Heating pads: electric, saline, rubber with hot water. Where and how to apply them

Every day, people are faced with various diseases, which can result in health problems and all sorts of complications in the work of internal organs. To avoid this, it is necessary to take appropriate measures in a timely manner and resort to treatment.

Among the variety of medicines that exist today, it is so easy to get confused, so many people prefer alternative methods of treatment, one of which is the use of a salt heater, which has proven its effectiveness over the years.

Modern salt heaters are significantly different from those that were used several decades ago. Let's look at what salt heaters are for, and how exactly they should be used at home.

What is a salt heater

Salt heating pad is a fairly easy-to-use parting that will be useful in every home. This is a universal heat source that does not require power supply or other auxiliary heating devices to heat up.

The principle of operation of a salt heater is quite simple, so everyone can handle it. Thanks to its versatility and mobility, a salt heater can be an excellent tool for warming up in camping conditions and on the road.

A salt heater is a container filled with saline, which, in fact, is a source of heat.

The principle of operation of the salt heater

In order for the solution to begin to heat up, it is enough just to bend the starter located inside the container and made in the form of a small stick. In some models of heaters, instead of a starter, there is a button inside the container that you need to press to heat the heater.

After that, the process of crystallization of the solution begins, during which heat is released. The saline solution changes from a liquid to a solid state, and the heating pad heats up to 50 degrees Celsius in just a few seconds.

Before using it, in order to avoid burns, it is recommended to wrap the heating pad with a towel or scarf. An ordinary salt heating pad holds heat for 3-4 hours and can take the shape of the body, depending on which particular place it was applied to.

Varieties of salt heaters

Thanks to the popularity and effectiveness of salt heaters, several varieties of them have appeared, each of which has its own characteristics and advantages. Classic salt heater has the form of a bag, which can be of different sizes, depending on the purpose of the heating pad.

Another fairly popular type of salt heater is heating pad "collar", which allows you to warm up the cervical region, relieve pain and tension from the muscles of the collar zone.

With help lumbar heating pad eliminate pain in the back and lower back. In the cold season, as well as for some diseases, it will be very useful Salt foot warmers. They are made in the form of insoles and are placed in shoes, perfectly warming up the sole and keeping warm for a long time.

Popular in cosmetology salt warmers made in the form of face masks. They work on the same principle as conventional heating pads, however, they have a non-standard shape, thanks to which they ideally fit on the face and warm it up in the right places, allowing cosmetics applied to the skin to penetrate better and be absorbed faster.

Areas of application for salt heaters

One of the most common areas of application of a salt heater is ENT diseases. If you are bothered by a runny nose or cough, it is enough just to undergo a course of treatment with a saline heating pad, applying it to your nose or throat daily until you are completely cured. It effectively copes with such a complex disease as sinusitis and helps well with ear diseases.

Salt heating pads are sometimes used as a means of warming bruises and joints. In some cases, such heating pads are recommended for the treatment of osteochondrosis, rheumatism and convulsions.

In the cold season, a salt heating pad can be put in a stroller with a child, as it is environmentally friendly and hypoallergenic.

Ekaterina Makhnonosova

There are many varieties of heating pads, among which saline ones are the most popular and versatile. The product can be used for many purposes. Instructions for using a salt heater will help you properly use it for recreational purposes, without harming your body.

Salt water heater - what is it?

Salt heating pad is a universal device with which you can simplify the process of recovery during a cold, eliminate the pathology of the nasopharynx and joint diseases. This excellent source of heat can replace such an unpleasant procedure as warming up with mustard plasters or cans.

Salt heaters are a self-heating type of heating pads that are reusable. The work is based on the effect of heat release, which occurs as a result of a change in the state of certain materials. Most often, this is the crystallization of salts from a supersaturated solution. This kind of heaters can be used not only for the purpose of heating, but also for cooling.

This is a method of quickly obtaining heat at any time of the day. In order to warm up the heating pad, there is no need for additional heat sources, as, for example, as with a conventional water heater.

