A strained muscle can benefit from using heat or ice to alleviate discomfort and swelling and perhaps hasten the healing process.
We’ll examine today whether it’s better to apply heat or ice to a strained muscle.
Use heat for muscle pain and stiffness and ice for acute pain or injury, including inflammation.
Which Is Safer: Heat or Ice?
The safest and least harmful substance is ice, especially when used briefly. Ask a specialist for advice if you’re unclear of how to safely and efficiently handle the discomfort.
Heat Treatment
What It Does
Heat treatment works by increasing circulation and blood flow to the area that is being treated. The soreness is relieved and muscular flexibility is helped by the rise in warmth in the affected area. Heat therapy promotes muscle relaxation and the healing of injured tissue.
Utilizing heat: promotes circulation
improves metabolic rate
can make inflammation worse
alleviates discomfort
Muscles are soothed and relaxed.
Heat Is Beneficial For: Stiff Joints
muscle ache
enduring pain
Heat Therapy Types
The two primary forms of heat therapy are:
dry heat treatment This includes saunas, heating pads, hot water bottles, and dry heating packs. Dry heat therapy is simple to use and can be given at home.
heat therapy that is moist or wet. When heat is provided by a steaming towel or a warm bath, it is referred to as moist heat. Although it can be more challenging to administer, this kind of heat therapy produces results more quickly.
Why Use It
Heat is helpful for your muscles, stress, and chronic pain. It aids in reducing symptoms like stiffness and soreness. Chronic pain, especially back pain, is frequently accompanied with tension and stress. An agitated nervous system may find comfort in heat. Heat therapy generally:
should be used for muscular pain when there are no signs of a torn muscle.
is appropriate for a muscular spasm
For non-inflammatory muscular discomfort, it can be used often and for a long time.
When to prevent
Do not expose sensitive parts of the face, groin, and front of the neck to extreme heat.
should never be applied to hot, swelling, or severe injuries
As bodily tissues lose heat more slowly as we age, elderly people should employ this technique with caution.
Risks of Heat Therapy
When heat is used incorrectly, it can hurt and delay healing. We are unable to provide you with precise advice on how to manage your condition without an assessment. To minimize any injury until you can get a professional opinion, use the information above as a broad guideline.
Cold Treatment
What It Does
Cryotherapy, often known as cold therapy, is excellent for reducing hot, red, inflamed, or swollen damaged superficial tissue. Although the inflammatory process is normal, it can be uncomfortable. By decreasing the blood flow to a particular place, using colder temperatures can assist to lessen the pain and shrink the affected area.
Ice Therapy Can:
decreasing circulation
lessen inflammatory
Skin that is numb Lower metabolic activity
Reduce swelling and pain
Ankle sprains are a good candidate for cold therapy.
muscle aches
Bruises that are large, heated, or red
Sharp pain
Cold Therapy Types
There are four primary cold remedies that might lessen inflammation and blood flow:
either frozen gel packs or ice packs
An ice bath
Coolant mists
Ice therapy
Other forms of cold therapy include cryostretching, cryokinetics, and whole-body cold therapy treatments, which all try to include movement and stretching into ice therapy to lessen spasms.
What Situations Call For Cold Therapy?
When there is a suspicion of a sprain or strain following a new injury, use cold therapy within 72 hours.
The recommended treatment for these injuries is RICE, which stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Compression is the most efficient treatment, but ice helps the most with pain alleviation. Keep in mind that you should only use ice for no longer than 15 minutes at a time, letting the tissue return to normal temperature before using it again. 10 minutes is plenty for fast cooling areas like the hands, wrists, or elbows.
When Is Cold Therapy Not Advisable?
Not everybody should use ice therapy. People who can’t feel cold should avoid cold therapy since they might not be able to tell if the treatment is hurting them. This is especially true for those who have sensory disorders. In particular, if you have poor circulation, avoid using cold therapy on stiff muscles or joints.
Cold Therapy Risks
Prolonged application of cold therapy might harm tissue and the nerves. If you frequently use cold therapy, it’s a good idea to be aware of the hazards and have a healthcare expert assist you in doing so.