Applying the Pack is easy and needs no one to help you. Heat
Treat understands how difficult acute pain movement can be and we
kept that in mind. You can quickly adjust to cover any area of
the back simply by using the extra long looped straps to raise or
lower your Backpack anywhere over your back without physical
difficulties. A small tug on the bottom edge of the Backpack
correctly positions it over the
spine.
Even though the area of actual damage is very likely smaller
then your pain is telling you it is – your Pack provides
the opportunity to ‘treat’ a much larger area –
the more muscle area subjected to heat, the more heat signals
pass into the pain gateway (the Central Nervous System)
interrupting your back pain.
2. How Do
I Keep My Backpack In Place While Using it?
It has no “belts or ties” to hold it in position.
Your Backpack was never meant to be used to ‘walk
around’ with. To receive the most effective treatment you
should be as relaxed as possible. The Pack’s ability to not
cause inflammation in and around the delicate nerve roots and
joints of the spine is the most important aspect of your
treatment – being completely relaxed is the second.
No matter what you must do to be as relaxed and in the
most comfortable position possible – Please do
that. Your Pack can be used no matter what position is
best for you -- sitting or laying down – on your back or
tummy
There is a further benefit to designing the Backpack without
the ability to move around. Stress is a major factor adding to
the intensity of your pain. It sets the ‘clock’ for
the length of time your pain continues. Every treatment with your
pack provides you an opportunity for at least 25 – 40
minutes of “stress time-out” and because the use of
heat has a systemic (all over) ability to “relax” you
– why not use that time to listen to some music or just
take a little quiet time for yourself.
You can also relax with the knowledge that each Heat
Treat Backpack treatment is quickly helping to move you toward
freedom from pain, and will continue to help you as you
move through the suggested rehabilitative steps outlined in most
“Conservative Approaches” followed by both natural
and medical physicians
The Heat Treat Backpack was designed to provide therapeutic heat
treatment for an average of 30 to 60 minutes each time. We
recommend no less than 25 minutes. If you are in a hurry –
25 minutes is better than no minutes.
Your actual treatment time is most effective when used for the
40 - 60 minutes.
Once your treatment is finished and your level of pain has
decreased you are encouraged to begin as much gentle movement as
possible - rather than immediate reapplying. This is for your
benefit as well as for the benefit of your Pack. Heat Treat
understands the desire to reapply heat when you are in severe
pain. However, movement is a most vital part of the healing
process – no matter how small those movements are at first.
Movement also assists in the continuation of toxin removal begun
with your heat treatment. It also is assists to make healthy and
appropriate use of the new cellular tissues you brought into the
area of damage with your treatment. In fact, if you decide to
reapply immediately, in order to reheat your Pack, you actually
are forced into moving, just a little, (unless you cheat and have
someone do it for you).
4.
How Often Can I Use My Backpack?
We do not recommend using your Backpack more than 4 – 5
times per day. This recommendation is to given to protect the
useful life expectancy of your Backpack. More Importantly - while
continuous applications of heat may provide you with a longer
overall pain free time – it inhibits the efficient healing
of your inflamed and damaged tissues by interfering with the
recommended times and temperatures for the successful inflow and
outflow of blood. You may have less pain today if you apply the
Backpack continuously, but you may find your pain level has
increased the next day.
If another person in your household would also like to use
your pack – you must consider the total number of times it
is to be used in one day. Careful attention and adherence to the
Instructions and Precautions sheet {included with
your purchase} are necessary when using the Pack. Sufficient time
must be allowed for the Backpack to recover the grain’s
moisture content. If this is not done it is very hard on the life
span of the grain and ultimately the lifespan and usefulness of
your Backpack. We strongly suggest you purchase a second
pack if you need to use it more often then is recommended.
5.
How Can I Know if My Starting Temperature is Correct?
Heat Treat has provided an approximate heating time based on the
wattage of your microwave in the Instructions and
Precaution Sheet, which is enclosed with each pack sold.
These times correspond to the average temperature for the
average person wearing a mid-weight sweatshirt. –
Your Backpack is never to be applied to bare skin at any
time.
Each person is unique in how they sense temperature. For
instance, are you thick or thin-skinned? Do you have a high or
low tolerance for heat and cold? Are you wearing a lightweight
shirt or a heavy sweater?
