Do you suffer from joint pain or stiffness? Are you looking for natural ways to ease the pain and get moving again? Close the medicine cabinet and try an age-old remedy: heat.
For chronic pain, the Arthritis Foundation recommends heating things up. Soaking in warm water – or using a warm compress – is a cheap, safe, and proven form of therapy. Studies show heat can relieve pain. Here’s one example.
So before you grab that pill bottle, give heat a try. Here are 15 ways to ease your joint pain using warm water or heat.
📋 DISCLAIMER – Savoring Home does not provide health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The content on this page is for information purposes only.
Heat Therapy for Joint Pain
Arthritis runs in my family, and I’ve had joint pain for years. Since I prefer natural remedies to pills, heat therapy appeals to me. It works wonders on my sore joints.
If YOUR joints hurt, try heating things up.
Heat opens your blood vessels and improves circulation to your joints and muscles. It allows your body to deliver more blood, oxygen, and nutrients to injured tissues.
Cold therapy has the opposite effect. It reduces your blood flow and decreases inflammation. So if you have sudden joint pain or swelling, try cold treatments for a few days.
But for chronic pain, heat therapy is the way to go.
📋 DISCLOSURE – This page has affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, I may earn a commission at no cost to you. Read more here.
Moist Heat Versus Dry Heat
Heat therapy is a common treatment for joint aches and pains. This tried-and-true remedy has many benefits. For instance, heat therapy:
- reduces joint stiffness,
- prevents muscle spasms,
- relieves joint and muscle pain,
- improves blood circulation,
- decreases inflammation,
- accelerates recovery and healing,
- and more.
There are two types of heat used in heat therapy: moist heat and dry heat. Moist heat has some advantages over dry heat. For example, it penetrates damaged tissue faster and deeper for a more powerful response.
But the effects of dry heat last longer than those of moist heat – in some cases, four times as long. Dry heat therapy is also more convenient than moist heat therapy.
Whether you choose moist heat or dry heat, bear this in mind: Heat therapy is no substitute for medical treatment. Although it can relieve your pain, it can’t cure the condition causing it. See a healthcare professional for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Warm Water Therapies for Joint Pain
Now, let’s look at some natural ways to relieve joint pain using warm water or heat. While they won’t cure what ails you, they can improve your mobility and the quality of your days. So give them a try.
1. Morning Shower
Start the day with a long, warm shower. The water’s heat will soothe your joints and increase your range of motion. But don’t make the water too hot, especially if you have heart problems. The Arthritis Foundation recommends a temperature between 92 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Workout Shower
A post-workout shower feels great. The heated water increases your blood flow and helps your body to recover. But have you thought of taking a pre-workout shower? A warm shower prepares your joints for exercise and reduces your chance of injury.
3. Bedtime Shower
Don’t go to bed with joint pain. Take a warm shower at night to soothe your joints (and restless legs) so you can sleep better. Use a heated blanket to extend the relaxed feeling and further calm your pain.
4. Bathtub Soak
The self-indulgence of a bubble bath makes treating joint pain almost blissful. Some people add Epsom salt for its magnesium content. While its effects on arthritis are unclear, adding salt to your bath is unlikely to cause any harm.
5. Warm Foot Bath
Do your foot and ankle joints hurt? A warm foot soak is one way to relieve the pain. Foot baths are best when the temperature is between 92 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also add Epsom salt to a foot bath.
6. Hot Tub Soak
Hot tubs combine warm water therapy with a massage effect. A study from 2018 compared standard care with spa therapy for arthritis. Those who received spa therapy saw significant improvements in joint swelling.
{Note: For people with psoriatic arthritis, warm water may trigger or exacerbate skin irritations. So check with your doctor before using a hot tub to ease your pain.}
7. Warm Water Swim
Bruce Becker is the Medical Director at Cascade Wellness Technologies in Bend, Oregon. “You can do things in the pool you can’t do on land,” he said. “That’s especially true if you have balance difficulties or joint issues.”
The ideal temperature for a therapeutic swim is 83 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit. “Your heart can operate very efficiently in this range,” said Becker, making it suitable even for those with a heart condition.
8. Water Walking Routine
Vennie Jones is the aquatic coordinator for Baylor Scott & White Health in Dallas, Texas. She recommends taking your walking routine to the pool. “The water’s buoyancy supports the body’s weight, which reduces stress on the joints and minimizes pain,” she said.
9. Hand Wax Bath
Do you suffer from hand arthritis? Consider a paraffin wax bath for pain control. Dip your hands in the melted, wait for it to cool, and peel the wax off. You can buy a machine for this purpose, or use what you have at home. Here’s a recipe to try.
10. Hot Water Bottle
A hot water bottle is an easy way to apply moist heat therapy. It’s a safe and natural way to manage pain. You can buy one at a grocery store or drug store, and they’re easy to prepare. Make sure the water is warm but not uncomfortable.
11. Warm Rice Sock
You can also get some pain relief from a rice sock you buy or make yourself. To make your own, fill a long cotton sock with rice and tie the end. Place it in the microwave next to a cup of water, and heat for a minute or two. Be careful when you remove it because it will be hot.
12. Moist Heat Compress
A moist heat compress is like a rice sock without the rice. You can buy a moist heating pad or make your own. Put a wet washcloth in a freezer bag and warm it in the microwave for one minute. Rest it on the painful area for 20 minutes.
Other Heat Therapies for Joint Pain
Here are some dry heat therapies for joint pain. If you’ve had success with a different heat treatment, leave a comment and tell us about it.
13. Electric Heating Pad
Do you prefer plug-in heat therapy? Try an electric heating pad. Look for one with several adjustment levels, along with an automatic shutoff timer to prevent burns.
14. Electric Heated Blanket
A cozy heated blanket provides natural pain relief for sore joints. It’s a great way to extend that relaxed feeling after a warm bedtime bath.
15. Heated Knee Massager
A knee brace with built-in heat pads is a good way to soothe your joints and muscles. It also improves the circulation in your legs. A heated knee massager with variable massage modes can further calm the pain.
Conclusion
There you have it – 15 ways to ease your joint pain using warm water or heat. Joint pain is widespread, and more common as we get older. But heat treatments can ease the pain so you can get on with your day. Feel better soon! ◻️
Related Posts
- Do You Exercise Every Day? Here Are 9 Good Reasons to Start
- Herbs and Essential Oils: Isn’t It Time to Take Care of YOU?
- How to Pray for Healing for Your Loved One or Friend
Now It’s Your Turn
Thank you for reading my post. Now it’s YOUR turn to chime in. How do you ease your joint pain? Which heat therapy will you try the next time you’re in pain?
Let’s fill the comments with friendly conversation. Scroll down to leave a reply, ask a question, or just say hello. And if you liked this post, please give it a share.
Blessings, Annette
📋 NOTE – You are reading “15 Ways to Ease Your Joint Pain With Warm Water or Heat” on Savoring Home. First published in July 2023, it was updated in August 2023.
Photo Sources
- Siam Pukkato / Getty Images Pro | Canva | License
This summer, I’ve been suffering from joint pain in my hands and hips. By alternating between warm baths (moist heat therapy) and Biofreeze (cold therapy cream), I’ve managed to ease the pain. What’s YOUR remedy for arthritis pain?