You can make ice packs with ice cubes in a plastic bag or wet tea towel; a pack of frozen peas is also ideal and can go in and out of the freezer. Never place ice directly on an injury; keep the pack moving to avoid ice burns. Never treat with ice for more than 30 minutes, and remove the pack immediately if the injury appears bright pink or red.
Heat treatments should be used for chronic conditions to help relax and loosen tissues and to stimulate blood flow to the area. Use heat treatments for conditions such as overuse injuries before participating in activities. Do not use heat treatments after activity, and do not use heat after an acute injury. Never use heat where swelling is involved because swelling is caused by bleeding in the tissue, and heat just draws more blood to the area.
Heating tissues can be accomplished using a heating pad, or even a hot, wet towel. When using heat treatments, be very careful to use a moderate heat for a limited time to avoid burns. Never leave heating pads or towels on for extended periods of time or while sleeping. If you have questions regarding the proper treatment of an injury, call the doctors or physical therapists at Southern California Orthopedic Institute today at In other cases, you may need to refrain from any self-treatment.
Here are a few instances when you should not apply ice to your body. In many ways, heat has the opposite effect of ice. Whereas ice causes muscles to tighten and restricts blood flow, heat:. Many things can cause your muscles to become stiff and painful. For example, you may experience lower back pain after a day of moving heavy objects. Working or studying in a seated position can lead to neck pain. Whatever the cause, applying heat to the tight or achy area should have a soothing effect and cause the muscle to loosen.
So, when is heat the right choice for an injury? Here are some instances when heat is the best choice. In general, heat is a better option for more minor aches and pains, as opposed to serious injuries.
We just looked at some instances where heat is an effective form of treatment, but there are other times when heat therapy can do more harm than good. In some cases, ice and heat can work together to help relieve pain. Ice helps reduce swelling and acute pain, and heat helps soothe stiff joints.
If you have arthritis, you should work with your doctor to develop a treatment plan to manage your discomfort. Ice and heat can both come in handy for treating an acute injury, but you should use them at different stages. You can use ice initially to reduce swelling and then, once the injury has mostly healed, use heat to soothe any remaining feelings of soreness.
For example, one-third of people who sprain an ankle experience residual symptoms even after the injury has healed. If you have an overuse injury, which is common for athletes, both ice and heat can help you manage the pain and keep the injury from worsening. In the case of overuse, apply heat to the injury before your physical activity, then use ice on the area after the physical activity.
Ice therapy can come in the form of an ice massage, ice baths or coolant sprays, but the most common form is an ice pack. Because people most often use ice to treat acute injuries, an ice pack is typically all you need to get the job done. You can make an ice pack by filling a bag with ice, or you can purchase reusable ice packs from the store. Beyond these basic instructions, you should talk to your doctor about the best icing regimen for your injury. Some doctors may recommend a plan like 20 minutes on, 30 minutes off, meaning you should ice for 20 minutes, then wait another 30 minutes before icing again.
A schedule like this would apply to a recent injury that is still swollen. There are various ways to categorize heat therapy. Another distinction we can make is between acute and whole-body heat therapy. For example, a heating pad is an example of dry heat for an acute injury, while a sauna is a whole-body dry heat method.
A hot bath is an example of whole-body, moist heat therapy. If you wanted to treat an acute area with moist heat, you could use a damp, steaming towel. So, how do you use these various forms of heat therapy? Heat therapy may be the best way to treat your pain, but in some cases, there may be an underlying injury or other cause to address. Ice has some critical advantages, when used correctly. Like ice, heat has unique advantages, as well as some disadvantages when it comes to treating an injury or pain.
If this is the case, you should schedule an appointment with a doctor right away. Depending on what is causing your discomfort, the doctor may recommend physical therapy , surgery or another treatment method. You may also need to take medication to help manage pain.
Our orthopedic doctors are committed to helping you understand your injury or chronic pain and to treating the issue at its source. Contact us online or give us a call at to make an appointment today!
Thank you for the great explanation. October 15, You have explained the use of ice and heat, singly and in combination better than a number of sites I read before finding you. A much appreciated and magnificent job. Thank you heartedly. September 28, Most informative and very helpful. Thank you soo much. June 29, Thanks very much I learn the difference between ice and heat for pain. Reply From: OrthoCarolina. June 29, This was great! I now have a very clear understanding on how to treat my injuries, thank you so much!
May 02, I am very thankful that I found this article! I've had knee replacement surgery and suffered a lot of pain. I was told by therapist that icing was my best friend, but what I didn't know was that 20 minutes on and 30 to 40 minutes off is the best cycle of using ice.
I tried it and it worked much better! Thank you for the knowledge! March 20, Thank you for letting me know in plain language about the icing and the Heat I was always getting confused about the two. March 15, Thank you so much for clearing up the confusion I have had on icing and heat for my back.
You explained this so clearly!! December 23, Interesting read, thanks! August 28, Thank you so much,this is very details,I only use heat method before but now I will try the heat and ice method on my clients that has Arthritis. April 18, Thank you for an in depth explanation. February 15, Thank you for confirming. I think I was icing too often and too long. After reading this article I got it now. December 19, My husband had a cortisone shot into his arthritic shoulder. I was puttng heat on it and did not know about icing for twenty minutes and heat for fifteen minutes, etc.
Excellent article to clear up the confusion we had. Thank you! November 27, thank you for sharing the amazing article and tips. It helps me a lot, in relieving my knee pain.
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