Ice Or Heat? A Rocky River, Ohio Doctor Of Chiropractic Provides Answers To This Common Question

When should I use ice for my back pain? Should I use heat on this pain in my neck

? Whether to use ice or heat is probably one of the most common questions asked by Chiropractic patients. Ice or heat can reduce your pain and speed recovery. These easy treatments are affordable and effective. Making the wrong choice in the ice versus heat debate, however, can actually make your pain and condition worse.

Whether to choose heat or ice is usually dependent on three main factors: the type of pain and injury, the age of the injury, and your specific goals for treatment. Underlying health conditions can also be an important factor in determining which treatment is acceptable, but the three major decisive factors are typically those described above. With that in mind, let us briefly discuss the main types of pain and injury.

There are two major types of pain and injury: acute and chronic. Acute injuries are those that have recently occurred. Typically, an injury that occurred in the past three days is considered an acute injury. Acute pain generally begins suddenly and with a well identified cause. For example, imagine you hurt your back while moving cleaning the garage or you twisted your ankle while golfing. These are both acute injuries. Acute injuries most often involve swelling and inflammation. Most acute injuries and pain are short lived and resolve fairly quickly.

In direct contrast, chronic pain and injury take much more time to gradually evolve. In a chronic conditions the patient often is unable to pinpoint a specific point in time when the condition began or a specific cause for the condition. For example, you may notice an unexplained dull pain in the knee or a backache that inexplicably and slowly appeared with no known cause. Chronic conditions generally involve less swelling or inflammation when compared to the acute variety. Chronic pain is also generally more persistent and long lasting than acute pain. Ice is the considered the ideal treatment choice for acute pain and injuries that have occurred within the past 72 hours. If you have suffered a very recent injury that involves bruising or swelling, ice is likely your best choice. Let's examine some of the effects of applying ice to the body.

Ice actually calms and sedates the nerves responsible for transmitting pain signals. This creates a numbing effect to reduce or eliminate the sensation of pain. Ice also calms muscle spasms associated with many acute injuries. Ice also causes vasoconstriction which is a fancy term for narrowing of blood vessels. This reduces the flow of blood and fluid which can control microscopic bleeding and also decreases swelling and inflammation.

How should ice be applie? The best ice pack is generally one that is both soft and flexible to conform to the shape of the body area involved. Many commercial ice packs can be purchased, but one of the most affordable and effective solutions is probably already in your freezer. A bag of frozen peas or a plastic bag partially filled with crushed ice both make perfect ice packs. Wrap the ice pack in a towel or similar barrier both for comfort and in order to prevent frostbite. Ice can be applied to the involved area for about 10 to 15 minutes and then removed. Next allow the treated area to return to normal temperature without assistance before applying the ice again. This warming process generally takes about one full hour. Application of ice can be repeated several times each day for a period of about 3 or 4 days.

Ice is generally considered the safe choice if you are unsure of whether to apply ice or heat. A phrase to help remind you of this general rule is: ice is nice. If you are in doubt, just use ice. You stand less chance of causing harm and injury if you incorrectly use ice versus heat. Now that we've covered when to use ice, let us discuss the application of heat.

Heat is by far the best choice for chronic conditions. Heat can also be used for injuries older than about 4 days, provided inflammation has subsided. Persistent stiffness, chronic muscle aches and pains, and long term muscle spasms generally respond very well to the application of heat.

What are the effect of heat therapy? Heat raises tissue temperature which increases soft tissue flexibility and improves joint range of motion. In addition, heat causes vasodilation. This vasodilation, or widening of the opening of blood vessels, leads to increased blood flow to an area. This enhanced circulation brings more oxygen and nutrients to the area and also increases removal of waste products. This helps to speed healing and recovery, but also leads to increased inflammation and swelling. These are just a couple of reasons why heat should never be applied to an acute injury or swollen area.

How should heat be applied? Moist heat is considered the best choice since it is believed to penetrate deeper than dry heat. Moist heat also helps prevent dehydration of the skin which often occurs with dry heat. A simple warm bath or shower are simple and affordable ways to apply moist heat to an area. Damp, hot towels are yet another convenient and effective source of moist heat. A towel or other type of barrier should always be used between the heat source and skin to prevent burns. Treatment temperature for application of heat should be warm and comfortable. Heat can be applied for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. The heat should then be removed for about thirty minutes before it is reapplied. This heating process can be repeated several times a day as needed.

Do not apply heat for too long. Unless specifically directed by your Chiropractor or other health care provider, heat should never be applied for a period greater than 20 minutes. To prevent burns and injury you should never sleep on a heating pad or other heating source.

Would if you need the benefits of both heat and ice?Depending on the nature of your injury or condition, heat and ice can often be combined in your treatment plan. For example, patients suffering from chronic low back pain and stiffness can apply moist heat to the low back prior to engaging in physical activity or exercise. This increases range of motion and flexibility of the spine to better prepare it for the demands of activity to come. After exercise or activity have been completed these same patients would then apply ice to their low back to limit their pain and inflammation.

In conclusion, application of ice and heat are affordable and effective treatment options. They can offer pain relief for your back pain, neck pain, or other conditions. Making the right choice in the ice versus heat decision is important to avoid making your pain or symptoms worse. Ice is best used for inflamed areas and for acute pain and injury. Ice packs should always be applied wrapped in a towel and only for a period of about ten to fifteen minutes. Ice packs should be removed for about one hour before they are reapplied. This cold therapy process can be repeated several times a day for a few days.

Heat is most effective for chronic pain and stiffness and other persistent conditions. Moist heat is considered superior to dry heat because it penetrates more deeply and helps prevent drying the skin. Heat can be applied for about 15 to 20 minutes and then should be removed for one hour before it is applied again. This process can be repeated several times as needed throughout the day.

by: Dr. Laura Vernallis

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