The salt heater is able to instantly heat up to a temperature of 52 degrees, while the heat is retained for quite a long time, on average, about 2-3 hours. The duration of thermal exposure depends on the dimensions of the heating pad, its shape, materials.

The effect of dry heat on the human body

Dry heat has a positive effect on the health of the human body. With it, you can significantly reduce soreness, reduce inflammation, which is often observed with colds, infectious pathologies. With the help of heating pads, the vessels and the circulatory system as a whole are trained. As a result of the increase in temperature indicators, the circulatory system increases the blood supply to the skin and tissues.

As a result of the heat that acts from the salt heater, there is an increase in the formation of urea, the removal of lactic acid from the tissue. With an excess of these substances in the body, fatigue is observed. As a result of exposure to heat, the metabolism is accelerated, which has a beneficial effect on the patient's condition, accelerating the healing process. This can be explained by the mobilization of a natural physiological process, that is, the activation of the defense system and an increase in immunity.

How can you use a salt water bottle?

This type of heating pad is multifunctional, as there are many different ways to use it on any part of the body. Today, various manufacturers produce products that have absolutely all kinds of shapes and dimensions. This allows everyone to choose the most suitable option for themselves. Salt heating pad can be used to treat and prevent many different pathologies in children and adults.

Due to the fact that it gets warm very quickly without additional heat sources, it can be used anywhere for the purpose of therapeutic effects or simply to warm up the surface, for example, in winter, to heat a pram, crib, sled or car seats. This is a fairly popular source of heat among fans of fishing, hunting, among tourists in winter. In such conditions, a self-heating heating pad is the most suitable option.

You can buy the device both on the Internet and in medical equipment stores. Depending on the methods of application, you can choose the appropriate form.

There are warmers in the form of animals, hearts, snowflakes and other various shapes, as well as in the form of shoe insoles, collars, mattresses, face masks and so on.

Indications for use

Recently, such a device has often been used to heat the legs, hands, during a long stay in the cold. You can use a warming mattress or collar for the elderly and children, which is especially important during sharp and acute pain. The instructions indicate that the device has many different indications for use, while using it is quite easy, simple and safe.

The main indications include:

• the development of colds is an excellent alternative to mustard plasters;
• diseases of the ENT area - the device warms up the maxillary sinuses well, is suitable for the treatment of bronchitis, tonsillitis of many other pathologies;
• pathology of muscles and joints - often used in the development, sciatica, with the development of muscle pain or as a result of intense physical exertion;
• warming up the legs, which is especially important for vegetative-vascular dystonia, after a long stay in the cold;
• reducing stress, for which a heating pad in the form of a collar is most often used.

The instructions for the device indicate that it can be used to reduce symptoms in hypertension or hypotension, as a result of exposure to heat, pressure normalizes. However, this is not all the indications for which a salt heater is needed.

The saline applicator can improve the condition of the skin. For example, cosmetologists advise using this device for the purpose of deeper cleansing of pores during cleansing, as well as to enhance the effect of care and medical cosmetics. To do this, it is better to use a heating pad in the form of a mask.

Many new mothers use saline heating pads in the process of dealing with colic in children. This is a great alternative to a warm diaper, which will help reduce the pain of colic, soothe the baby.

Interesting fact:

It is known that during warming up, there is an outflow of blood from the brain, and this, in turn, has a positive effect on the emotional and mental state of a person.

The device can even be used as a warming up of shoes in the winter season or warming up hands, if the heating pad is small, then you can simply put it inside the mittens.

Unlike a conventional heating pad, this type has many advantages, including compact dimensions, low weight, and the ability to use it on the road, since there is no need for an additional source. In addition, the device is reusable, which is also an indisputable plus.

Video "How to use a salt heating pad, and why is it needed?"

Demonstrative video, which details the methods of using the applicator for health purposes, as well as how to use it correctly.

Using a salt heating pad for children

This device maintains a temperature of 52 degrees for a long time, providing deep heating, eliminating the risk of burns. It is for these reasons that a salt heating pad is often used for children, in particular, this device is most popular for intestinal colic.

