Can hot compress be used during the remission period of chronic pain? What medicine should women use?

Let’s talk about the answer first. Most chronic pain can be relieved by hot compresses. There is no unified standard for painkillers for women. The choice must be based on the cause of the pain and the physiological stage. Don’t just follow the trend and buy “miracle painkillers”.

I have a friend who is an Internet operator. He has suffered from dysmenorrhea for almost 10 years and chronic lumbosacral strain caused by lumbar protrusion. The pain was so bad that he often asked for personal leave in the first two years. Later, he followed the doctor's advice and applied a hot water bag at about 40 degrees to his waist for 15 minutes every night during the remission period when the pain was not acute. Three days before menstruation, he started applying it on his lower abdomen, avoiding damaged areas of the skin. The frequency of pain attacks has indeed dropped a lot in the past six months. The painkillers I carried with me before are only taken occasionally when the pain is severe. However, not all situations are suitable for hot compresses. Previously, she had a red and swollen folliculitis on her lower back. She wanted to use hot compresses to reduce the swelling, but instead aggravated the inflammation, ulceration and pus. When she went to the community hospital to change the dressing, she learned that as long as there is local skin damage or acute infection, hot compresses should not be used, regardless of whether the pain is relieving or not.

There are now different views on hot compresses during the remission period of chronic pain. For example, some rheumatologists do not recommend hot compresses for the remission period of gouty arthritis. They believe that the increase in local temperature may activate the deposited urate crystals and induce acute pain. Infrared physiotherapy at room temperature is also recommended. There is no unified conclusion on this point. Women with gout problems are best to ask their attending doctor in advance before proceeding. In fact, the principle of hot compress is to "loosen" tense muscles and blocked local blood vessels, and accelerate the discharge of metabolic waste. As long as there are no contraindications, it is very comfortable to use and has no additional cost. It is much more comfortable than carrying it hard.

As for the choice of medication for women, it is necessary to analyze the specific situation in detail. Don’t subconsciously take ibuprofen when it hurts. For example, if you do not need to take regular medicine during the remission period of primary dysmenorrhea, if you have a vague feeling of bloating and pain in the early period of menstruation, and you have no contraindications such as gastric ulcer or aspirin asthma, taking an ibuprofen sustained-release tablet 12 hours in advance will be very effective and have minimal side effects. ； However, if it is chronic pelvic pain or long-term pain caused by endometriosis, you cannot rely solely on painkillers. After the doctor evaluates, you may use progesterone-based regulating drugs to reduce the frequency of pain attacks from the root cause. ； If you have chronic strain pain in the cervical or lumbar spine, and the pain occasionally occurs during the remission period, you should first use topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory ointments, which are less irritating to the gastrointestinal tract than oral medications. They are especially suitable for office girls who sit for long periods of time and have a weak stomach.

I have come across many girls who either forced themselves to bear the pain, or bought Internet celebrity painkillers and took them casually, but it turned into chronic and intractable pain. Whether it is hot compress or medicine, they are only means of relief. If the frequency of pain attacks suddenly becomes higher, the pain is stronger than before, and it is accompanied by other discomforts, don't bear it. It is safest to go to the hospital first to check whether there are other problems.