At NTO Wellness and Rehab our very own Registered Physiotherapist Leo Wan would like to share some advice on one of the most common questions he often gets asked at the clinic: Heat or Ice? The Ongoing Debate.
The question I get asked most in at the NTO Wellness and Rehab Centre, ” Should I apply heat or ice when I have pain?”
Honestly, we don’t blame patients for asking this question because this has been an ongoing debate, even in the health community. Heat is generally used to promote more circulation to an
injured area, providing it with more nutrients and oxygen to aide in healing. The warmth can help to alleviate pain, relax muscles, decrease muscle spasms and increase range of motion of the
affected joint. Ice, on the other hand helps to decrease circulation to the area, thereby reducing swelling, inflammation and pain.
So what is the big difference between the two? Simply put, heat will increase circulation and ice will decrease circulation. Both modalities are useful and effective only if used at the right timing in
the course of your injury. Therefore, the biggest question is “when”. Here are some general guidelines on when to use ice or heat.
When to use Ice?
You should use ice within 24 to 48 hours after an injury. It is not recommended to ice after this time frame as it may delay healing of the injured tissues. The main goal of icing at this time is to
help reduce or prevent excess swelling that may occur during your body’s inflammatory response to the injury. You may use ice again if you reaggravated the injured area and caused more
swelling. Ice should be applied for no more than 20 minutes and you should wait an hour before reapplying it again.
When to use Heat?
After the initial 48 hours after an injury, you may start to use heat. The main goal of heating at this point is to bring more blood to the area to stimulate healing of the damaged tissues. You can
also use heat if you are suffering from muscle spasms, chronic injury and joint or muscle stiffness. Heat should be applied for no more than 20 minutes and you should wait an hour before reapplying it again.
If you are unsure about the nature of your injury or have any doubt as to whether to apply heat or ice to an injury, you should contact your health care provider for more information. Feel free to bring up this question of Heat or Ice the next time you see me at the NTO Wellness and Rehab Centre.