The heating patches are medical devices useful in case of muscle , joint and menstrual pain: let’s see what they contain, how they are used and how the heating patches work .

What are heating patches and how they work

The heating patches 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 exploiting the heat : they are patches formulated with substances that in contact with the air react by producing heat.

In fact, generally in the heating patches iron and carbon are present which in contact with the air cause the patch to heat up to 40 ° C; the temperature is maintained for several hours.
The heat promotes the relaxation of the muscles giving relief in case of contractures ; moreover, the heat increases vasodilation and, consequently, increases the supply of blood and oxygen to the inflamed tissues, thus promoting healing.

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When to use heating patches

The heating patches are useful in case of contractures , tears, cramps, muscle and joint tension: they can therefore be applied to have relief in case of back pain, neck pain, lumbago, stiff neck, and in case of pain in elbows, knees and joints in general.

Warming patches are also helpful in relieving menstrual pain .

The heating patches are applied to the painful area , on clean, dry skin, removing the protective film and carefully pressing the patch onto the skin to make sure that it adheres perfectly.
Warming patches should not be used while sleeping as they may cause sunburn and care should be taken if you have sensitive skin.

Differences between heating patches and medicated patches

Heating patches , 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 pain, including patches formulated with active ingredients that can be synthetic or natural.

Medicated patches work differently than heating patches, as 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 increases 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 reduce pain and inflammation .