Almost every mother knows that this problem can be solved by applying a heated diaper to the stomach. But it cools down very quickly, it needs to be heated regularly, while a salt heater can keep warm for up to 4 hours.

It can also be used in the complex therapy of such pathologies as bronchitis, tracheitis, colds, it will be an excellent alternative to mustard plasters, which are not recommended for use at a particularly young age. As a preventive measure, exposure to dry heat can also be used for various diseases of the ENT area.

If the child has been diagnosed with dysplasia, then a saline heating pad can be used instead of paraffin heating. It will also perfectly warm up the joints and tissues, while the use will be much more convenient for the mother and for the child.

Salt heating pad can be used as a cold compress, which is especially important for parents of very active kids who are often injured.

You can use the device to warm a crib or stroller, you can take a salt heater on the road, thereby ensuring the optimal temperature for water or baby food.

Salt heating instructions

The device is quite easy to start, so even a child will cope with this task. Depending on the manufacturer and type of heater, the method of turning it on may vary slightly. Usage is divided into two periods - startup and recovery. Do not forget that the device is reusable, so do not throw it away after the first use.

1. Launch

This type of heating pad is a container inside which there is a supersaturated saline solution. Most often it is a solution of sodium acetate. In a calm state, it is in liquid form, while either a stick or a trigger floats inside the solution. There are models where instead of a stick there is a small round button.

During the bending of this stick, the solution goes out of equilibrium, while the bent stick or the pressed button is currently the center of crystallization. At this time, the transition to the solid state occurs. As a result of this transition, heat is released, the heating pad is heated to a temperature of 50-54 degrees. Depending on the size and type of heating pad, its operating time can be from 30 minutes to an hour. The operating time is also affected by the outside temperature.

After the heating pad is started, it is necessary to knead it slightly in your hands, this will add softness, help the device take the necessary shape to facilitate heating the surface.

2. Recovery

The recovery process is the reverse process of starting up. To do this, the heating pad must be wrapped in a cloth and placed in boiling water for 10-20 minutes. As a result of heat absorption, the dissolution of crystals is observed, which contributes to the return of the liquid state of the heating pad. After that, the device can be reused.

How to use a heating pad as a cold compress?

The device can also be used as a source of cold. To do this, a heating pad that has not been started must be placed in the refrigerator for about half an hour. During this time, the device should cool to a temperature of 4-6 degrees. This kind of compress keeps cold several times longer than ice.

Do not place a hot salt heating pad in the refrigerator or freezer. This can cause damage to the refrigerator. You can also not put the heating pad in the refrigerator in a state of disrepair, even after the moment of cooling. This can provoke a breakdown, as a result of which it will then be inconvenient to use it for further heating.

It is unacceptable to place the device in a freezer, as at a temperature of 5-8 degrees below zero, the heater may self-crystallize.

Contraindications

Despite the safety of using such a heat source, there are certain contraindications that are indicated in the instructions. So, it is unacceptable to use heat in the development of acute inflammatory processes and the presence of open wounds, abscesses. If a cold or pathology of the ENT region caused an increase in body temperature, then it is not recommended to use a heating pad to warm up to a decrease in temperature.

List of contraindications:

• pain in the abdomen of a sharp nature, which may be caused by the development of appendicitis, cholecystitis, or as a result of the formation of an ovarian cyst;
• bleeding, in which you can not use a heating pad in a heated form (including menstruation);
• oncological pathologies;
• diseases of the thyroid gland and endocrine system;
• diseases of the cardiovascular system, which are at the stage of exacerbation.

In childhood, in the absence of the above contraindications, you can use a salt heating pad from the first months of life. With regard to pregnancy, the saline applicator can only be used in case of urgent need and after consulting a doctor.

Heating the saline applicator in the microwave and cooling it to 8 degrees below zero may render the device unusable.

If the heating pad is torn, then it cannot be repaired. When choosing an applicator in the form of insoles, you cannot use them while walking, since the allowable pressure on such a device reaches 90 kg.

