ABSTRACT
APPLICATION OF WARM COMPRESSES USING A HOT WATER BAG (HWB) FOR ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH ACUTE LOW BACK PAIN
(A Case Study at UPT Pelayanan Sosial Tresna Werdha Magetan)
Rara Ayu Firnanda
Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitas Muhammadiyah Ponorogo
E-mail: rarafirnanda@gmail.com

Low Back Pain (LBP) is a condition characterized by pain in the area extending from the lower ribs to the pelvis. This complaint can manifest over a short duration (acute), a moderate period (subacute), or persist over the long term (chronic). Warm compresses serve as an effective non-pharmacological therapy for reducing low back pain in the elderly, shifting the pain level from moderate to mild. This scientific paper aims to implement warm compress therapy using a hot water bag to reduce pain levels in elderly individuals experiencing acute pain at the UPT Pelayanan Sosial Tresna Werdha Magetan.
Nursing care was administered at the Tresna Werdha Social Service Unit in Magetan over a seven-day period, utilizing the nursing process approach. Assessment results indicated that the client was experiencing acute pain, characterized by reported pain, visible grimacing, and difficulty performing activities. The intervention consisted of applying warm compresses using a hot water bag for 10–15 minutes each morning. Following the therapy, the client's pain level decreased. Evaluation results showed a reduction in the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) showed a decrease from a score of 7 (severe pain) on the first day of implementation to 3 (mild pain) by the final evaluation on the seventh day of the intervention.
Nursing care for elderly individuals experiencing acute pain is intended to serve as a guide for healthcare professionals and caregivers in applying warm compress therapy using a warm water Zag (WWZ) as a non-pharmacological intervention to reduce pain intensity.
Keywords: Low Back Pain (LBP), warm compress, Warm Water Zag (WWZ), acute pain, elderly, Numeric Rating Scale (NRS).