Our recommend heating time should rarely need to exceed 4
minutes (microwave) total [unless you have a very old microwave.]
We do have customers who heat their pack at that maximum time and
in some cases several seconds more. These rare people do
not have any problems with nerve damage that could be the
cause of their lack of heat perception – they simply
enjoy and require a higher level of heat than most people, but
they are unusual.
6.
Why Can’t I Just Use My Hot Water Bottle or Heating
Pad?
The most obvious and important answer is
1. You cannot ensure the heat will not cross your spine using
either method.
2. You cannot regulate the temperature
It is too tempting to use the available high heat with these two
methods and to use them for too long – preventing the
overall effectiveness of a heat treatment in the first place.
3. HOT WATER BOTTLES –
A hot water bottle will throw your body position out of alignment
placing further stressors on spine, ligaments and supporting
muscles.
The only way this can be avoided is if care is taken to
“center” it – but this means crossing the spine
with dangerous heat.
4. HEATING PADS
a) Use of a heating pad provides, uneven, hot spots
b) the possibility of falling asleep on these can be
dangerous.
c) Pain and inflammation messages travel through the CNS as
chemical/electrical signals - adding outside electrical
fields to the equation is not
recommended.
7. Is There Anyway to Determine if I Have
Inflammation that Falls in that 1-4 day
range?
Yes. There is a fairly general rule you can use:
1. If you can find no pain free position – use ice
2. You can find Pain-free positions – but you have pain
with movement – use heat or a combination of ice/heat if
your prefer. Always remember – if using either ice or heat makes your
pain worse, stop using it – try your heat a day or two
later. For some people using ice, even on inflamed tissues causes
them additional pain. Often that problem is due to sensitivity to
the lower level of cold when using an ice pack. Try wringing out
a towel soaked in very cold tap water – this often will
work, but you may need to immediately reapply this form of cold
treatment to achieve the overall “cooling down” that
is necessary.
Remember, at this stage of your pain relief and recovery
– do nothing that causes you more
pain.
8. Why is the Third Rule to “Not Worry” So
Important?
While this certainly is not an explanation in the truest medical
tradition these lay terms should help you to understand the
answer to this question.
There is a major connection between the pain you
“experience” (how intense it is and how long it
lasts) and how worried or even angry you are about that pain.
This connection happens naturally when a pain signal reaches the
brain. The brain is considering this pain signal, along with
other chemical signals it is receiving, trying to determine the
severity of the problem and what information it needs to send to
best help the body heal in the most efficient
way.
Acute back and neck pain, regardless of what creates it, has a
‘built-in’ depression response in the body. This is a
part of the natural protective mechanisms – you feel
‘down’, may even lose your appetite, or need to sleep
more often. Think how tired and awful you feel when you get a flu
bug. This is a way of ‘forcing’ the body to tone down
its normal activities so the body can make full use of its
“energy” to aid in the healing process. However,
these signals are always a two-way-street. Your brain also
recognizes the amount of ‘outside’ or conscious worry
and/or fear you are attaching to your pain. The brain reacts to
this worry, concern and fear you are attaching to the pain by
saying to itself, “well maybe the root cause of this pain
is way more serious than it seems to be”. You could
say that the brain has learned to “trust your
judgment” and takes this into consideration in its efforts
to help you heal.
So in its consideration of your worry, and fears about your
pain the brain then sends ‘stronger’ pain messages
and “depression” chemicals to make sure you
understand the gravity of the situation and to make really sure
you ‘don’t move around too much.’ (this
is not good for more then a couple of days ) On top of
that, the brain “remembers” this pain episode and the
next time you have a back or neck pain episode (especially if it
is in the same area or due to the same cause) it can
automatically go into that “over protective mode.”
Because it has “learned” the previous,
“normal” pain you had, was not so
“normal” you can experience an exaggerated intensity
of pain that is an over blown reaction to the actual
‘damage’ that has occurred. Once this over reactive
two-way-street begins you can quickly find yourself suffering
from unecessary heightened pain and a real chemically activated
form of depression that feeds off itself.
Besides, there is really no reason you should be worrying
about your back or neck pain – it can be simply and easily
managed – the first key rule being to stop the pain
immediately if not sooner. Faithful following of all the
rules - from the beginning - can find you back to work and play
before you know it. Make sure to locate a doctor (natural
or medical) who will work with you.
