Using heat therapy to treat arthritis pain helps to relax muscles and stimulate circulation. It may be helpful to apply heat before doing stretching exercises, as it warms the muscles and helps them stretch. This article includes tips on how to use a hot water bottle or gel packs, heating pads and specific methods to use heat therapy on your hands. If you have hot, swollen joints, heat may not be helpful and ice may be more beneficial. If you have circulatory problems, consult your doctor.

Switching between hot and cold therapies can help relieve psoriatic arthritis pain. Heat therapy can relieve stiffness and cold therapy can soothe joints.

Massage therapists use heat—a lot. From hot packs to heated stones and poultices, practitioners apply heat in many forms. Even in summer, our clients seem to love a hot towel or warmed table. So, why are we so fond of heat?

A Physiotherapists Guide To Heat v Cold Therapy - Which To Use For Acute Pain - Flare Ups - Chronic Pain

Infrared-Light-Red-Heat-lamp - 275W Near Red Infrared Heat Lamp for Relieve Joint Pain and Muscle Aches for Body Standing Heat Lamp

The ultrasonic waves cause a deep heating effect locally, with the patient normally feeling no sensation of this heat. http://www.massageprocedures.com/complementary-modalities/therapeutic-ultrasound/

Portable, home-based units provide a convenient and safe method for applying TENS to your pain areas.

Hot stone therapy works similarly to that heated rice pack to increase relaxation and decrease pain, but with the added benefit of massage therapy.

Not all aches and pains can be treated the same way. We asked an orthopedic surgeon and a physical therapist when to use heat or ice to help recover from injury, reduce soreness and stiffness, and soothe pain.