add to my ‘Fix Myself Toolbag'.

Great design. It has helped me out on multiple occasions.

Back Injury: Muscle Strain or Muscle Spasm

So you’ve injured your back? It feels tight, very painful and makes you wince when you attempt to flex forward, left or right?

In the immediate situation, if you are unable to see a professional right away, a great ‘first aid kit’ to have floating around your home would be the following items:

-          Immediate answer: ice pack

-          An elastic waist band (See attached video)

-          Some Voltarol gel

-          Pain killers

-          I suggest you stay away from heat creams and packs until you know exactly what you are dealing with.

When I first couldn’t move, the muscles had gone into spasm in my back to protect the discs. It was only a few days later when, instead of easing, the pain got worse and nerves were practically vibrating into my abs and belly button. Also, an ice pack wasn’t doing anything useful; it was heat my back craved. It was then I realised this was a herniated disc at minimum and I had to really fight with my doctor for an MRI. I ended up paying out of my own money to prove I was right.

If you find yourself battling with doctors, demand a referral to a physiotherapist straight away. If you have medical insurance, demand a referral for an MRI so everyone knows what they’re dealing with. I’m sorry, but Doctors are there to minimise cost to their surgery. Mine was a great accountant; she really cared – about the bottom line in her surgery…

Drugs:

If it is just a muscle spasm, or even strain, congratulations; you will get better relatively quickly and it’s a mere incline on the graph of ‘Get Well Soon’. Your doctor may recommend Naproxen to help with the inflammation. Perhaps they may also suggest other drugs. But I would ALWAYS converse with a physio as they actually care about fixing you, not patching you up and getting you out of their surgery as quickly as possible.

Best of luck on your speedy recovery. Get the right assistance from day one and you should be fixed in no time!