Heating pads are versatile heating tools that are used in various areas of life. They are used both for therapeutic procedures for the purpose of warming up, and for warming individual parts of the body in winter frosts. The most high-quality and harmless warming is carried out in the process of using salt heaters. Often these are reusable, less often disposable plastic bags filled with saline, which is the heat-generating component.

How does a salt heater work

The work of the salt heater is based on the chemical process of interaction of salt concentrate with an aluminum spring and other components that are not toxic and do not have a negative effect on the body. A chemical reaction is accompanied by an immediate release of heat. It should be noted that the heat obtained during the interaction of the reagents remains for a long time. The duration of maintaining the temperature depends on the concentration of the composition in the compress and the volume of the package. Detailed information is indicated on the heating pad itself.

Indications for the use of a salt heating pad

As you know, heating pads are designed not only to warm individual parts of the body in cold weather. Often they are used for therapeutic purposes to relieve inflammation, warm up during colds, to expand blood vessels, etc. It is worth noting that these thermal packs can even be used for cosmetic purposes.

The device has the following indications regarding the treatment and prevention of diseases:

• abundant local inflammatory processes;
• in the first hours after mechanical damage (sprains, bruises, etc., if you use a salt heater as a cooling element);
• bleeding from the nasal cavity;
• as part of postoperative rehabilitation;
• with meningitis, sinusitis, bronchitis and other diseases.

Application for newborns

Salt heating pad is a “magic” remedy that allows you to save your baby from colic. In order to use it for an infant, you should consult a pediatrician regarding the method of applying a thermo-compress. Often, so that the temperature of the heating pad is not too hot for the baby, it is wrapped in a cloth or towel made of natural material and applied to the baby's tummy. Such a tool is easy to use and can be bought at a pharmacy - it is sold almost everywhere.

Salt heating instructions

A product such as a salt heater is a versatile and necessary appliance in every home. To use the thermal compress, you must activate it, after which a chemical reaction begins inside the heating pad with the release of heat. The heating process is carried out very quickly, in about 30 seconds, reaching the optimum temperature of 52-55 degrees. During heating, the liquid inside the plastic bag changes color and becomes solid. For this reason, it is necessary to immediately apply a thermal compress to the area to be warmed so that the package takes on the curves of the body with local interaction.

How to turn on the heating pad and how long the heat lasts

To activate the heating pad, you should squeeze it. In most cases, if the device is designed to withstand a load, such as a heating pad, a collar heating pad, or a back heating pad, then the compression process is carried out by itself. After the pressure in the plastic bag has increased, the reaction begins with the release of heat.

How to restore the device

This heating element is quite popular due to the fact that no additional tools or complex processes are required for its restoration, recharging. All that is needed in order for the heating pad to start producing heat again is to boil it in ordinary water. This procedure is carried out for 20 minutes, after which the element is again able to perform its direct functions.

Overview of salt heaters with a photo

To date, there is a huge range of salt heaters, which are used in different areas of life and for various purposes. Below is a list of the most popular products that are in the greatest demand.

Warmer "Super ENT" for the nose

This is a reusable heating pad, which is designed specifically for the treatment of ENT diseases, including: sinusitis, frontal sinusitis, rhinitis, etc. Due to its convenient shape and light weight, which is equal to 130 grams, it can be easily applied to the nose area, while the process of warming the sinuses will not cause any discomfort. For the manufacture of the product, only environmental materials are used that are not toxic. Inside, the heating pad contains saline solution, which is widely used in various areas of life. The heating temperature is 53 degrees, and this indicator can remain unchanged for 85 minutes.

"Insole" for feet

This is a special insole, which is designed to fit inside shoes for contact warming of the feet. This option is perfect for fans of winter sports, including fishing, hunting, snowboarding, etc. The composition of the heating pad includes components such as water, activated carbon, salt, cellulose and iron, which makes the device completely non-toxic. The average temperature of the insole is approximately 35 degrees, while the maximum temperature is 39 degrees. The heat generated by the device is retained for five hours or more.

