Sometime during their lifetime, nearly all people will feel knee pain. The causes of knee pain are numerous, some are: arthritis, injured ligaments, meniscal tears, patellar tendonitis, and dislocated kneecaps. Sometimes an injured knee can be fixed with an operation; but there are some that need physical therapy plus a lot of time to heal. Other ailments, like an arthritic knee, can actually cause simple activities like going for a walk to be painful. Thermotherapy, or heat therapy using a wheat bag is one of the most beneficial treatments in alleviating knee pain, whatever the symptoms.
A wheat bag has been shown to help knee pain considerably. Heat therapy opens up the blood vessels, and as a result more oxygen is supplied to the body which helps repair damaged tissues. This improvement in blood circulation through the knee will provide additional oxygen, protein and nutrients which will help promote healing. Using a heated wheat bag offers relief from the pain when the skin’s pain sensors are stimulated. Heat actually lessens the intensity and number of pain signals sent to the brain.
Heat therapy helps with knee pain by relaxing and loosening the tissue around the knee. Muscles, tendons, as well as the ligaments are free to move, so this decreases the risk of additional injury. Heat therapy is a good treatment also for decreasing stiffness and increasing limberness for sufferers with arthritis.
Using a wheat bag provides the most benefit during the first fifteen minutes that it is applied, most physicians and physical therapist recommend this. Heat therapy is also advised before exercise as well as additional activities that could result in pain. Heat applied following exercise is a good remedy to avoid pain and hurting, also. Swelling is usually one of the symptoms of an injured knee and heat therapy works very well to decrease the inflammation.
Heat therapy is different from ice therapy because it is not restricted to just the initial 48 hours following an injury. The hotness from the heat can be applied anytime when pain is experienced, someone feels stiff, has decreased flexibility, or inflammation. Using a microwave heated wheat bag at the beginning of the day, can reduce arthritis pain measurably, so a person can make it through the day.
Many options are available for heat therapy, but many of these options are complicated to apply, making it difficult to keep the heat applied directly and correctly. A wheat bag for microwave use is a nice substitute for some items, since it conforms itself to shape of the area that is affected. The heat pack provides this extra flexibility to wrap around the area of pain.
Millions of people deal with knee pain, from a minor pain to a debilitating pain. Heat therapy using a wheat bag or heat pack is able to bring relief for the discomfort, swelling, stiffness and loss of flexibility. Keep in mind that, when you apply heat therapy, it is most effective during those first fifteen minutes. Also, using heat before a physical workout or activity greatly decreases the risk of additional injury.
