Column Are hot springs really that good for back pain? The effects and benefits of hot spring spas
August 9, 2024
Lower back pain is a condition that everyone has experienced to a certain degree at some point in their life.
It has been said that hot springs are good for back pain because they may improve one’s condition by warming the affected area.
In this article, we will explain in detail whether hot springs are effective for back pain.
The effects of hot springs
Many studies, both in the East and the West, have confirmed the benefits of hot spring therapy on lower back pain. They suggest that soaking in a hot spring can reduce pain. *1
*1 : Hiroharu Kamioka et al. “Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials on the Effects of Hot Spring Therapy and Health Promotion,” Journal of the Japanese Society of Hot Spring, Climate, and Physical Medicine, Vol. 69 (3), 2006. , 2006.
Ruixue Bai, et al. Effectiveness of spa therapy for patients with chronic low back pain: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine. 98(37), 2019.
Onsen have the following effects: *2
・Pain relief
・Improvement of muscle and joint stiffness
・Promotion of blood circulation
・Strengthening of the immune system
・Protein repair
・Massage effect due to water pressure
・Bactericidal effect
・Psychological relaxation effect
*2 : Shinji Maeda, “The Medical Effects of Hot Springs and the Scientific Evidence for Them”, Onsen Kagaku (Hot Spring Science), No. 70, 2021.
Due to the above-mentioned effects, hot springs are used to treat a wide range of diseases and symptoms: *3
| Chronic pain or stiffness in the muscles or joints (chronic stage of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, lower back pain, neuralgia, stiff shoulders, bruising, sprains, etc.), muscle stiffness in cases of motor paralysis, sensitivity to cold due to poor circulation, peripheral circulatory disturbance, gastrointestinal dysfunction (bloated stomach, gas in the intestines), mild hypertension, glucose intolerance (diabetes), mild hypercholesterolemia, mild asthma or emphysema, hemorroid pains, instability of the autonomic nervous system, various symptoms caused by stress (sleep disorders, depression, etc.), post-illness recovery, fatigue recovery, promotion of health |
*3: Ministry of the Environment, “About the ‘Standards for posting contraindications and precautions for bathing or drinking based on Article 18, Paragraph 1 of the Hot Springs Law’ and the ‘Guidelines for Mineral Spring Analysis (revised in 2014)'” 2014.
Are hot springs good for all back pain?
There are two types of lower back pain: acute and chronic.
Acute lower back pain is pain that subsides within four weeks of the onset of pain, and is characterized by sudden, severe pain in the lower back, with the most common symptom being a strained back.
Chronic lower back pain is caused by the daily accumulation of fatigue in the lower back, and the muscles become tense and stiff, causing a dull, heavy pain that tends to persist for a long time. Unlike in the acute phase, the pain does not suddenly subside, and a full recovery is not possible.
Hot springs are effective for chronic lower back pain. If you have had lower back pain for a long time, warming your body by bathing in a hot spring will improve blood circulation and help relieve the pain.
On the other hand, if you have acute lower back pain, there is a possibility that the pain will worsen if you warm up your lower back. In the case of acute lower back pain, it is better not to soak in hot spring water.
How to enter a hot spring bath to relieve
lower back pain
To relieve lower back pain, it is necessary to warm up your body right down to the core. This will improve blood circulation and relieve pain. To warm up thoroughly, soak in the water for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Points of caution when taking a hot spring
bath
To relieve lower back pain, try to soak in a hot spring bath that is no more than 40 degrees. If the water is hotter than this, it will stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, causing the body to tense up and, conversely, impair blood flow. Be careful about the temperature of the water, as this will not relieve lower back pain, but instead make it worse.
You also need to avoid getting cold after getting out of the hot spring. If you get cold after warming up your body, your muscles will tense up and blood circulation will worsen. After getting out of the hot spring, it is important to thoroughly wipe off any water droplets and keep yourself warm.
You should also keep the following points in mind:
Avoid bathing immediately before or after eating or drinking alcohol
Avoid bathing when you are excessively tired or after exercising
Elderly people and people with disabilities should avoid bathing alone
To avoid dehydration during or after bathing, drink a glass of water beforehand
Treatment at our clinic
Hot spring baths are effective for back pain, but even if the pain in your back goes away, the underlying cause of the pain will not be cured.
Our clinic offers the Cellgel method, which repairs damaged intervertebral discs.
The Cellgel method used at our clinics provides a fundamental treatment by injecting a drug that fills the cracks in the disc, which then forms a gel that replaces the cracks. It is characterized by the fact that the volume of the disc is not reduced, and the drug remains in the disc as a gel-like implant after treatment, thus preserving the disc.
If you have been diagnosed with spinal stenosis now or in the past, please consider booking a consultation at our clinic.
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