"Matrasik" for the back and joints

This heating pad is a small plastic bag filled with concentrated saline solution. Its dimensions are approximately 29 cm long and 18 cm wide, which makes the heating tool a convenient device that is easy to use for domestic purposes. The maximum heating temperature of the heating pad is 55 degrees. To activate the process of salt crystallization with heat release, it is only necessary to slightly compress the spring immersed in the liquid. To use the tool again, it should be immersed in water and boiled for 20 minutes, after which the heating pad is able to return to its functions.

"Children's"

Children's heating pads are practically no different from classic salt heating pads. The principle of their work is the process of salt crystallization, which makes the product completely environmentally friendly. Most often, children's heating pads have an interesting shape and pattern for kids, they are often sold in the form of cartoon characters or fairy tales. When heated, the solution reaches a temperature comfortable for the child's body and cannot harm the child's body. However, you should consult your pediatrician before using these heating pads.

"Mega" for hands

This type of heating pads is represented by a set of rectangular plates, which are individually packed. The Mega Hand Warmer is an easy way to warm up cold fingers in cold weather. In order to activate the heating pad, remove the protective film and paper from the plate, and then fold the plate in half. Its principle of operation is constructed in such a way that the process of heat release occurs only when a fold is formed. It can easily be put in a jacket pocket or put inside a glove. The tool heats up for a long time, more than eight hours and its temperature is approximately 14 degrees.

Video: how to make a chemical heating pad with your own hands

As part of this video, the principle of making a chemical heating pad with your own hands is shown. Thanks to detailed explanations of the manufacture of a heating tool at each stage, the process of creating a fixture is greatly facilitated and becomes accessible to everyone without additional knowledge and skills.

Update: October 2018

A heating pad is a device for creating and maintaining a higher temperature in a larger or smaller area of ​​the body. This is one of the most accessible means of physiotherapy that can be used in any conditions: at home, in transport and even on the street. Hospitals also use heating pads, but they do so in rare cases, using special infrared irradiators for local or general warming.

There are three main types of local heat sources. The cheapest and most durable is a rubber tank filled with hot water, there is also an electric heating pad and salt heaters. The last two devices exist in various forms that are convenient for warming specific areas of the body (for example, sinuses, legs or feet). But, no matter what device you decide to use, you should know: there are indications and contraindications for the use of heat (they are common for any type of heaters). If misused, this dry heat source can become dangerous.

The effect of heating pads

Any source of local heat, be it electric, rubber or salt, has these effects due to heat:

1. enhancing local metabolism, increases the rate of utilization of inflammatory products, which speeds up the healing process;
2. relaxes smooth muscles (those muscles that are not subject to our consciousness, they control the lumen of blood vessels, the work of the intestines, ureter, bladder, bronchi, esophagus, pharynx and other organs). Muscle relaxation leads to an increase in the diameter of the organ, the wall of which contains these muscles;
3. has an analgesic effect;
4. resolving action;
5. relieves spasm of smooth muscle organs;
6. has a distracting effect, removing the "accent" in the form of increased blood supply from a diseased organ to a healthy one (this effect is used for arterial hypertension and cough caused by a non-purulent process.

Indications for the use of heating pads. When, on the contrary, you need ice

Contraindications

The use of a salt heating pad, like any other, is contraindicated in:

1. Purulent process, especially if the inflamed area is inside the cavity:
   • mastitis;
   • otitis;
   • appendicitis;
   • abscess or phlegmon (purulent "melting" of the subcutaneous tissue);
   • acute cholecystitis, pancreatitis, colitis;
   • bursitis (inflammation of the joint bag);
   • purulent arthritis (inflammation of the joint itself);
   • , encephalitis.
2. Oncological diseases.
3. With autoimmune, liver, retina, testicles and other organs protected from their own immunity by a special cellular "barrier".
4. Bleeding - external (nasal, from the wound hole, from the ear) or internal.
5. Acute and sudden pain in the abdomen, head, or chest.
6. If the area of ​​the skin in any place is reddened, swollen, its temperature is higher than over the neighboring areas.
7. In the postoperative period after any operation.