9. What is the Best Way to Treat My Neck or Upper
Back and Shoulder Pain?
Your Pack comes equipped with two larger ‘free
standing’ heat application pockets that can be placed on
each side of your neck. They can also be placed over the
trapezius muscles of the shoulder or they can be
‘dropped’ to provide coverage to the entire upper
back. When treating the upper back, shoulder or neck we recommend
placing your hands through the either the upper or lower loop
(which ever is most comfortable). This places your shoulder
muscles into a neutral or relaxed position and thereby provides
the most effective treatment. Don’t forget to support your
head and/or neck. Use a small rolled towel under the neck or a
folded towel to support your head. You must be in
as comfortable and relaxed position as
possible.
10. What is the Best Way to Treat My Lower Back
Pain?
Simply lower the Pack until it covers your painful low back area.
If sitting makes your pain worse use your pack under your body
while lying on your back in bed. Use pillows under your knees,
and/ or a small roll under your head or neck to enable you to
be as comfortable as possible. Hold both straps in one hand
once you have secured the correct area to treat as you gently
roll onto your back. If you find your pack has come out of its
proper alignment along your spine simply give a little tug on the
bottom corner and this will ‘shift’ the entire pack
into proper alignment ensuring you do not cover the spine with
any heat.
11. Does the Backpack Provide a Moist or Dry Heat
Application?
Your Heat Treat Backpack applies moist heat. The heat-retaining
fill used in the Backpack is 100% whole grain oat seed. This seed
contains its own natural 12-15% moisture content and this
provides the moist heat. You should
never apply moisture to your Backpack. The grain is
capable of renewing its natural moisture content, from the
atmosphere, between applications.
12. How to Adapt Your Backpack for Optimal Treatment
Temperature
Each person will have to experiment a bit, the first couple of
times they use their Backpack, while basing their time and
temperature settings against the average charting times and
temperatures. These are outlined in the Recommendations and
Precautions sheet shipped with each backpack.
Because your Heat Treat Backpack is not to be used on bare
skin the level of temperature you experience is also directly
related to the thickness of clothing you are wearing
Immediately after removing from the microwave or oven, and
testing the temperature, give your Backpack a good shake-up
making sure the grains are well mixed in each of the pockets.
When first applied, your Backpack should begin to feel
“hot” but not uncomfortably hot and it
certainly should not be painful. After a very few
minutes you will, suddenly, notice that the “heat”
you are feeling has gone. The pack has not actually lost more
than 1 or 2 degrees of temperature. The brain has sent blood to
the skin in an effort to cool it down. Once that occurs, the
blood flow then moves into the deeper muscle tissues. And you
experience a less intense temperature at the skin level.
In learning how to adapt your Backpack’s temperature
– during your first and/or second treatment - if
the heat makes you uncomfortable in any way –
remove the pack for one minute, and then
reapply. You get no gold stars for suffering through painful
or excess heat and in fact could be causing a burn to your skin
as well as adding to the body's pain load.
For each minute you cool down the pack use 10 second less
heating time the next time you heat your Backpack from room
temperature. You should have your personal and unique
temperature needs worked out within 1-3 treatment starts.
Conversely, if your starting temperature does not feel hot enough
to suit you then increase your heating time by a total of 10 to
20 second each time until the temperature level suits you.
Over the remainder of your treatment time the Pack will begin
to lose heat, naturally. This period of time allows the
blood to begin to leave the tissues taking away the toxins
leaving behind more appropriate cells to aid in the resolution of
inflammation and the overall healing process. Before you have
reached the end of your treatment time you may think your Pack
has lost all of its heat. We assure you it has not.
If you choose to continue your treatment time to the full 60
minutes – your pack will still be at a therapeutic level of
heat – slowly returning to “body temperature”
over that one hour. Allowing the outflow of blood to complete its
process, based on the decreasing temperature of your Backpack,
over this entire 60 minutes, can be a little more helpful in some
cases. And, it also gives you up to 30 extra precious
“time-out minutes.”
