pain and discomfort Archives

Since the 16th century, containers made of metal and filled with hot coals have been used to warm beds. The downside was always the risk of fire due to a stray spark or steaming embers catching.

Nevertheless, it is has proven to be very useful from then until now. We even covered the evolution of our favourite warming tool in a recent deep dive into the history of the hot water bottle.

Vintage Hot Water Bottles

We used to use the stone hot water bottles all the time “when I were a lad”. Glad you mentioned about wrapping them. I can confirm that bare feet and a bare hot stone bottle do not go well together!
Also be careful when you get out of bed in the morning that you don’t roll or push it onto the floor where it may break or even worse you tread on it!!! OUCH!!!
Perhaps you could investigate having your own modern/repro branded ones made for sale? We used to get replacement rubber washers from the local plumbers merchants & they do seem to be still available on eBay.
Keeping it Short and Simple (on YouTube)

Over time, its nature and purpose have of course been improved a lot. Unlike then, containers are currently made up of thermoplastic or rubber that can withstand and keep the heat for a longer period of time. Hot water bottle safety standards are higher.

Instead of coals, they are filled with hot water and sealed by a screw cap. Now, they are easier to use and more portable. Moreover, they are not only used as a relief during cold nights but also to ease aches and pains while helping to alleviate stress.

Hot water bottles for relieving pain

One of the most common uses of the hot water bottle is to ease body pains. These include colon problems, back pain, muscle pain, neck pain, or joint pain. It can also relieve stomach cramps due to menstruation.

Moreover, it is very easy to use. Put the water bottle on the painful part of your body. Then, let the heat gradually drift through your body, leading hopefully to instant pain relief.

Are you sleeping comfortably?

On very cold nights, an extra long hot water bottle can be used to warm the body. You can embrace it while lying down or you can put it beside you or inside the blanket to mitigate the coldness of the season.

You can sleep comfortably without the need for a heater that will only increase your electricity bill. We love saving a few pounds, plus the longer hot water bottles stay warm for hours.

Man Sleeping — Comfortable sleeping is a must

Heat therapy for relieving stress

After a long day at work, you can put it on your forehead while resting or lying down to relieve the stress. This is also a good pain relief when you experience back and neck pain due to prolonged sitting in the office.

A cover with loop and tie string makes for the perfect travel companion

Since it is portable, it is a good travel companion. Whether for a long flight or road trip, it is better to carry a hot water bottle. You might get cold or numb due to a longer period of travel. Who knows? You never know when you will need it.

Take your hot water bottle on outdoor activities

While watching your favourite sport or hanging out with friends outside on a cold day, a long hot water bottle is a very good companion.

You can tuck it in inside your jacket, and then you’ll never worry about the cold again. It is also good to carry around when camping. There’s a good chance that it will be cold at the camp site, therefore a hot water bottle can be used to warm the body.

You can continue talking and relaxing with your buddies without being bothered by the coldness.

At night, you can put it inside your sleeping bag, snuggling beside it to be able to sleep comfortably. When it is no longer warm, you can use empty out the water and re-fill.

Unfortunately, the water is unlikely to be reusable as it will be rubber infused, so no good for making tea or washing up with.

use a hot water bottle on a camping trip — Hot water bottles are good for camping

Easing muscle cramps and pains

After an intense physical activity like working out in a gym or playing sports, a hot water bottle can be used to treat sore muscles. It will prevent them from hurting too much the next day.

Coughs, runny noses, and colds are very common during cold nights. You can put the hot water bottle on top of your chest to help you breathe more freely and sleep comfortably. Maybe smear a touch of Vicks VapoRub on as well?

You never know what you can get from a very simple solution. Let one of our extra long hot water bottles do the hard work. Remove inconvenience, relax after a long day and enjoy that soothing warmth. Truly, a lot of benefits can be derived from an easy and convenient hot water bottle.

When it comes to cold weather and circulation problems, hot water bottles or other heat-based therapies can help

Arthritis or Spasms – Get Instant Relief with Heat Therapy

Do you experience tingling or throbbing pain in your limbs? Are your fingers and toes growing numb? Do older adults at home often complain of body aches, including sprains and spasms in their muscles? Would you believe in alleviating all this pain naturally rather than popping analgesics? You’ve come to the right place.

Our body’s circulatory system:

With the heart at the centre, the circulatory system in our body is responsible for sending oxygen and other nutrients in the blood to all parts of the body. Poor circulation of blood to any part of the body will first of all manifest in your hands and feet.

Causes for poor circulation of blood:

1. Overweight and obesity;

2. Diabetes and diabetic neuropathy;

3. Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) where there is a narrowing of arteries and blood vessels in the body;

4. Atherosclerosis in which plaque builds up in arteries and blood vessels and not allowing blood to flow freely through them;

5. Varicose Veins;

6. Blood clots;

7. Raynaud’s disease that is hands and feet going unusually cold due to narrowing of the blood vessels and

8. Bad heart condition

Every underlying condition behind poor blood circulation has its own set of symptoms. Potential red flags are raised when you begin experiencing unexplained pain in your limbs, muscles, and bones.

