Hot or Cold Therapy? Which do i use? Woodbridge, VA

Both heat therapy and cold therapy are cost effective measures to help mitigate pain and stiffness, but which one should you use? Let’s dive in:

How it works

Ice Therapy is best used on a new injury, bruises, joint pain, or after a workout. Ice helps to reduce inflammation which helps to decrease your pain. The ice also helps to temporarily decrease the blood flow to the area which helps to keep the inflammation down. It has also been shown to temporarily decrease nerve activity in the area which helps relieve pain.

Heat Therapy helps more blood flow to an area, decrease muscle stiffness, and increase flexibility. This helps calm the muscles and promotes healing of the damaged tissues. Not to mention, heat is found to be psychologically comforting too!

How to apply

Ice is applied for 10-20 minutes depending on the area. Feet and hands you would want to do less time and areas like your thighs you would do more time. You can ice throughout the day but make sure to let the area fully warm back up before applying more ice. Being on ice for too long can damage the skin.

Heat should be applied for 15-20 minutes or even longer for some types of heat therapy. A hot bath for example you could be in there 30-120 minutes. Make sure you have proper protection between your skin and your hot therapy.

When not to use

You should not use hot or cold therapy if you have sensory issues and there is a chance you won’t be able to tell if your skin is being burned. Diabetics tend to have neuropathy so be careful with hands and feet. Heat should not be used if there is an infection or open wound. Cold should not be used right before an activity as it will increase the chance of injury.

If you are unsure, consult your doctor.