How long do you alternate heat and ice?

You may also want to try switching between heat and cold. Use heat for 15 to 20 minutes, then a few hours later use ice for 10 to 15 minutes.

Do you treat muscle pain with heat or cold?

Cold treatment reduces inflammation by decreasing blood flow. Apply within 48 hours after an injury. Heat treatment promotes blood flow and helps muscles relax. Use for chronic pain.

What does heat and cold do to muscles?

Heat relaxes muscles. “While icy temperatures help reduce inflammation, heat helps dilate blood vessels and promotes blood flow,” Kurtz says.

Why does heat help with muscle pain?

Heat helps soothe sore muscles that cause back pain or neck pain. It works best for injuries that are at least few days old. Heat opens blood vessels, which can assist the healing process and alleviate some of your pain. Additionally, some arthritis pain from stiff joints can benefit from heat as blood flow increases.

What are the three important rules of using heat and cold therapy?

9) Three important rules of using heat and cold therapy are: a) Use the specified therapy, use the specified time, only use if directed. b) Apply for no more than 20 minutes, don’t apply to extremities, monitor closely. c) Alternate heat and cold, use a barrier, assess the response to therapy.

What comes first hot or cold compress?

As a general rule of thumb, use ice for acute injuries or pain, along with inflammation and swelling. Use heat for muscle pain or stiffness.

What does ice do to muscles?

Using a cold compress or ice pack on a strained muscle can decrease inflammation and numb pain in the area. Icing is effective at reducing pain and swelling because the cold constricts blood vessels and decreases circulation to the area.

Does heat help inflammation pain?

When to use heat “Heat actually has the opposite effect of ice,” Dr. Behr says. “It causes small blood vessels to open which can stimulate inflammation rather than relieve it.” Heat treatments should be used for chronic conditions to help relax and loosen tissues, and to stimulate blood flow to the area.

Should you use heat or cold for muscle pain relief?

Here’s when to use heat and cold for the best relief from muscle pain. Cold therapy, also called cryotherapy, reduces blood flow to an injury site. That’s why people historically use ice packs after, say, banging a shin on the coffee table.

Can heat therapy help post-workout soreness?

Research has shown that heat therapy can reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) by up to 47\% just 24 hours post-exercise. Like cold therapy, heat therapy is best applied immediately after a workout.

How does cold therapy work for pain relief?

Cold therapy such as ice baths or ice packs are commonly used for the treatment of acute, injury provoked pain. As previously mentioned, cold therapy reduces inflammation. When the body is undergoing an inflammatory response, many chemicals are secreted and directed to the injured area. These chemicals are used to stimulate healing.

What is the difference between ice and heat therapy for pain?

On the other hand, ice can make muscle tension and spasms worse. Heat therapy works in the opposite manner—it is a vasodilator, which increases circulation by expanding the blood vessels. This reduces pain and relieves cramping or aching muscles.