KNEE PAIN
Using hot and cold treatment can help to ease pain and alleviate inflammation caused by an injury –but knowing when to use heat and when to use ice is a common point of confusion.
As a general guideline, you should use cold for a new injury, or one that is swollen or inflamed. For chronic pain though, or an injury that occurred a day or more ago, it’s usually best to use heat.
Let’s look at the basics of heat and ice and see the benefits that each one offers.
Heat Therapy
Heat therapy involves using some form of heat –like a heating pad or hot water bottle to relax the injured or sore area. Heat helps to stimulate blood flow and relax the muscles, bringing relief to the injured site.
Heat treatment is recommended for chronic pain –pain that’s persistent and recurring. If you have a chronic injury, you may want to apply heat before you work out. In some cases, waiting until after you exercise to apply head can aggravate pain.
Cold Therapy
Cold therapy involves using ice to treat an injury. This is generally done when the injury is recent, and inflamed. Using ice in this case can be beneficial since ice can help to relieve inflammation and swelling.
While these are standard guidelines, the decision to use hot or cold ultimately comes down to your preference –and whichever one you feel will work best for you. Hot and cold treatments are designed to provide pain relief, so choose whichever one is most comforting. If you feel that heat –or cold, will be more soothing and helpful on your injury, then opt for the one that you believe will bring you the most comfort.
Blackstone Orthopedics provides sports medicine for Rhode Island. If you have sustained an injury or are experiencing joint pain, contact Blackstone Orthopedics today for an appointment.
