You're not alone if you have ever been confused about whether to apply ice or heat to an injury or painful area. Both ice packs and heating pads are effective at easing pain from minor injuries, but when do you know which is best to use? "A good rule of thumb is to warm up and cool down," says Jason Hymowitz, DPM, a foot, ankle and sports medicine specialist with Holy Name Physicians – Pfisterer Orthopaedics, located in Hackensack. "What that reminder tells you is to apply warm heat before an activity and use ice afterwards."
Treating with Ice
Ice helps to reduce inflammation and numb pain, and is commonly used for acute injuries, such as ankle or knee sprains. If you have a recent injury (within 48 hours), use an ice pack to help reduce swelling, bleeding, muscle spasms, and pain. Ice treatments also can be used for some chronic conditions, such as overuse injuries in athletes. In this case, the affected area should be iced after the activity to help manage inflammation; do not ice before the activity.
If you don't have a ready-made ice pack at home, you can create one by placing ice cubes in a plastic bag or wrapping them in a towel. A frozen bag of vegetables is ideal and can go in and out of the freezer. When applying ice, continually move the pack to avoid ice burns. Remove the ice pack immediately if an injury appears pink or bright red. Ice for just 15-20 minutes at one time.
Treating with Heat
Heat assists in improving circulation and blow flow and should be used for chronic conditions to relax tight muscles and relieve aching joints. Heat can help improve long-term range of motion, but should not be used after an activity or an acute injury. Dr. Hymowitz cautions not to use heat when swelling (bleeding in the tissue) is present, as heat will cause additional blood to come to the affected area. He adds that a dynamic stretching routine prior to an activity, in addition to applying heat, is ideal to prevent risk of reinjury or exacerbation of an existing injury.
It's useful to have a heating pad at home, in case of sore muscles, but a hot, damp towel is also effective. Be careful to use moderate heat for a limited time, and avoid leaving heating pads or towels on when sleeping.
Dr. Hymowitz says to consult with your physician if the injury is extensive or if pain does not subside on its own after a few days.
