Heat or Ice?
As a physiotherapist, I often get asked what is better for my pain; heat or ice?
My answer is that entirely depends on what is causing your pain (and personal preference)!
If your pain is due to a swollen tissue (for example, if you rolled over your ankle and it is painful and swollen) then you would want to use ice to help reduce the swelling, inflammation and pain. It is also advisable to elevate and sometimes compress the area to help reduce the swelling.
If your pain is not caused by an injury or condition which causes swelling, then it is a personal preference as to whether you find heat or ice helps in reducing pain.
Some people prefer ice, some prefer heat and some prefer switching between the two.
Heat and ice can be used for both joint and muscle pains. However in general, muscles tend to prefer heat to relax muscle tension and promote tissue elasticity.
SAFETY
*You can cause burns to the skin through using both heat or ice if not applied correctly. Neither should be applied directly to the skin nor for too long.
*It is recommended that you ice for no longer than 10-15 minutes at a time and cover the ice with a damp towel. For heat, it’s for no longer than 20 minutes and again, ensure you use a cover so you’re not applying heat directly on the skin. However, you can use these several times throughout the day.
*If you have a condition which causes you to have reduced sensation (e.g. diabetes), then you need to be even more careful when applying thermotherapy (the use of heat or ice) by checking the temperature and your skin condition regularly.
So what to use?
There are lots of fancy hot and cold sprays, gels and packs out there. The principles of using thermotherapy to help with pain is the same whatever you are using.
A simple frozen bag of peas with a damp towel around it, a hot water bottle with a cover or a microwaveable wheat bag work just as well as the fancy products.
This is a bit like taking Nurofen or taking Boots' own brand of ibuprofen - both have exactly the same ingredients but one is a lot more expensive! But that’s a blog for another time…
It is about trying things out, seeing what works for you and keeping it simple! 🔥 🧊
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