Removal of your backpack before 60 minutes means that you need
to take time for your muscles to come back to their normal
temperature. The level of pain relief you experience,
immediately after your first treatment, is due to the
“heat experience” that includes the inflow of blood
to the painful tissues. We do not recommend that you instantly
jump up from your 30-minute treatment and start excessive
movements until your tissues have cooled down to ‘body
temperature’. At this point you will have a
‘truer’ perception of your pain level. Let that be
your guide for increasing your movements. Successive treatments
should bring successively highly levels of longer lasting pain
relief – but not if you irritate those tissues by excessive
movements.
The first day or two of pain relief treatments requires that
you pay close attention to the messages your body is sending and
treat it carefully, gently and with respect. Actually, you
should be doing that all the time, but
its most important for the first couples of days, and during your
rehabilitative programs.
13. Treating Severe Sudden Acute Pain with Known or
Suspected Inflammation
This type of pain would find you confined to home and rest, unable to continue
at your job or in any regular activities. If you suspect you may
have inflammation but are not sure, read, “Is it Inflammation or Simply
Muscle Spasms". If it is inflammation that started
this pain you will want to use ice for the first 1-4 days after
your pain started. Then move ahead with using your Backpack from
then on. Ice can help manage the pain you are having during this
1-4 days.
If it is simply muscle spasms, begin your Backpack treatments
immediately.
At any point, from the first day on, depending on how fast you
get to see your doctor, you may receive Pain and/or
anti-inflammatory medication of some kind – either natural
or chemical. Your Heat Treat Backpack will complement this pain
relief and inflammation reduction. And, if used correctly, you
may find you require less medication. Do
not forget Rule #1 – and ensure your pain is
completely controlled as fast as possible and
that it stays that way. Use every available tool you can
muster.
You may be prescribed a series of ice/heat treatments as a part
of your ongoing pain and inflammation control and you can read
more about this process below under, "When Would I Have to Use
ICE/HEAT Treatments?.".
14. I’ve Had Back/neck Pain Off and On for a While
– Will
the Backpack Get Rid of
It?
NO, but it will help to relieve and control these painful
episodes when they occur, and it will do it with far less or no
dangerous drugs. You have an underlying condition that
needs to be found and addressed before these episodes can be
stopped or controlled. We can’t say this often
enough – immediate and complete control of pain is vital.
It is a major player in your ability to recover from each pain
episode. As well, it helps to keep that underlying condition from
progressing any faster then necessary – while you
seek out and receive proper treatment.
We are sure you have already read that:
1. Unless your have been involved in some type of accident, 90%
of all sudden acute back or neck pain is usually the result of
sprained or strained soft tissues (muscles and tendons)
inflammation and muscle spasm. Pain from a simple muscle spasm
can be agonizing and immobilizing – it can be far worse
than any other type of back or neck pain. This definitely
true.
2. Statistics from the medical model states that 90% of this
type of acute back or neck pain will spontaneously resolve in 1
day to 3 months (up to 6 months if the tissue damage is severe) -
with the greatest number of people achieving pain relief in 1 day
- 3 weeks. This is definitely not true.
This is incorrect information based on one flawed study from
years ago. However, information from the newest studies indicate
that at a minimum 50% of sudden back/neck pain
sufferers will have a reoccurrence within 1 month to 2 years. On
average the majority of these people will experience 1 - 4
additional episodes within the first 12 months.
This is likely what has been happening to you. Niggling, nagging
sore, tired muscles, or even muscle spasms that continue to
“pop up” are a warning signal of an underlying
condition that needs to be addressed. Back/neck pain can be
caused by literally hundreds of “conditions.”
Unfortunately, the majority of medical model physicians continue
to follow the diagnostic information this flawed study
implies. Following this flawed treatment model is a double-edged
sword for back/neck pain recovery First, it says to the patient that there is not
much wrong with them implying it is some flaw in them that they
are still having pain. They go home and suffer in silence
continuing to worry and fret and try to “soldier
through” their pain and decreasing ability to function in
their lives.
Second, it means that they are not being
properly diagnosed for whatever underlying condition may be the
cause. As time progresses, so does the underlying condition.
Seek out a natural or medical model physician who is willing to
work with you to find out what even underlying condition may be
at the root of your pain and one who will also work with you to
properly and completely treat your pain.
15. What if My Pain is Due to a More Serious
Problem
There is less than a 2% chance your pain is due to a problem
with a ‘slipped’ or ‘blown’ disc.
