Pain is one of the most crippling conditions that can affect people. Pain caused by conditions like arthritis can be even more distressing. Arthritis and osteoarthritis are conditions that affect millions of people all around the world. For these people, even normal mundane tasks become very hard to perform. Their joints become stiff and deformed, causing them a lot of pain. During colder months, it can be even worse, with the lower temperatures aggravating their pain.
People with arthritis have stated that they are able to function better when their hands and joints are warm. The heat causes an increase in blood flow and helps alleviate pain. It also relaxes the muscles and tendons, causing knotted joints to relax and become more flexible. This knowledge has helped clinicians recommend heat treatment to reduce pain. These treatments could include items like hot packs, gloves, hot wax, or ultrasound treatment. In recent times, hot wax treatments have been gaining popularity.
What Is Paraffin Wax Treatment?
Patients who suffered from arthritis were first prescribed paraffin wax during the 1950s by doctors to help alleviate their pain. After three decades, paraffin wax was later used as a beauty treatment. You might have come across paraffin wax treatments in beauty salons and spas. But the benefits of paraffin wax go beyond good skin.
Paraffin wax treatment is suggested to patients who suffer from severe pain due to various conditions like arthritis, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, tendonitis, bursitis, muscle strain, accidents, muscle trauma, bone pains, etc. During this treatment, the area that has to be treated is exposed to melted paraffin wax. The wax then slowly cools down while relaxing the patient’s muscles and joints. The heat from the wax increased blood flow and helps alleviate the pain.
Once the wax is applied to the patient’s body, it encases the area. The heat is trapped within and it helps relax the surrounding muscle and tissues. This method is particularly useful in treating stiff joints and reducing pain associated with conditions like arthritis or fibromyalgia. Paraffin wax is typically used over limbs and joints, but some spas or residential clinics have been known to cover the person’s entire body.
How Does This Treatment Work?
Paraffin wax contains a very high capacity to retain heat. It is capable of absorbing and retaining high temperatures for a long period of time. Paraffin wax therapy takes advantage of this fact and uses the wax’s heat-retaining capacity to treat pain using a process known as heat transfer. During this process, the heat is transferred to the affected area’s core as the wax slowly cools down. When the wax is molten, it is capable of retaining a high amount of heat. As the wax cools around the area of the body, it solidifies and the heat is transferred through fusion.
The heat from the hot wax is comforting and improves blood circulation, which helps reduce pain caused by knotted joints and sore muscles. It also softens skin and makes it more radiant.
Arrange a Consultation
If paraffin wax treatments sound right for you, contact our office for a consultation. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Carl Lentz has a great deal of experience and will be happy to answer your questions.
