PROGRESSIVE HEALTH & WELLNESS BLOG:
SELF TREATMENT ADVICE ON THE PROPER USE OF HEAT & ICE : Many people are not sure when to use heat and when to use ice in the self-treatment of pain and injuries. As a rule, any treatment should be individualized to the unique needs of the patient. That said, the advice that follows will serve as useful general guidelines on the proper use of heat & ice. This advice is given with the recommendation that you also seek out care from your chiropractor or other qualified health care provider.
If you are having pain as the result of an identifiable injury (from a fall, or a blow, or a sprain, strain, sports injury, car accident, etc.) then it is usually best to use an ice pack for the first 24-48 hours. Apply the ice pack for 10-20 minutes (not longer), and repeat at least three times per day, or up to once every hour if pain is severe. The ice will reduce pain, muscle spasm, inflammation and decrease tissue damage.
If your pain is not the direct result of an actual injury, or if the pain has persisted for more than 48 hours, it is usually best to alternate heat & ice. The best way to do this is to apply moist heat for 5 minutes, followed by an ice pack for 1 minute. Just one single repetition of this therapy (6 minutes total), performed 1-3 times per day (depending upon the severity of your symptoms) is usually all you need to do. The heat needs to be moist – not dry. You should never use a dry heating pad. Moist heat can be applied by letting the hot water from a hot shower directly heat the affected area for 5 full uninterrupted minutes, or by soaking in a bath, or by applying a hot moist pack that stays hot. Note that a hot wet towel will not retain the heat long enough to be effective. You should also never apply heat without following it with ice. Applying dry heat, or heat not followed by ice will result in temporary pain relief, but at the expense of decreased circulation which will lead to increased pain and swelling minutes or hours later. However, when used correctly, the combination of heat & ice recommended above will increase circulation, thereby reducing pain & inflammation, and relaxing tight muscles, as well as dramatically accelerating tissue repair and recovery.
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SELF TREATMENT ADVICE ON THE PROPER USE OF HEAT & ICE : Many people are not sure when to use heat and when to use ice in the self-treatment of pain and injuries. As a rule, any treatment should be individualized to the unique needs of the patient. That said, the advice that follows will serve as useful general guidelines on the proper use of heat & ice. This advice is given with the recommendation that you also seek out care from your chiropractor or other qualified health care provider.
If you are having pain as the result of an identifiable injury (from a fall, or a blow, or a sprain, strain, sports injury, car accident, etc.) then it is usually best to use an ice pack for the first 24-48 hours. Apply the ice pack for 10-20 minutes (not longer), and repeat at least three times per day, or up to once every hour if pain is severe. The ice will reduce pain, muscle spasm, inflammation and decrease tissue damage.
If your pain is not the direct result of an actual injury, or if the pain has persisted for more than 48 hours, it is usually best to alternate heat & ice. The best way to do this is to apply moist heat for 5 minutes, followed by an ice pack for 1 minute. Just one single repetition of this therapy (6 minutes total), performed 1-3 times per day (depending upon the severity of your symptoms) is usually all you need to do. The heat needs to be moist – not dry. You should never use a dry heating pad. Moist heat can be applied by letting the hot water from a hot shower directly heat the affected area for 5 full uninterrupted minutes, or by soaking in a bath, or by applying a hot moist pack that stays hot. Note that a hot wet towel will not retain the heat long enough to be effective. You should also never apply heat without following it with ice. Applying dry heat, or heat not followed by ice will result in temporary pain relief, but at the expense of decreased circulation which will lead to increased pain and swelling minutes or hours later. However, when used correctly, the combination of heat & ice recommended above will increase circulation, thereby reducing pain & inflammation, and relaxing tight muscles, as well as dramatically accelerating tissue repair and recovery.
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