New Way To Treat An Old Problem

Wednesday, March 1, 2006

Hot New WayTo Treat An Old Problem (NAPSA)—While scientists suspect humans have been suffering from back pain since learning to walk upright, doctors today have discovered a simple but effective way to relieveit. The use of continuous low-level heat (86-40C) therapy (CLHT) in a portable heat wrap significantly reduces acute low back pain and related disability of employees suf- fering from acute low back pain in the workplace, according to a Johns Hopkins School of Medicine study published in the December 2005 is- j , 4’ Wy sue of The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. “With recent concerns around Studies show heat therapy can be a big help in besting back options for acute low back pain,” cent improvement in pain relief within one day of treatment as compared to the reference group. cine at Johns Hopkins University common and, therefore, costly medical problems in industrialized the safety of oral pain medications, both patients and physicians are considering alternative treatment said Edward J. Bernacki, M.D., M.P.H., Associate Professor of MediSchool of Medicine and the study’s lead author. “There is substantial evidence to confirm that acute low back pain responds well to CLHT. The dramatic differences shown by workplace participants using CLHT shows that this therapy has clear benefits for low back pain and that it plays an important role in pain management.” In the study, patients whovis- ited an occupational injury clinic for low back pain either received education regarding back therapy and pain managementalone or received the same education combined with three days of CLHT by wearing ThermaCare HeatWraps for eight hours. The CLHT group pain. Low back pain is one of the most countries, according to Dr. Ber- nacki, who also directs the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine depart- ment of health, safety and the environment. Approximately half the working-age people in the United States suffer from acute low back pain every year and the estimated productivity loss comes to $20 to $50 billion annually. Now, doctors and employers can confidently recommend CLHT for the relief of acute low back pain to their patients and employees, respectively. Like any heat treatment, CLHT therapy may not be appropriate for everyone. Individuals who have disease conditions that can compromise skin experienced significant reduction in pain intensity and greater pain circulation (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis) (reference group). Patients on CLHT showed a 107 percent pain intensity reduction and an 85 per- learn more online at www.therma care.com. relief when compared to patients who only received pain education should consult their physicians or health care provider prior to using CLHT for low back pain. You can

--- PHOTOS ---

File: 20190816-150156-20190816-150154-67320.pdf.jpg

--- FILES ---

File: 20190816-150154-67320.pdf