One of the reasons paraffin wax works so well is because it holds in moisture in the skin and sloughs off dead skin cells without doing any damage to the skin at all. It’s rejuvenating and refreshing, leaving the skin incredibly smooth. Aside from healing cracked skin, the benefits of paraffin can translate to those who are dealing with physical therapy. Paraffin wax offers a wonderful advantage for those with these conditions:
- Fibromyalgia
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Other points of pain in the body, stemming from an injury
The main reason why paraffin wax works so well for therapy is because of the heat it provides. This type of therapy is called thermotherapy.
Thermotherapy uses heat to relax soreness and bring comfort to the areas of pain. It also increases blood flow and circulation, which can result in more oxygen to these areas and relieve some pain.
Since heat causes the muscles to relax, this means you may experience a greater range of motion for those who have difficulty with mobility. If you have swelling due to fluid build-up, paraffin wax can reduce swelling as well.
Depending on the severity of your pain, you will likely need more than one layer of wax. Sometimes several layers are needed to penetrate heat deeply into the muscles and produce any comfort, and this is normal.