Even if this is true – invasive procedures (surgeries,
nerve blocks, etc) are generally recommended less than 1% of the
time.
There are certainly cases where your pain could be due to more
serious conditions and even though the medical model often
recommends you just wait and see before contacting them –
we do not recommend this. We recommend that
you make contact with your doctor of choice so she/he can
evaluate your pain situation and decide if it is due to a more
serious problem. Also so you can make sure your doctor is able to assist
you with complete elimination of your pain during this time.
(Don’t forget your Backpack’s excellent ability to
provide relief of your pain during this time)
In deciding if you may have a more serious underlying
problem you should consider these symptoms and consult your
doctor if you have any of them
1. If your back or neck pain (especially low back pain) was
preceded by an accident, auto or a fall, a significant blow, or
participation in “weekend sports”. Sometimes pain
symptoms from these situations may not show up for weeks or
months.
2. If your pain increases after the 3rd or 4th day
3. increasing pain and/or “burning” in arms or
legs
4. loss of bowel or bladder control
5. Loss of function in arms, legs, hands and feet
6. If you already have an underlying condition such as
degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis, any form of rheumatoid
arthritis, kidney dysfunction, osteoporosis, have been taking
some of the new medications to treat these or other conditions,
or have or previously had a known cancer.
We are assuming you have not been irritating the originally
damaged tissues during this time. This could be the reason your
pain is getting worse.
16. Treating the Pain of Discomfort, Tired,
Overworked, Achy Back Muscles
The First Rule, once again, is to apply your
Backpack as soon as you become aware of these
“discomforts” -- discomfort is just another name for
pain.
These types of pain will generally see you able to continue to
work – However, they can start becoming more frequent
and/or cause you to start to cut down on some of your normal
work, home, hobby and leisure activities.
Once again we need to state - these niggling, annoying pains can
be early warning signs - generally of normal wear and tear,
degenerative, changes taking place. They can also be due to
hundreds of other underlying conditions. But no matter the cause
they indicate the need to make changes in your life habits and
work habits. Without these necessary changes you could find
yourself managing more painful acute episodes in the future.
Consistent use of the Heat Treat
Backpack while putting new lifestyle changes into effect
can greatly help to ensure your underlying condition progresses
at the slowest possible rate and
that you pain level is always as low as it can be.
Apply your Backpack as soon as possible to start your pain
control. If treatments with your pack do not quickly begin to
reduce your back pain, you my have to include Pain and/or
Anti-Inflammatory Medications of your choosing, either prescribed
or natural. Once again, take care that you have controlled your
pain as quickly and as completely as possible.
Generally an acute pain flair up is due to either further
degenerative changes or because the person has not yet completed
a program to help rehabilitate the underlying degenerative
problem. A back or neck pain “flare” is a reminder of
that.
The less one partakes in rehabilitative programs – the more
often they will experience these painful “flairs”.
For those who are totally unable to spend the time and/or money
required for these rehab programs consult with a Doctor of
Naturopathy, Doctor of Chiropractic, a Physical and/or
Occupational Therapist. Explain your situation. These people are
well trained in many alternative rehab methods and can target
exercises very specific to your needs that you can do at home,
costing you zero dollars and without takingup agreat deal of your
time.
Doctors of Naturopathy, Chiropractic, and many DO’s, as
well as medical doctors licensed as naturopaths, are all very
well trained to treat the “Whole Person” utilizing
methods that encourage the natural healing processes of the
body.
18. Can the Backpack Help Treat My Chronic
Pain?
Most Definitely. It can treat your Acute Pain episodes when they
arise. AND it can treat ongoing, everyday miserable chronic pains
as well.
Some chronic pain sufferers have plastic CNS changes that result
in severe peripheral skin sensitivities to heat, cold, and
pressure. Some only have sensitivity to either cold or heat. If
you are in the small minority having problems with extreme
sensitivity to heat – our product cannot help
you.
We
provide a great deal of cutting-edge information on our site that can be of considerable help to you
– after all the driving force behind this site, has been
dealing with the disease of chronic pain for almost 30
years.
19. When Would I Have to Use ICE/HEAT
Treatments?