How to use a heating pad

Since there are three main types of this simplest "heater" of the body, we will consider each.

Salt heater

This is a very good invention, which can have a different shape: be in the form of a toy, an insole, have a shape that is convenient for the palms, joints or collar area (like a salt heating pad “collar”). The color of the polyvinyl fluoride "package" in which the heating elements are located can also have a different color.

This device is a chemical type in which heat is generated as a result of a chemical reaction. The instructions for the salt heater indicate that you need to strongly, until it clicks, press your finger or the soft side of the pencil on the metal switch so that the salts (sodium acetate), which were previously in a liquid state, but in the form of a supersaturated solution, react with the reagent injected inside. In this case, the metal stick (button) that you press is the center of crystallization.

The instructions also indicate to what temperature this or that heater is heated. So, a salt heating pad for newborns, the main purpose of which is salvation from colic, warms up to 50-54 degrees, some salt "insoles" for an adult's feet are heated up to 80 ° C.

The advantages of such a device are that it is made of safe and non-toxic materials, durable, cannot cause burns, but when heated, it takes the shape of the body, and this is very convenient. Produced in the form of a toy, it allows you to create good conditions for the treatment of babies.

How to use the salt heating pad:

1. Press the activator button on the wide side of the metal starter, and a click should be heard - this is how the crystallization process is activated.
2. In a matter of seconds, the device warms up and can be used.
3. Location of the heating device:
   • Colic is treated only after an examination by a pediatrician, who must exclude all serious and surgical diseases that can cause anxiety in the child and pain in the tummy. In this case, the heating pad is wrapped in a dry cloth in 2 layers and is located in the area around the child's navel so that neither the left nor the right hypochondrium is heated. If the heating device is too large for this baby, you should try to roll it up or twist it, fixing it on top with a cloth, but the hypochondria should not be heated. If colic occurs after overeating gas-producing foods in a child over 1 year old (again, the presence of colic should be established by a pediatrician), a salt heater can be applied to a child's T-shirt or T-shirt.
   • Salt ENT heating pad, used to treat otitis media and sinusitis of non-purulent origin, has the shape of human lungs, only smaller. It is superimposed on the area of ​​​​the bridge of the nose and sinuses, or on the ear cartilage. If we are talking about a child under one year old, it must be wrapped in a cloth and not get into the eye area.
   • The collar-warmer is superimposed mainly on the collar zone. It can also be wrapped around the knee, elbow and hip joints, which hurt due to the presence of a degenerative process in them. In children, such a device may be used during the treatment of spasmodic torticollis. Only it will need to be wrapped in cloth.
   • If heat is used to warm the legs of a premature baby, it is placed at a distance of 5-7 cm from the feet.
   • You can lie down on the Orlette device, which has the shape of a mattress. It is used to treat pathologies of the spine and adjacent muscles that hold it.
   • Insoles are placed in shoes, under socks.
4. The time that the heat source keeps is different. It must be prescribed by a doctor:
   • with colic it is usually 20-30 minutes;
   • with radiculitis, neurosis, osteochondrosis, you can keep warm for up to 4 hours, while the device keeps warm;
   • adults can wear insoles for up to 4 hours, if it does not cause discomfort;
   • for “blind probing”, the salt heater is placed on the right hypochondrium for 20-30 minutes, no more.
5. Next, the salt filler needs to be restored. To do this, the heater must be wrapped in a clean cloth and boiled for 10-15 minutes - as long as it is written in the instructions.

Heating pads

An electric heating pad is a heater that needs an electrical network to operate. Often it has a temperature regulator, with which you can set either the one recommended by the doctor (if we are talking about treatment), or the one that is comfortable (if we are talking about warming). The lower the temperature, the longer you can keep such a heater.

