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When Should Ice or Heat be Used for Back and Neck Pain? A Rocky River, Ohio Chiropractor Explains |
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The simple decision of whether to use heat or ice for back or neck pain is made by many people each day. Making the wrong choice can actually make your condition worse. With that in mind, a Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Laura Vernallis from Rocky River, Ohio explains when ice and heat should be used. |
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| Author: Dr Laura Vernallis |
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Dr. Laura Vernallis of River Chiropractic & Wellness Center. Providing quality Chiropractic care to the community of Rocky River, OH 44116.
Deciding whether to use ice or heat for a condition involves a consideration of three main factors: the type of pain and injury, the desired goals of treatment, and the age of the injury. Of course, the presence of other underlying health conditions can be an important part in determining which treatment is acceptable. That being said, the three major factors are typically those just described. Let’s briefly discuss the two main categories of pain and injury.
There are two major types of injury and pain: chronic or acute. Acute injuries are injuries that occurred recently. As a general rule, an injury that has occurred within the past 72 hours is considered an acute injury. Acute type pain is pain that recently and suddenly began. It usually has a well identified cause. Imagine for example, that you hurt your back while working in your yard or you sprained your ankle while exercising. These are two acute type injuries. Acute injury usually involves some degree of inflammation and swelling. Mild acute injuries and pain are most often short lived and the pain tends to go away fairly quickly.
In contrast, chronic pain and injury are conditions that tend to evolve and occur much more slowly over a longer period of time. With chronic conditions a patient is usually unable to identify a specific cause or definite point in time when the condition began. For example, you may have noticed a dull and unexplained knee ache or back pain that slowly appeared without a definite known cause. Unlike acute pain,chronic pain generally involves less swelling and inflammation. Chronic pain is also generally more persistent and lasts longer than acute pain or injury. Ice is most definitely the treatment of choice for acute injury and pain. If you have suffered a very recent injury, or the area is experiencing significant bruising or swelling, ice is the best treatment alternative. You are probably curious and wondering what ice benefits ice can offer, so let’s examine some effects of applying ice to pain or injury.
The cold from ice actually sedates nerves responsible for transmitting pain signals. Thus ice has a numbing effect which often reduces or eliminates pain. Ice is also extremely useful for calming the protective muscle spasms experienced with some acute injuries. Cold also causes vasoconstriction, or narrowing of blood vessels, in the treatment area. This effect reduces the flow of fluid and blood in the area which helps control any microscopic bleeding and also limits any swelling and inflammation.
How should Ice or cold packs be applied? Application of ice is very simple. The best ice pack is a soft and flexible ice pack capable of conforming to the various shapes of the body area involved. Although many ice packs are available for purchase, affordable and effective solutions are most likely already sitting in your freezer. A small plastic bag filled partially with crushed ice, or even something like a small bag of frozen peas, can make perfect ice packs. To make the cold tolerable and to prevent frostbike, wrap the ice pack in a towel. Apply ice to the injury or involved area for approximately 10 or 15 minutes and then remove it. Next, allow the skin to return to normal room temperature or ambient air temperature without any help. This process will generally take about sixty minutes. After the skin has warmed to normal temperature ice can be reapplied. This procedure can be repeated several times a day for several days.
Not sure whether you should use ice or heat? In these circumstances you should play it safe and opt for ice. Ice is generally considered the safer choice when you are unsure. A couple of handy phrases to help remind yourself of this fact are “ice is nice” or “ice is your friend”. When you are in doubt, just use ice. You have less of a chance of causing harm or further injury if you incorrectly use ice versus heat. Now that we have understand when to use ice, let's look at when heat should be used.
Heat is usually the best alternative for chronic conditions and pain. Heat can also be used for any injuries that are older than four days as long as any inflammation and swelling have ceased. Persistent stiffness, long term muscle aches and pains, and chronic muscle spasms often respond very well to heat.
What exactlydoes heat do and what are its benefits? Heat increases tissue temperature which increases soft tissue flexibility and joint range of motion. Heat also causes vasodilation which is a widening of blood vessels. This vasodilation leads to increased blood flow to an area. Increased circulation brings more oxygen and vital nutrients to the injured area and increases removal of waste byproducts. While this is great for helping to speed healing and recovery, it can also lead to increased inflammation and swelling. This is one reason heat should never be used on an acute injury or in an area where inflammation is present.
What is the best way to apply heat? Moist heat is usually the best choice. Moist heat is believed to penetrate deeper than dry heat and it also avoids dehydration of the skin which can often occur with dry heat. Although a larger number of commercial moist heat sources are available, a simple warm shower or bath are easy ways to apply moist heat to an area. Damp, hot towels are another convenient and effective source of moist heat. A towel or other barrier should always be used between the skin and heat source to prevent burns. Treatment temperatures should be warm but comfortable. Moist heat can be applied for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. The heat should then be removed for twenty to thirty minutes before reapplying. This process can be repeated several times a day.
Unless you have been specifically directed by your Chiropractor or other health care provider, do not apply heat for more than about twenty minutes at a time. Never sleep on a heating pad or other heating source since this could lead to severe burns or other injuries.
Depending on your condition, heat and ice can often be used together to combine their unique benefits in an ideal treatment solution. For example, if you suffer from chronic neck pain and stiffness you can apply heat to the area before engaging in exercise or activity. Heat increases range of motion and flexibility of the cervical spine to better prepare it for the activity to come. After exercise or activity you would then apply ice to the neck to limit pain and inflammation.
In conclusion, heat and ice are easy, affordable, and effective sources of pain relief for back pain, neck pain, and more. Picking the right solution for your specific condition is vital to avoid making your pain and symptoms worse. Ice is best used for swollen and inflamed areas and for acute injuries that have occurred within the past 72 hours. Ice should be applied wrapped in a towel for ten to fifteen minutes and then removed for one hour. This process can be repeated several times a day for up to three days.
Heat is effective for chronic pain and stiffness. Moist heat is superior to dry heat because it penetrates more deeply. Heat therapy can be applied for 15 to 20 minutes and then it should be removed for about one hour before it is reapplied. This entire process of heat application can be repeated three to four times over the course of a day.
About Author
Dr. Laura Vernallis currently practices with her husband, Dr. Bradley Vernallis, at River Chiropractic Wellness Center in Rocky River, Ohio. She is a 2002 graduate of the prestigious Palmer College of Chiropractic, known as the Fountainhead of the Chiropractic profession. Her Chiropractic practice serves patients in the surrounding areas of Lakewood, Cleveland, Westlake and Fairview Park.
For more information about Dr. Vernallis, or Chiropractic care in general, visit the River Chiropractic & Wellness Center website at:
http://www.RiverChiro.com.
Dr. Laura can also be contacted directly using the information below:
River Chiropractic & Wellness Center
Dr. Laura & Bradley Vernallis, DC, FIAMA
Dr. Bradley Vernallis
20525 Center Ridge Road
Westgate Towers, Suite 148
Rocky River, OH 44116
(440) 409-0909
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