Do you know someone that would benefit from heat therapy? Is it you?

Muscle aches and joint stiffness is no joke! Back pain, knee pain, shoulder pain, arthritis and headaches... all of these can really take their toll on physical and mental wellbeing, especially if it's a chronic illness. 

This is where the benefits of heat therapy can really help.

I'm going to dive into how you can use heat therapy for pain and what products you can use at home, such as wheat bags.

I'll also discuss the different types of heat therapy and their benefits but first, let’s go over how heat therapy works.

How does heat therapy actually work?

From experience I've always known that heat therapy works but never actually how it works.

So, I've scoured the internet to discover the science behind the how.

And what I have discovered is this....heat therapy works by improving your circulation and the flow of blood and nutrients by dilating local cutaneous blood vessels (vasodilation) in an area on your body due to the increase in temperature.

Here's an infographic I created to help you understand:

• Dry heat (or “conducted heat therapy”) includes sources like heating pads, dry heating packs, and even saunas. This heat is easy to apply.
• Moist heat (or “convection heat”) includes sources like steamed towels, moist heating packs, or hot baths. Moist heat may be slightly more effective as well as require less application time for the same results.

Your choice of heat therapy is mostly a matter of personal preference. For instance, moist heat tends to be more effective when body fat is above 25% of the body weight.

When is best to use heat therapy?

A general rule of thumb is to use heat therapy for muscle pain and stiffness.

Heat therapy also really helps with chronic illness sufferers. It can provide comfort for people with conditions such as fibromyalgia, endometriosis, crohn's disease and many more - Shout out to my Spoonies out there!

Using heat therapy for pain relief at home

You can use different home solutions for heat therapy for different size areas of pain. For example, for small areas of pain like a stiff muscle, you could use small wheat bag, heated gel packs or a hot water bottle.

For larger areas and general stiffness, a steamed towel, large wheat bag, or wearable wheat bags are best.

For a full body treatment, things like saunas or a hot bath are recommended.

Effective heat therapy products typically stay warm for a long period of time. This enables the heat to transfer from your skin to the afflicted area.

I encourage you to experiment with the large variety of options to help you discover what is most effective for you. 

If you're considering a wheat bag, this option offers moist heat, which works on your muscles on a deeper level and is in many ways more efficient than dry heat.

Read: 5 Best Wheat Bag Brands for Neck & Back Pain (2022)

(Image credit: https://www.which.co.uk/)

How long do you microwave a wheat bag?

The recommended maximum time for how long to heat a wheat bag is three minutes. 

Please remember - Never leave your wheat bag unattended during heating and watch for signs of overheating such as a burning smell, or smoke. If this happens, simply remove the wheat bag from the microwave and place on a cold surface, such as a kitchen sink.

Only heat using a domestic microwave (max 1000 watts) and ensure it's clean and free from food and liquid. Place your wheat bag in a microwave and heat on full power for a maximum of:

• 3mins - 700 Watt
• 2mins - 800 Watt
• 1.5 mins - 1000 Watt 

Never heat your wheat bag in a conventional oven.

Are wheat bags safe to use? Absolutely!

As with any product involving heat, there is a danger of fire and a risk of injury to you if you do not use it properly.

Always follow the instructions carefully to ensure your wheat bag isn't heated in a microwave for too long, or at too high a temperature.

My biggest ask is that you never leave the microwave unattended when heating a wheat bag.

Don't reheat the bag until it has completely cooled – which may be two hours after initial heating. Continual heating and drying of a wheat bag may overheat it to ignition point.

When heating it in a microwave, place a cup or bowl of water in with the wheat bag to reduce this risk.

Wheat bags are traditionally used for the intended purpose of application to the body over a thin layer of material, NOT as a bed warmer. 

They make a super alternative to a traditional hot water bottle and are often favoured due to reduced risk of scalding.

Safety tips

Do's:

• Refer to our heating instructions before heating your wheat bag.
• Use only as a heat pack for application to the body over a thin layer of material, such as clothing.
• Watch for over-use – an over-cooked odour, a smell of burning, smoking or charring.
• Leave to cool in a safe area and on a non-combustible surface, like a kitchen sink.
• Use only as a heat pack for direct application to the body, do not use to warm beds, as this can lead to ignition.

Don'ts:

• Don't use your wheat bag as a bed warmer.
• Don't over-heat (recommended maximum is 3 minutes for manufactured bags).
• Don't reheat the bag until it has completely cooled – which may be 2 hours after initial heating.
• Don't leave the microwave unattended when heating a bag.
• Don't store the wheat bag until it is cold.
• Don't place your wheat bag on any part of your body (not near open wounds or sensitive skin) .

Overheating and fire risks

It's essential that care is taken when heating any wheat filled product to avoid damage and to ensure complete safety; it's important to note that burn holes can appear in the following circumstances:

• The product has overheated either because it has been heated for longer than the recommended time for the wattage of the appliance or re-heated before being allowed to fully cool to room temperature; a wheat bag must be completely cold before reheating. 
• The turntable was not rotating properly, so the product heated unevenly causing a ‘hotspot’ to develop.
• The product came into contact with residue of food or liquid on the turntable.
• Something was inadvertently stuck to the fabric which caused it to smoulder when heated.
• Perfumes, lotions, saliva or sweat were present on the fabric.
• The product was not fully dry after cleaning before being re-heated.
• The product was covered after being heated, causing the wheat grains to char.

Wheat bags are a great holistic remedy to ease aches, pains, injuries and discomfort as well as aiding relaxation, so above all else, enjoy your instant personal warmer - Tash x