You may be prescribed an ice/heat treatment, especially if your
acute pain is the result of damaged tissues. If you can
tolerate the ice part of this treatment for a few days
– please do so – it will hasten your pain relief and
resolution of inflammation. This combination therapy moves blood
in and out of the injured area much more efficiently. This
combination therapy is also recommended if you find you have
overdone the ‘movement’ portion of your recovery
– including your post pain back-to-work activities. This
would include your recovery exercises, stretches – should
your initial Chiropractic, Physio or Massage treatments cause you
new pain.
At this early point in your recovery it is not difficult to
overdo – but when this happens your body will let you know
by increasing your pain and/or causing muscle spasms. This is the
time to return to using the combination ice/heat treatments.
This is nothing to worry about – it is just
nature’s way of telling you your body is not quite as ready
as you thought it was to move so strongly forward in your
activities. It means you need to back-off a little, rest a bit
more, reduce your pain again and then – be more gentle with
yourself in your recovery processes. In spite of living in the
age of always seeking “Instant Results” and
“The Quick Fix” – you can’t hurry Mother
Nature, so go with the timetable your body is setting for
you.
20. How Easy is this Combination
Treatment?
With the Heat Treat Backpack doing a series like this is
relatively painless (no pun intended).
Your doctor will tell you how long each modality should be
applied for and how many series (sets) you are to do in one
day.
The general rule for this treatment is, 2 to 4 sets, two, or
more, times per day. Ice is applied for a specified period of
time - generally between 6 – 10 minutes. After your body
temperature has retuned to normal - heat is then applied. This
heat portion can be for 20 – 30 minutes or longer.
With your Heat Treat Backpack the heat portion of the set is fast
and easy. This pack was not designed nor intended to be the ice
part of the treatment. To use our pack as the ice portion would
be very difficult without purchasing 2 or more Backpacks. There
is a wide range of inexpensive ice pack products on the market
with a wide choice of size. You can use a frozen bag of peas or
corm. You can also use a wet towel, wrung out in cold water and
placed in the freezer for a few minutes. This is by far the least
expensive way to go for this type of therapy.
The sets should go very quickly and while reheating your Pack is
quick and easy, your ice pack may not have enough time to
‘re-freeze’ before it is needed again, so you will
need an ice pack for each set. Never use any ice pack directly on
the skin – wrap it in a towel. Ice, like heat, can actually
burn your skin and at this point in your pain recovery you do
not want to create any additional source of pain.
A “Set” works like this:
1. Apply Ice for recommended period of time 6-10 minutes –
you can apply ice anywhere on your back including the spine.
Wait until your body returns to normal temperature
BEFORE you get up and move.This includes
waiting to get up to begin heating your Backpack. The total
time from first application of ice to the first application of
heat should take a minimum of half an hour. (Don’t forget
to toss the ice pack back in the freezer)
2. Apply your Heat Treat Backpack for 25 – 40 minutes
(or longer) because your muscles are coming back down to body
temperature during the treatment time and most people like to
continue this heat treatment portion as long as possible. Once
again allow your body to come to normal temperature - then
immediately hang up your Pack allowing it to cool as much as
possible as you get ready to start your second set
You can now move on to another set. Follow #1 and #2 above for
each set required.
Don’t forget to check out the Instructions and
Precautions sheet that is included when you purchase your
pack. There is important reheating timetable information for
these specific treatments.
NOTE: If your doctor has asked you to do 3 or 4 sets twice a day
we recommend you purchase two Backpacks. To protect the life
(Minimum - two years) of your Backpack and the natural
moisture content of the grain, the Backpack should not be used
more than 4 to 6 times per day and that maximum is only
recommended if you very carefully follow instructions for
use. If you are able to allow the pack to come to room
temperature before reheating, your Backpack could be reheated up
to 6 times – over time, this will still cut down the useful
life expectancy of your Backpack.
If you have a question you did not find in our FAQ file
– don’t hesitate to contact us by email( info@heattreat.ca ) or in our
Forum
DISCLAIMER:The information in HeatTreat.ca is not intended as a substitute for appropriate medical professional help or advice but is to be used as a sharing of new knowledge, information and as an aid to a new understanding about back and neck pain and its treatment. A trained, appropriate health professional should always be consulted for back pain or any health problem. HeatTreat.ca provides links to other articles and web sites as a service to our readers and is not responsible for the information, services, or products provided by these web sites, health professionals, or companies. See "Terms and
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