A hot bath can be relaxing and help ease tension in your back muscles. The warmth helps relax tight muscles and increase blood flow to the area, providing relief from discomfort. However, while a hot bath may reduce back pain for some, for others it can actually make their pain feel worse or more intense. It really depends on the underlying cause of your back pain and how your body responds to heat.
How Can Heat Help Back Pain?
Heat causes your blood vessels to dilate, increasing blood flow to your back muscles. This brings more oxygen to the area and helps relax tight muscles. The increased circulation also helps reduce inflammation in the tissues. All of these effects can help alleviate back pain caused by muscle strain or tension.
The moisture and buoyancy of a hot bath can also help take pressure off your back. As your body is immersed in the warm water, your muscles are able to relax. The water also supports your body weight, reducing compression on your spine and back muscles.
Soaking in a hot bath, especially with Epsom salt added, may help relieve pain from conditions like:
- Muscle strain or tension
- Poor posture or improper back alignment
- Osteoarthritis
- Fibromyalgia
The heat and relaxation can loosen tight back muscles, relieve pressure points, and ease discomfort from inflammation. Soaking for 15 to 20 minutes a few times a week may significantly help reduce chronic back pain from these conditions.
When Can Heat Make Back Pain Worse?
While heat can be beneficial for some types of back pain, it may exacerbate pain from other conditions or injuries. Applying heat to an acute back injury can increase inflammation, delaying healing. It can also intensify pain from conditions like:
- Sciatica or pinched nerve
- Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal)
- Herniated disc
- Muscle spasms
Heat causes your tissues to swell, which can put more pressure on irritated nerves or a compressed spinal cord. This may lead to increased pain, numbness, or weakness. Heat can also worsen muscle spasms by further irritating already inflamed tissues.
Ice or cold therapy is generally better for acute back injuries and conditions involving nerve compression or tissue swelling. The cold helps reduce inflammation, ease muscle spasms, and numb the area for pain relief. While heat may relax back muscles, it does not have the same anti-inflammatory and numbing effects as ice.
In some cases, switching between heat and ice may provide the most relief. But during an acute flare-up of pain from sciatica or a herniated disc, ice is typically recommended for the first 1 to 2 days. Heat may be applied afterwards once inflammation starts to subside. However, if pain persists for more than a few days or is severe, see your doctor.
Tips for Taking a Hot Bath for Back Pain Relief
If you want to try soaking in a hot bath to relieve back pain, here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Use warm, not hot, water. Water that is very hot (over 104 F) can further irritate your back tissues. Warm or moderately hot water is best.
- Add Epsom salt. Epsom salt contains magnesium sulfate which can help reduce inflammation and relax back muscles. Add about 2 cups of Epsom salt to a standard bathtub filled with water.
- Soak for 15 to 20 minutes. Don’t soak for too long, especially during your first hot bath. Get out of the tub if you experience dizziness or discomfort.
- Move slowly getting in and out. Enter and exit the tub carefully to avoid straining your back.
- Drink plenty of water. Soaking in hot water can dehydrate you, so be sure to drink water before and after your bath.
- Moisturize your skin. Apply a moisturizer after bathing to prevent itching as your skin rehydrates.
- See a doctor if pain persists or gets worse. While a hot bath may provide temporary relief from chronic back pain, it is not a substitute for proper diagnosis and treatment. See your doctor if back pain interferes with your activities or does not improve.
Other Ways to Relieve Back Pain
In addition to heat therapy, the following self-care methods may provide relief from back pain:
- Apply ice packs. Ice can help reduce inflammation for acute back injuries or flare-ups of chronic pain. Apply an ice pack for 10 to 20 minutes at a time, 3 or 4 times a day.
- Exercise and stretch regularly. Exercise helps keep your back muscles flexible and strong. Try walking, gentle yoga, or swimming. Stretching also helps improve flexibility and loosen tight muscles.
- Maintain good posture. Practice good posture, especially if sitting or standing for long periods. Use a lumbar support cushion when sitting.
- Get enough rest. Rest allows your back muscles and tissues to heal. Take breaks when sitting or standing and get 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night.
- Lose excess weight. Extra weight puts strain on your back muscles and spine. Losing weight can significantly reduce back pain and future flare-ups.
- See a doctor for prescription medication if needed. For chronic back pain, prescription anti-inflammatory medications or muscle relaxants may provide relief when self-care measures are not enough. Your doctor can determine the appropriate treatment based on the cause and severity of your pain.
In summary, while a hot bath may relieve certain types of back pain, it can also potentially irritate an injury or compressed nerves and make pain worse. Pay attention to how your body responds to the heat and avoid very hot temperatures. Limit your soak time and stay hydrated before and after bathing. Talk to your doctor if heat seems to worsen your back pain or if pain persists for more than a few days. A combination of self-care treatments may provide the best approach to finding relief from chronic back pain.
FAQ
Is hot bath good for back pain?
Surprisingly, taking a bath can help with low back pain. Painful back spasms can be effectively relieved with a warm bath. Donald S. The spinal conditions that Corenman, MD, DC, treats in his patients range from degenerative disc disease to nerve compression and everything in between.
Can a hot bath make inflammation worse?
Recent studies suggest that a hot bath may have benefits beyond mere mental relaxation. Regular hot baths may help with metabolism and reduce inflammation, claim the authors.
Does hot water make back pain worse?
Ice versus heat for lower back pain: Which is better? Dry heat can be applied with a heating pad, while moist heat can be obtained from a warm bath or shower. Heat will relax those muscles. However, applying ice is preferable if your pain is the result of an injury. In fact, heat may make your back pain worse.
Can a hot bath make pain worse?
A hot bath or a soak in a hot tub may occasionally make you feel worse. If inflammation is a contributing factor to the issue, using heat—whether as a compress or a soak in a hot tub—could make it worse.