Heat Therapy or Cold Therapy -Which Is Right For Y

Heat and cold therapy are ancient forms of treatment that still hold value today. The premise behind both heat therapy and cold therapy is that of a very basic, natural treatment that is effective on many problems. The age-old debate, of course, is whether to use heat or cold on an injury to promote healing. Before deciding on an appropriate therapy, it is helpful to understand the underlying differences between each type of therapy.

The heat therapy solutions that most of us are familiar fall into the category of superficial heat therapy. Superficial heat therapy works by warming the skin and the underlying tissue directly, making it an ideal treatment for sore muscles and back pain. As the skin and tissue warm, the blood vessels dilate, increasing blood flow, decreasing pain and delivering additional nutrients to the injured area. This in turn promotes the healing process. In addition, the heat increases the flexibility of the tissue, leading to a decrease in stiffness and soreness associated with injuries.

Heat therapy is most often used to relieve chronic injuries or newer injuries that are not red or swollen. Heat therapy can also be an extremely effective treatment for chronic pain when applied to sore muscles and ligaments prior to exercise. While heat is soothing on arthritis, it can sometimes cause additional swelling or pain. Lastly, heat therapy is a very effective treatment for muscle spasms or tightness, as the heat relaxes muscles and encourages greater muscle elasticity. Because heat dilates the blood vessels, heat therapy should never be used if the injury is inflamed, as the heat will exacerbate any swelling. Heat therapy is discouraged if an individual has diabetes, dermatitis, peripheral vascular disease or an open wound.

Forms of superficial heat therapy run the full spectrum, from very simple to more complex. On the simpler side, heat therapy products include items that everyone has on hand. Incredibly easy to use and very inexpensive, these treatments include hot water bottles, warm baths and heating pads. In addition, there are many simple solutions available that radiate heat longer and more uniformly. Heat packs range from a simple compress, such as the SensaFlex Hot and Cold Compress, to more comprehensive treatments that wrap around the injured area, such as the Therma-Wrap Hot and Cold Compresses. Paraffin baths can also be used to surround a sore or strained body part, such as a hand, foot or elbow. The warm melted paraffin radiates heat to the injury by coating the injured body part with a thin paraffin coating (see the Para-Care Paraffin Bath).

Similarly, cold therapy has many of the same benefits as heat therapy. Cold therapy, also known as cryotherapy, acts as a better numbing agent than heat, anesthetizing the sore tissue and decreasing pain. The cold relieves swelling by constricting the blood vessels and reducing circulation, which in turn also reduces internal or external bleeding.

Cryotherapy is most effective when used directly after an injury. A sharp sprain or typical sports injury is generally best treated with cold therapy for 10-15 minutes at a time. Cold therapy can also be a useful treatment for a chronic injury, when the pain is recurring after a certain activity or event, such as a tender ankle after running. If there is any swelling or redness present, cold therapy is always the preferred treatment. There are, however, some situations in which cold therapy should never be used: if you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, Raynaud’s syndrome, have a cold allergy, impaired sensation or any paralysis.

Cold therapy techniques are generally simple, straightforward and inexpensive. Homemade cold treatments can include ice bags, ice massages or a frozen bag of peas. Slightly more thorough and portable treatments include cold packs and ice packs in a variety of sizes and shapes to conform to your body, from the child-size Boo Boo Pac to adult-size cold compresses (ColPac Vinyl Therapy Pack and Therma Wrap Hot and Cold Therapy).

Both treatments have a few commonalities that make them appealing. The cost and convenience, added to the fact that these are completely natural treatments, add to the appeal. All that is left to do is decide on your chosen therapy.

Source:
The Use of Ice in the Treatment of Acute Soft-Tissue Injury. A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials; Chris Bleakley, et al, The American Journal of Sports Medicine 2004, Volume 32.

Superficial Heat and Cold: How to Maximise the Benefits; Matthew Karl, MD, and Stanley Herring, MD, The Physician and Sportsmedicine, vol. 22(12), pp. 65-74, 1994