It is convenient to use an electric heating pad, just put it in a place that requires warming. It can also be used to treat colic, but in this case it should not be placed on the child, but under the mattress, while the baby should be laid out on the stomach.

The time required for warming up with a heating pad can vary: from 20-30 minutes at a temperature of 40 degrees in a baby of 3-5 months, up to 3-4 hours in the treatment of bone, muscle or nervous diseases in adults. It is impossible to sleep with such a heater, especially for a baby - because of the danger of electrical injury.

Water filled rubber pads

This is the cheapest way to keep warm or warm a specific area. These heaters have 2 shapes, various sizes, and are made in several colors. Such heaters are not recommended for the treatment of colic, since, even if they are small, they will receive enough weight with water that will put pressure on the baby's stomach.

The algorithm for using rubber tanks is as follows:

1. Unscrew the lid of the container.
2. Open a warm water faucet. Its temperature should not exceed 55 degrees.
3. Draw water into the tank, filling no more than 2/3 of its volume (the water should spread, not inflate the heating pad when you put it in a horizontal position).
4. Squeezing the container from the sides, squeeze out the air from there (the water should come to the edge).
5. Screw the cap on tightly.
6. Turn the container upside down with a lid: water should not flow out.
7. Wipe the item dry.
8. Can be used.
9. The places where you can put a water-filled container do not differ from those for a salt heater.
10. Store the hot water tank in a dry state with the lid open and upside down. Precautions

Cannot be heated

• endocrine organs: thyroid gland, lumbar region (where the adrenal glands are located);
• areas of large vessels: on the sides of the neck, behind the neck, on the hips - in the inguinal fold, as well as on the soft tissues of the shoulders, forearms (on the hands - only in the joints, otherwise you will raise the body temperature by warming the blood);
• head area;
• eyeball;
• abscess area, phlegmon.

Only by prescription of a doctor, the heater can be laid:

• under the right hypochondrium;
• in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe joints;
• on the lower back, so that the treatment of osteochondrosis or spondylosis is not complicated by inflammation of the kidney tissue;
• on the stomach - with his pain;
• on an inflamed lymph node;
• on the legs - with hypertension;
• on areas of compaction in the breast of a nursing woman.

You can place the heater:

• when - on the lower abdomen;
• with arthrosis and non-purulent arthritis - on a diseased joint;
• with sprains, ruptures of muscles, tendons, ligaments - on the affected area;
• with myositis - on inflamed muscles;
• with sciatica - on the diseased area, if it is not an area where large vessels pass.

If it is necessary to apply a heating source to the skin of an unconscious person or someone who has a pathology of temperature sensitivity, it is necessary to periodically check the area on which the heating pad is applied, especially if it is electric or water-filled, for burns.

Warmer - a vessel with hot water or other source of heat applied to the body for local heating of tissues or for the purpose of general warming. At the same time, the blood flow in the warmed part of the body increases, causing an analgesic and resolving effect, the latter depending not so much on the temperature of the heating pad, but on the duration of the procedure.

Types of heating pads

There are salt, rubber and electric heating pads. In the absence of them, you can use bottles with tightly closed corks, use dry heat (bags with sand, cereals, salt, cherry pits, etc.). The main thing is that the heating pad is safe for the patient. Do not use water and electric heaters at the same time in order to avoid electric shock in the event of a sudden flow of water.

Heating pad technique

The rubber heating pad is filled with water by about 2/3 of the volume, the remaining air in it is squeezed out. The heating pad is screwed tightly, the cork is wiped, checked for leaks and wrapped in a towel. A very hot heating pad is placed first on the blanket, then as it cools down under the sheet and on the body.

The initial temperature of the water in the heating pad should not exceed 60 o C for adults and 50 o C for children. When the heating pad cools down to body temperature, it should be removed or replaced with a warmer one. If the heating pad is kept for a long time, to avoid burns and pigmentation, the skin is lubricated with petroleum jelly or any cream, preferably for children.

In patients who are unconscious and people with impaired sensitivity, the use of a heating pad is undesirable.

