Heat or Ice……….?

Heat or Ice……….?

By Dr. Jeffry T. Vendsel

2008

Many patients will ask me what is the best home therapy to use for their various skeletal complaints, heat or ice…..? Usually they will come in and tell me what they did before they saw me and what they used didn't work. Just like the old adage, "starve a cold, feed a fever" is still around and told too many, that advice can be wrong for what is ailing you. I would like to see if I could help provide the information that will work the best.

Ice is the therapy of choice for either a new injury or a flaring of any type of old injury that is also producing pain. Most people know that if you sprain an ankle you are supposed to use ice on it first. The same logic should be used for any new or flared up skeletal injury. Your main goal is to stop and then reduce swelling so pressure doesn't irritate the nerve endings in the area thereby decreasing pain. It doesn't feel as good when applied but it definitely does the job. The time frame used is usually a doctor's personal recommendation and I have found that 10 minutes on followed by 30 minutes off with this being done several times in a row works for most people. It allows the body to cool rapidly and then warm gradually which is most beneficial in the treatment of pain.

Heat is the therapy of choice for a more chronic situation that has been around for awhile. In this type of situation you want to increase blood flow to the area so to help the body remove the toxic buildup of waste products in the muscles and thereby give them the ability to relax. The same time frame should be used as with ice, 10 minutes on followed by 30 minutes off. This gives the body the ability to regulate itself and utilize the therapy most efficiently.

Now with this outline the question always comes up, "What if I am stiff but also have pain?" My answer is to always defer back to cold. The application of cold first cannot hurt you, if you follow the recommended guidelines listed above, but heat can. When in doubt, always use cold.

As always, if you problem doesn't improve or actually gets worse, see your doctor for his or her expertise treatment and advise.

Contact Dr. Vendsel at Advanced Chiropractic Spine & Sports Injury Center

3131 N. Country Club #111
Tucson, AZ 85716