Pain Relief – Research Heat Wraps
Heat Wraps More Effective Than ibuprofen and acetaminophen for Low Back Pain
The primary cause of disability is lower back pain. The cost of this is staggering, it is estimated to be in the range of twenty to fifty Billion dollars per year. A simple heat wrap may help reduce this amount. 1A research program using 371 patients, compared the use of ibuprofen and acetaminophen ( as used in Excedrin / Tylenol) to therapy with standard heat wraps. Over a six month period this study found that low heat applied to the back worked better than the maximun recommended dose of these common over the counter medicences. They also discovered that the effects of the heat wraps were maintain for up to 48 hours after the heat was applied.
This conculsion is the result of a nationwide study led by a sports medicine researcher (Dr. Scott F. Nadler, director of sports medicine at UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School in Newark and co-investigator of the study).
In the six-month study involving 371 patients, participants were given the maximum recommended non-prescription dosages of ibuprofen and acetaminophen or low level wrap heat therapy for two days to treat acute low back pain.
The results showed that the low level heat wrap therapy provided significantly more pain relief beginning on the first day of treatment than the oral analgesics and that the effects lasted more than 48 hours after the treatment was completed.
"This is the first study to compare the effectiveness of topical heat treatment versus oral analgesics for treating muscle pain and stiffness .. Confirming that this treatment is effective is important to patients because it gives them a treatment option that does not have the potential risk to the liver, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract than can accompany inappropriate analgesic usage," "On the first day of treatment, the heat wrap gave patients greater pain relief . 33% better then ibuprofen and 52% better than acetaminophen, when compared to ibuprofen and acetaminophen," Dr. Nadler said.
The participants in the study were between the ages of 18 and 55 years of age and were evaluated to be experiencing at least moderate back pain. They were assigned to one of five groups and underwent treatment continuously over two days.
One group was given ibuprofen three times a day. A second group was given acetaminophen ( Excedrin / Tylenol)four times a day. A third group was given only oral placebos. The fourth group wore a heat wrap around the lumbar region of the torso. The researchers found that the heat wrap group showed significant improvements in pain relief, lateral trunk flexibility, muscle stiffness and disability compared with the patients taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
Ibuprofen Tradenames
- U.S.: Advil, Bayer Select Ibuprofen Pain Relief Formula Caplets, Cramp End, Dolgesic, Excedrin IB, Genpril, Haltran, Ibifon 600 Caplets, Ibren, Ibu, Ibuprin, Ibuprohm, Medipren, Midol, Motrin, Nuprin, Q-Profen, Rufen, Trendar
- Canada: Actiprofen, Advil, Apo-Ibuprofen, Medipren, Motrin, Novo-Profen, Nu-Ibuprofen
- U.K.: Brufen, Nurofen, Apsifen, Ebufac, Fenbid, Motrin, Paxofen, Advil, Ibufem, Novaprin
1 Agency for Healthcare Policy and Research of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
From the jounal Spine and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey 09-06-2002
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