Role of Heat and Electrical Stimulation in Richmond Back Pain Treatment
What is more comforting – heat or ice? Bet you said ‘heat’! Johnson Chiropractic understands. Heat is comfortable and comforting to many Richmond back pain sufferers. Cold is effective therapy and recommended in initial treatment phases, but heat plays a part in healing. When paired - heat and electrical stimulation - pain cannot help but relent. Heat and electrical stimulation calm and soothe pain. Johnson Chiropractic recommends that Richmond back pain and neck pain patients use heat, ice and electrical stimulation as appropriate for pain relief.
BENEFIT OF HEAT FOR PAIN RELIEF
Heat decreases the perception of pain for many. Heat and cold lead the listing of things that low back pain patients believe decreased their pain most followed by medication, rest, exercise, speaking with a health professional, stretching, not doing aggravating activities, and psychological changes. (1) Doctors try to find ways to elicit “offset analgesia,” a disproportionally large decrease in pain as a result of a small decrease in stimulation intensity. Heat is a familiar and documented manner to do this. Electrical stimulation is another. Perceived or real, the pain reduction is positive for a back pain sufferer. (2) If something decreases pain for a Richmond back pain patient, Johnson Chiropractic will consider using it.
BENEFIT OF HEAT AND ELECTRICAL STIMULATION FOR BACK PAIN RELIEF
Heat feels good. Electrical stimulation feels good. Back pain and neck pain sufferers seek feeling “good” when they are in pain. For nonspecific low back pain sufferers, it is a significant cause of disability, larger than any other health condition globally. Doctors and researchers are constantly looking for a way to better control it. One group of researchers hypothesized that electrical muscle stimulation and heat would produce better pain relief and improve patients’ subjective view of pain. And their experimental trial showed that they were right! They discovered a statistically significant reduction in pain after 18 treatments. The relief was even noted at a 12 week follow up. Patients’ mood in addition to muscle strength and endurance also improved. (3) Johnson Chiropractic directs Richmond back pain and neck pain sufferers to pain relief with all types of modalities. Whatever it takes! The heat and stimulation combination enhance each other’s benefit.
CONTACT Johnson Chiropractic
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. David Homer on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson. For some conditions like spasmodic torticollis, heat can be particularly comforting and pain relieving. The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management integrates heat, too, in in-office chiropractic care and at- home care.
Schedule your Richmond chiropractic appointment today! Johnson Chiropractic is all about nonsurgical and nonpharmacological Richmond pain relief. If heat is comforting and relieving to a Richmond back pain sufferer, Johnson Chiropractic is prepared to try it!