Why you must not ignore the poor circulation

Reduced blood flow and circulation over a long period of time causes several dilapidating health issues such as nerve and tissue damage. Untreated, it can lead to brain strokes or heart attacks, both of which can prove fatal.

We’ve seen how poor circulation is not a disease in itself. There can be a number of reasons why blood does not flow adequately to all parts of your body. A thorough diagnosis from your doctor will tell you what the underlying causes are. It is of paramount importance that you tell them your own medical history to help them assess your condition.

Blood circulation — Don’t ignore poor circulation

Heat as an effective therapy for soreness and pain in the muscles

You have probably heard many times from your coach, trainer, teacher, or doctor that heat relaxes tense muscles. There are a lot of thermotherapies available in the market, promising good results.

You could soak your feet in a warm water bath, use hot-mist towels to wrap around your hurting limbs or use hot water bottles and heating pads for topical relief.

Keep reading this article as we reveal how the heat will help your body recover from pesky aches and pains by improving blood circulation…

Do you experience aches and pains when you get on the gym floor?

If you enjoy a bit of gym therapy, irrespective of how often you work-out, body pains from exercising affects everyone from champions to newcomers. Soreness and stiffness is sometimes the price that you pay for being fit and active.

When you exercise, the body goes through the twin process of aerobic respiration and anaerobic respiration. While aerobic respiration helps in the intake of more oxygen, anaerobic respiration helps to burn the sugars within it.

This process of burning sugars in oxygen releases lactic acid in the worked-out muscles. A combination of overworked muscles and lactic acid production in them is what causes you to groan in pain.

A specific type of heat therapy may feel better for one person than for another, and it may require some experimentation to figure out which one works best.
Spine Health

What happens when you apply heat to the sore muscles

First of all, blood vessels begin widening, allowing a free flow of blood that also facilitates the removal of increased lactic acid in the worked-out muscles. This alleviates pain in the area.

– The heat also allows the toxins to flow out of the area

– The muscles become elastic by the introduction of the heat

– And finally, the nerve endings in that area get stimulated, which block the pain signals

Applying heat soothes worn-out muscles. Place a heat pack on the muscles which were aching before you started exercising. This will reduce the existing pain and help prevent new pain from developing in those muscles.

It is safe to use heat on your neck as well as your back. You may even apply heat patches, pads, and insulated water bags on recent and old injuries that are nagging.

It is usually viewed as safe and effective to use heat in arthritis pain like stiff knees and elbows. Doctors recommend heat therapy treatments to loosen tense muscles if the headache is due to overstress.

There are three types of heat therapy treatments

#1 Dry heat is also called ‘conducted’ heat therapy and is usually from heat sources such as heating pads, heat packs, heat water bottles and hot water saunas.

#2 Moist heat is also called ‘convection’ heat therapy and uses steamed towels/washcloths, warm moist packs and hot water baths. This is slightly more effective than the former.

#3 Professional heat therapies administered by physiotherapists like heat from an ultrasound machine help treat tender muscles and joints.

Chronic injuries vs. acute injuries

As a rule of the thumb, heat therapy is good only for those injuries that are not swollen or inflamed. Acute injuries must be instead treated with cold therapy. This is because heat will raise the skin’s temperature near the injury and increase the blood flow around it, leading to more bleeding from that injured spot.

An ice pack on the acute injury will reduce pain and swelling as it will narrow the blood vessels and help reduce internal bleeding.

Ice pack for swollen ankles — Ice packs reduce swelling

Hot water bottles can help ease the discomfort

Make sure that you wrap a towel loosely around the affected area before using the heating pad or bottle. In all cases, avoid direct contact of the heating surface directly on your skin. Keep the session short and no longer than 15 to 20 minutes at a stretch.

Directly using the heated pad and bottle in contact with your skin or using it beyond 20 minutes may result in accidental burning or scalding of your skin. Ensure that a safe cover is applied to your extra long hot water bottle and the hot rubber does not come in to contact with your skin.

Whether you will use a heated plug-in type of pad or a hot water bottle that is filled with hot water, never go to bed with the heated equipment still in contact with your skin. There is a danger that your skin will become too warm. The electric type heating pad can also accidentally start a fire.

Conclusion

Do not hesitate to call on your doctor or schedule an appointment if the pain seems to increase or you see other worrying symptoms at the pain site. Your doctor may order an X-ray, MRI, or a CT scan done for a better diagnosis.

That is the best way forward because pain, however inconsequential, can be at worst debilitating or at least a point of constant discomfort.

This blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult a qualified practitioner if you are unsure.

Tag: pain and discomfort

What are the benefits of using an extra long hot water bottle?