You can sleep on a heating pad only if the possibility of a burn is completely excluded. sleep on heating pad it is forbidden!

The use of a heating pad in newborns

Is it possible to use a heating pad for a newborn?

It should be remembered that the use of a heating pad in newborns and young children requires special care, since the child may experience burns. Therefore, a heating pad for a small child should not be very hot (no more than 40 ° C), it should not be applied directly to the body, the condition of the skin under the heating pad is periodically checked in a newborn, avoiding redness. If the child is worried or there are signs of a burn (severe redness), the heating pad is immediately removed and treated.

Is it possible for newborns to have a heating pad on their stomach?

Putting a heating pad on the stomach of a newborn is extremely undesirable and even dangerous, since the cause of abdominal pain in infants can be a variety of diseases, including infectious and inflammatory diseases. In this case, the use of a heating pad in a newborn will only aggravate the situation. If in any doubt, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Warmer for newborns from colic

Can a heating pad be used for colic in a newborn?

Parents often use heating pad for colic in newborns, this should not be done, because, firstly, some other disease may be the cause of anxiety in the child, and secondly, the heating pad does not cure colic, but allows you to calm the child for a while, which leads to a loss of control over his real condition.

If colic in a newborn is associated with increased gas formation and accumulation of gases in the intestines, a gas tube should be used. If necessary, the child is given dill water, or weak tea from fennel seeds or chamomile flowers.

The use of heating pads in children and adults

Can you put a heating pad on your stomach?

Special care should be taken when using a heating pad for pain in the abdomen, which may be due to inflammation of the peritoneum (peritonitis). A heating pad should not be placed on the stomach if there are even the slightest symptoms of appendicitis (pain around the navel, pain in the right hypochondrium, pain in the lower abdomen, pain in the right side of the abdomen).

Is it possible to heat inflammation with a heating pad?

In chronic inflammatory processes, after injuries, the use of heat can have a beneficial effect, however, in these cases, it is necessary to consult a doctor.

Is it possible to heat cystitis with a heating pad?

It is possible to put a heating pad with cystitis, however, with cystitis, the heating pad is not applied to the stomach, it should be clamped between the legs, tightly applied from below to the bladder area. You can put a heating pad on top of the pubic area, placing it at the level of the hips. It must be remembered that cystitis is not treated with a heating pad, it only relieves the symptoms a little. Cystitis- an infectious inflammatory disease and it needs to be treated with antibiotics.

Can I use a heating pad during my period?

A heating pad should be used with caution during menstruation, as using a heating pad for menstrual bleeding can lead to increased bleeding, a drop in blood pressure, and fainting when you try to get out of bed.

Warm the lower abdomen with a heating pad with great care. In addition, placing a heating pad on the stomach is absolutely contraindicated in case of inflammation of the peritoneum (peritonitis), so it is better not to put a heating pad on the stomach unnecessarily.

Is it possible to heat injections and bumps from injections with a heating pad?

Intramuscular injections can and should be heated with a heating pad, this improves microcirculation at the injection sites, promotes the rapid absorption of the medicinal substance in the tissues and reduces the time for the onset of the therapeutic effect. After blood clotting at the injection site, a not very hot heating pad wrapped in a clean cloth should be applied to the injection site. Warming the injection with a heating pad prevents the injection from "hardening" and the formation of tissue thickening ("bumps") at the injection site. It is already too late to warm the “cones from injections” with a heating pad, absorbable warming alcohol compresses can be applied to them.

Intravenous injections do not need to be heated.

Is it possible to heat the ear with otitis media with a heating pad?

To warm the ear with otitis should be an alcohol warming compress. Don't put a heating pad on your ear.

Is it possible to heat the liver with a heating pad?

It is impossible to warm the liver with a heating pad at home, since the use of a heating pad in the liver area can lead to serious complications, especially when cholecystitis and pancreatitis. In case of pain in the right hypochondrium, an ambulance should be called to exclude the possibility of appendicitis or suppuration in the gallbladder area with