The heating plasters are medical devices useful in case of muscle, joint and menstrual pain : let's see what they contain, how the heating plasters are used and how they work .
What are heating patches and how they work
The heating plasters are medical devices that can be purchased in pharmacies and used for thermotherapy, that is the therapy that uses heat. Normally the heating patches do not contain medicines and work by taking advantage of the heat : they are patches formulated with substances that react by producing heat when in contact with the air.
Generally, in the heating patches there are iron and coal which, in contact with the air, cause the patch to heat up to 40 ° C; the temperature is maintained for several hours.
The heat favors the relaxation of the muscles giving relief in case of contractures ; moreover heat increases vasodilation and, consequently, increases the supply of blood and oxygen to inflamed tissues, thus promoting healing.
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When to use the heating patches
The heating plasters are useful in case of contractures, tears, cramps, muscular and articular tensions: they can therefore be applied to have relief in case of back pain, pain in the neck, back pain, stiff neck, and in case of pain in the elbows, knees and joints in general.
The heating plasters are also useful for alleviating menstrual pain .
The heating patches are applied in the area affected by pain, on clean and dry skin, removing the protective film and carefully pressing the patch on the skin to make it adhere perfectly.
Heating patches should not be used during sleep as they could cause burns and care should be taken in case of sensitive skin.
Differences between heating plasters and medicated plasters
The heating plasters, as we have seen, do not generally contain active ingredients . On the market there are different types of patches that can be used in case of muscle and joint pains, including the patches formulated with active ingredients that can be synthetic or natural.
Medicated plasters work differently than heating plasters, since they do not generate heat but locally release anti-inflammatory substances that reduce pain.
The occlusion of the skin at the level of the patch causes an increase in the hydration of the skin and, consequently, allows a better absorption of the active ingredients contained in the medicated plaster; in this way the substances contained in the medicated plaster are able to act in the inflamed area and to reduce pain and inflammation .
