Your back aches, but before deciding whether to reach for the ice pack or the heating pad, ask yourself a couple of questions: How long have you had the pain, and what might be causing it?
The answer to those questions will help determine whether to choose heat or cold — or a combination of both. To get additional guidance, we checked in with Dr. David Hirschi, a Sports Medicine Physician with ThedaCare Orthopedic Care.
“Heat and cold work differently, but they both can reduce pain,” he says.
Ice for Inflammation
If the pain is new, using ice often is the answer. Applying ice to a sprained ankle or bruised knee will not only lessen pain but also decrease swelling.
“Icing an injured site reduces inflammation, which helps decrease pain,” Dr. Hirschi says.
Ice also is appropriate if you have tendonitis that’s flared up after a workout. Tendons connect your muscles to your bones and can sometimes become inflamed. Applying ice to the affected areas can shrink the inflammation and decrease the pain.
If you’re dealing with a headache or migraine, ice or a cold mask can help ease inflammation and slow the brain’s pain signals.
Apply ice for 15 to 20 minutes, four to eight times per day for the first two days after an injury, Dr. Hirschi says. Spend less time when icing small joints such as fingers or toes or sensitive areas like your groin. When using a bag of crushed ice or a frozen gel pack, put a cloth or paper towel under the ice pack to protect your skin from the cold.
Heat for Relaxation
“Heat works well for relaxing tense muscles that can lead to pain,” Dr. Hirschi says. “Stress, tension and overdoing it cause muscle knots. Heat can help unwind these by increasing blood flow to the region.”
Arthritis sufferers might find that heat can loosen stiff joints while reducing pain. Heat also works well for relieving menstrual cramps.
Apply heat for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. That could be using a heating pad or soaking in a warm tub or whirlpool. Take at least a two-hour break between sessions of using the heating pad, and don’t place the heat source directly on your skin.
Combined Approach
Some people find alternating ice and heat provides the best treatment. The cold reduces inflammation, and the heat then relaxes the muscle, Dr. Hirschi says. If going this route, use heat or cold for 15 to 20 minutes and then wait a few hours before applying the alternate treatment.
For lingering injuries, using both treatments can be helpful. For example, if you pull a muscle shoveling snow, you can use an ice pack to help with the immediate pain. After a few days, you can switch to a heating pad if the muscle becomes stiff.
Connect to Care
“If you have an injury or a pain that’s not resolving with heat, ice and other home-care measures, it’s a good idea to seek medical care,” Dr. Hirschi says.
To make an appointment with a sports medicine physician, call (920) 831-5050, or schedule online. For no-appointment-needed care, visit ThedaCare Orthopedic Walk-in Care in Appleton, open seven days a week.
