Have you ever been confused about whether you should ICE, or use heat after an injury, or with pain?
Unfortunately, choosing the wrong therapy may actually impair the healing process and only provide temporary subjective relief. I’m often shocked by how many MD’s often give their patients the WRONG advice when it comes to this topic. MDs prescribe heat so frequently for highly inflamed conditions, which only perpetuates the pain and inflammation. Strange, right? So, below are some tips to help you stay informed!
Here’s the deal…when you are suffering from neck, back, shoulder, hip, or even wrist and knee pain, there is very little Dr. Whosemawhatsy can do to alleviate that pain aside from providing you a prescription or referring you to a specialist.
Just like I wouldn’t be the best choice to treat a bullet wound, or liver failure (note: I do not treat those things and highly suggest traditional allopathic treatment if you are having a medical emergency). As a chiropractor, it’s my job to treat musculoskeletal complaints (aka – my hip/neck/back/ shoulder/leg/arm hurts) with non-invasive manual therapies to help alleviate pain and restore function safely and effectively.
RULE #1 = If you are ever in doubt…use ICE!
ICE is safer because it helps remove swelling and edema from the affected area by causing blood vessels to constrict, which in turn reduces your pain.
Heat, on the other hand causes dilation of the blood vessels, which will bring more blood and swelling to the area. Bam. Simple. Pass it on to your friends and everyone you know.
When should I use ice?
Use ICE immediately after an injury or overdoing it. If you are not able to do so for a day or two, even a couple of weeks you can STILL use ICE as long as you have pain and/or swelling. I continue to use ICE in treatment even for chronic conditions where I note tenderness, or complaints. ICE is effective in reducing persistent inflammation and pain.
When should I use heat?
Use heat prior to stretching, or engaging in exercise/athletics. Heat increases blood flow and fluid to an area and heat will help keep muscles loose and flexible prior to working out. Avoid using heat on a newly injured or overused area after training.
It may feel good, but the cellular response is not worth the temporary relief. As a practitioner, it’s simple, I use heat if I’m getting ready to apply a treatment, or have the patient perform some rehab exercises.
How long should I use ICE?
Many practitioners suggest different numbers for this, but the data suggests that it is beneficial to ICE for 15-20 minutes, then take it off for 30-40 minutes. Do this as much as possible during the first 48-72 hours after an injury and you will notice instant results.
At a minimum, you can ICE for 10-20 minutes 3 times a day with 30-40 minute rest breaks. After this initial intense icing period (up to 72 hours post injury), you should ice at least 20 minutes per day for the next 2 weeks.
What is ICE Massage?
Ever suffer from shin splints, stress fractures, or muscle contusions? I spent way too much time doing this sort of thing in the training room in college, but it did help.
ICE massage is great for close to the surface injuries. Freeze water in a paper cup, tear top rim off to expose ice, use ice as a massaging tool to press into and massage injured spot. It is safe to ice massage a small area for 5-7 minutes.
Will ICE cubes work?
ICE packs (gel packs), frozen veggies in a bag, or ice cubes in a towel all work great. Do whatever works best for you. As a side note, if you are an existing patient and you refer a friend, you will receive an amazing complimentary ICE pack.
ICE is truly one of the least expensive and most effective tools in healthcare and sports medicine. I’m always amazed by how many patients come back to me saying, “Wow, that ice really did help and I feel great afterwards,” so if your freezer is missing an ice-pack, it’s definitely time to invest in one. If you need help deciding which one is best for you, message me and I’ll help you out.
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: If you have questions about your specific condition, please seek help with the appropriate practitioner.
PERSONAL DISCLAIMER: I love MDs and know many fabulous docs who are amazing at what they do and don’t give crappy wonky antiquated advice.
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