Using heat and ice as therapy is an effective way to manage pain after an injury. However, many people are confused about when to use ice vs heat for injuries. The use of cold and heat therapy helps decrease inflammation and reduce pain. If you want to make these therapies work, you must know how to use them appropriately to treat injuries.
Ice vs Heat for Injuries: Understanding the Difference
Cold and heat therapy both relieve pain and injuries differently, but there are other critical differences between them. For example, pain can be challenging to manage when it comes to an injury due to inflammation, pressure, and swelling. Heat relaxes muscles and eases stiff joints, whereas ice reduces inflammation and numbs the pain. In addition, heat improves circulation and blood flow, but ice reduces blood flow, reducing swelling and inflammation.
When to Use Ice
A general rule of thumb is that you should only apply ice to acute injuries, new injuries, or acute pain. Inflammation and swelling caused by an acute injury make ice helpful in dulling the pain associated with those reactions. Also, it can temporarily numb the nerves in the area, which helps to relieve pain. However, ice can cause minor problems if misused, such as swelling, pain, and inflammation. By icing too long, you can cause your joints in the affected area to feel tighter and stiffer, increasing your pain rather than easing it. It is best to use ice only for 15 to 20 minutes.
When to Use Heat
Heat is generally recommended to relieve stiff muscles and joints. Heat effectively treats chronic pain because it increases circulation in the affected areas, reducing stress and tension. Increasing blood flow can also aid in healing damaged tissue later in the rehabilitation process. While heat therapy may be applied for a more extended time than ice, it is typically effective within 15 to 20 minutes. If you are experiencing swelling or inflammation, do not use heat, as it can make things worse.
Treatment as a Whole
A rehabilitation plan should include both cold and heat therapy. Neither of these methods will work by themselves in terms of pain or injury recovery since they are only supplements to reduce pain, inflammation, and stress. An effective therapy program includes strengthening muscles, diagnosing the underlying cause, and attempting to fix the cause by changing habits or changing movement.
If you are still unsure when to use ice vs heat for injuries or are experiencing chronic pain after an injury, reach out to your local Voorhees, NJ chiropractor. Our goal at Bird Chiropractic is to help our patients get back to their best health, especially after an injury. Click here to schedule an appointment today and see how cold and heat therapy can be used to treat injuries in combination with chiropractic care.
