Last updated 27/12/2023 by The pain clinics - Interdisciplinary Health

Heat against back pain - what does the research say?

Heat is often used to dissolve back pain and muscle pain around the body, but what exactly does the research say about the effect of heat on back pain? We turn directly to the best research in the field, namely a Cochrane meta-analysis. In a meta-analysis, the research that exists in the field, in this instance, gathers heat against back pain, and tells us whether this has a clinical effect or not.

Heat in the treatment of back pain? - Wikimedia Commons Photos

Results:

«Nine trials involving 1117 participants were included. In two trials of 258 participants with a mix of acute and sub-acute low-back pain, heat wrap therapy significantly reduced pain after five days (weighted mean difference (WMD) 1.06, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.68 to 1.45, scale range 0 to 5) compared to oral placebo. One trial of 90 participants with acute low-back pain found that a heated blanket significantly decreased acute low-back pain immediately after application (WMD -32.20, 95% CI -38.69 to -25.71, scale range 0 to 100). One trial of 100 participants with a mix of acute and sub-acute low-back pain examined the additional effects of adding exercise to heat wrap, and found that it reduced pain after seven days. There is insufficient evidence to evaluate the effects of cold for low-back pain, and conflicting evidence for any differences between heat and cold for low-back pain. "

 

9 studies with 1117 participants were included in this meta-analysis. Heat therapy gave significant pain relief after five days compared to placebo. Another study with 90 participants found that heat blanket provided significant pain relief for low back pain immediately. Another study showed that in acute and subacute low back pain, the combination of heat therapy with exercise produced a pain-relieving effect over 7 days.

Conclusion: 

«The evidence base to support the common practice of superficial heat and cold for low back pain is limited and there is a need for future higher-quality randomized controlled trials. There is moderate evidence in a small number of trials that heat wrap therapy provides a small short-term reduction in pain and disability in a population with a mix of acute and sub-acute low-back pain, and that the addition of exercise further reduces pain and improves function. »

The research (French et al, 2006) states that better and larger studies are needed to be able to say something with certainty around heat therapy in the treatment of back pain, but that it is positive trends in several of the studies. The combination of heat therapy and exercise seems to have an increased effect.

So using heat to treat back pain and muscles may appear to have one pain-relieving effect.

- 'Heat can have a relieving effect on back pain' - Photo Wikimedia

Recommended Products:

We recommend the following unique heat belts for lower back pain:

Heat cover for lumbar spine - Photo Soothe

- Warm Belt (Dr. Soothe) (read more or order via this link)

 

We recommend the following unique heat wraps for pain in the neck, shoulders and upper back:

Heat cover for neck, shoulders and upper back - Photo Sunny

- Heat cover for upper back, shoulders and neck (Sunny Bay) (read more or order via this link)

Remember that the tariff limit has gone up to NOK 350 as of 01.01.2015. We have also checked with the following products, and both are sent to Norway at the time of writing.

If you have any questions, it's great if you post them via the comments section below or via our facebook page. We will do our best to help you within 24 hours.

Source:

French SD, Cameron M, Walker BF, Reggars JW, Esterman AJ. Superficial heat or cold for low back pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2006, Issue 1. Art. No .: CD004750. DOI: 10.1002 / 14651858.CD004750.pub2.

URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD004750.pub2/abstract

keywords:
Heat, back pain, back pain, muscle pain, pain, cochrane, study

Also read:

- Pain in the neck?

- Backache?