Ice versus Heat -- Part 3

Having listed all the negatives, let me now surprise you by agreeing that heat can also help the healing process.  Heat increases flexibility, has some effect on circulation, and just feels good by reducing the pain!  This occurs because the pain nerves are overloaded by heat stimulation and become fatigued, thus temporarily reducing the amount of pain stimuli being transmitted to the brain.  Unfortunately, when used alone, heat’s detriment of reduced blood flow outweighs the benefits.

Maximum advantage is obtained by utilizing both together with the following schedule:  Ice 15 minutes, Nothing (no ice or heat) 30 minutes, Moist heat 15 minutes, Nothing 30 minutes (this is an excellent time for light stretching exercises), and Ice 15 minutes.  As you can see, this is a one-hour and forty-five-minute commitment, and should be followed by at least one hour of nothing before repeating the cycle.  Most people find this schedule too tedious and opt for only one approach.  As I tell my patients, “If you are only going to do one, then ice is the one to do.”

Moist heat penetrates three to four times deeper into the body than dry heat – a heating pad may feel good but serves little additional purpose beyond that.  In our microwave society moist heat is easily obtained:  dampen a washcloth and pop it into the microwave on high (please be careful and start with short time periods until you determine the correct amount of seconds for maximum benefit, and then test it with your fingertips so that you won’t scald your back). A hot tub/spa, or hot shower, is also very effective.

Cryotherapy can be achieved in various ways. Ice in a bag will be sufficient although the amount of direct contact surface varies greatly with the size and shape of the ice chunks. Some people prefer frozen vegetables such as corn or peas, although they quickly refreeze into one solid mass which is of minimal benefit. A more efficient and convenient method utilizes the gel-packs which can be purchased at most pharmacies in various sizes and shapes. These should be stored in the freezer between uses and will not freeze solid.  The best and most difficult (and therefore not generally recommended) is an ice bath of the affected area.

Ice and heat can be critical components in getting out of pain and returning to a healthy state as quickly as possible.  They can make your chiropractic treatments more comfortable and more efficient.  The wisest thing to do when you start feeling pain is to apply the ice pack and then call our office.

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic