Tips for using HEAT or ICE for pain – what works best for you!?!

Heat is used for helping:

• Improve circulation –
• Open up blood vessels,
• Decreasing muscle spasm, cramping and tightness,
• Alleviate pain and discomfort

When should I use heat?

• Heat is very good for chronic conditions and deep aching type pain such as
  • Muscle spasm, cramping and tightness
  • Disc injury/bulge/prolapse
  • Lower Back Pain
  • Neck Pain
  • Period Pain
• Heat helps reduce muscle tension and pain by increasing blood flow to the area and relax muscles that are in spasm. It also acts to remove lactic acid which is a toxin that causes the aching pain.
• Heat can be applied locally with wheat pack/hot water bottle or can be achieved by increasing body temperature with a hot bath or shower or sauna.

Safety Tips for use of heat:

• Take care that you protect yourself from direct contact to the skin with heating devices to avoid burns and to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
• Never use heat if you have no or minimal feeling in the affected body part
• Do not use heat if you have poor circulation
• Never use heat on an area that is swollen or bruised.

Cold therapy is used for helping:

• Slow down blood flow to an injured body part
• Decrease swelling,
• Decrease inflammation and pain to injured area

Ice is an effective and natural pain killer and anti-inflammatory as it numbs the area and decreases blood supply to the damaged tissue and can decrease localized swelling.

Cold therapy is good for:

• Migraines
• Headaches
• Sporting injuries which can include sprains, strains and bruises, or after slips and falls
• Tendonitis
• Bursitis
• After minor burns apply cold running tap water for up to 20 minutes

When should I use cold/ice?

•  Ice should be used in the acute or early stages of pain or injury to reduce swelling, inflammation and pain.
• If something is red, hot, swollen and tender, with a sharp quality to the pain, this is a good indicator of when ice should be used.
• Use ice in the first 24-36 hours of an injury, especially on your limbs!
• Ice should be used 10 minutes on and off alternating for the first 40 minutes and then approximately at 2 hour intervals

Safety Tips for use of ice:

• If using an ice pack, frozen peas or ice cubes, never place directly on the skin – always use a cloth between the ice and your body to prevent ice burn.
• Avoid using ice if you have circulation problems and don’t use for more than 20 minutes at a time