Take a Dip in Heated Wax


Splish splash my hand was taking a bath, in a heated tub of paraffin.

When I was a kid, I didn't know what a paraffin wax bath was. When I was a young adult, I had an idea of what it was, but really didn't pay much attention to it.  Now, as a middle aged person with ever more creeping pain in my fingers and joints during the cold, gray months of winter, I look forward to using one.

Spongy pain and the stiffness of arthritis affects the health of the bone joints in the body, and for decades physicians and physical therapists have recommended paraffin baths as an effective treatment for individuals with arthritis pain.  The primarily reason to use heated paraffin wax is to decrease stiffness while improving range of motion.  Paraffin baths are frequently used to treat chronic arthritic conditions and also help with pain control.

During the era of the Roman Empire, wax was applied to the body to heat the skin and relax the muscles before a massage.  In the middle of the 19th century, chemists found a way to separate the waxy substance from petroleum, producing paraffin wax.  During World War I, to help soothe blisters and pain from such infectious diseases as Trench Foot, the British army would dip their feet in paraffin wax.

Paraffin wax is typically used now for 'wax baths'.  Paraffin wax is usually a white or clear color that has a melting point between 120 and 150 degrees Fahrenheit. The wax is derived from petroleum and has a high capacity to retain heat.  When used in a paraffin bath, the wax is melted, or liquefied, and then applied to the skin.  The paraffin quickly changes back to a solid that surrounds the skin while retaining heat, helping to soothe aching joints or minor muscle injuries.  The heat also opens pores and increases blood circulation within the skin which adds an extra benefit in making the skin feel softer.

One type of paraffin bath is the Therabath PRO Professional Paraffin Bath, sold by Rehabmart.  Since 1962, medical professionals and arthritis sufferers have used the Therabath PRO Professional Paraffin Bath to provide penetrating heat that relieves the pain of arthritis, joint stiffness, and sports injuries while also hydrating the skin.
 
                                                         From library.rehabmart.com
 
The Therabath PRO is an oversized tank that is perfect for hand, foot and elbow treatments.  It has an automatic temperature control which maintains optimal temperature for maximum outcome.  This is a fully insulated paraffin bath tank with a 110 volt hospital grade cord and comes with six pounds of Therabath paraffin wax.

Since this product is used for medical purposes, safety awareness must be taken into consideration.  Make sure your hand/foot or elbow does not touch the side or bottom of the tank while you are using it.  Do not put paraffin over open cuts or sores, and always check the temperature of the paraffin wax prior to using it so you don't get burns.

So let neither rain, nor snow, nor gloom of arthritis stop you from enjoying some relief from pain.  Go ahead and let your fingers walk on the wild side and into a healing vat of warm, encompassing wax.  From the Roman Empire, to the trenches of World War One France to your own home, now you can enjoy a soothing paraffin wax spa treatment that has brought healing relief to sufferers for centuries.
 
To view similar products, go to the Paraffin Wax Bath, Arthritis Treatment, Paraffin Wax page.


Bill Stock
Library Editor for Rehabmart
and
Hulet Smith, OT
Rehabmart Team Leader & CEO