Heal Faster Using Heat and Ice!
No doubt you are aware of the benefits of cooling an injury with ice as a means to aid the healing process in the early stages but what about heat? Chances are you have heard that this can be good too, but many people are left confused as to what should be used in each situation and when it is best applied.
This article sets to address this confusion as well as providing a number of ways that heat and cold can be used to make sprains and similar injuries heal faster.
Benefits of Ice
- Reduces swelling by causing blood vessels to contract
- Reduces pain by causing numbness
Benefits of Heat
- Relaxes muscles making movement easier
- Increases blood flow which helps to remove debris from the injury
Which is better after sustaining a sprain or similar injury?
As per the R.I.C.E method, In the first 48 - 72 hours following an injury Ice is the best thing to use because using heat at such an early stage will increase blood flow (and thus swelling) causing the injury to take longer to heal. Once this time has elapsed, heating the injury site will yield a more positive effect.
How long should ice be applied for?
An injury often responds best to ice if it is applied frequently. Leave an ice pack on for about 15 minutes, remove for 15 minutes then repeat over several hours. Cooling the same area with ice for too long could potentially cause cold burns or frostbite. Keep an eye on the area being iced and remove if the skin starts to go red or becomes painful.
When is a good time to use heat?
Not before 48-72 hours following the injury. If it injury site is still very swollen after 48 hours it may be better to wait another day before using heat.
What are the best methods for applying ice and heat?
The best method will depend on the type and location of the injury and what is available to you at the time. A number of common methods include:
Ice Packs - Available from most sports shops and pharmacies, designed to stay flexible when stored in the freezer and can also be heated by submersing in hot water.
Crushed ice cubes wrapped in a cloth or plastic bag. Bags of frozen peas or sweet corn also work well.
Immersion - Fill a container with iced water and submerge the injured area. Very fast and effective, ideal for wrist and ankle or elbow injuries but generally impractical elsewhere. The same approach works just as well to apply heat if used with hot water.
Hot water bottles are another good way of applying heat to an injury, as well as a deep hot bath.
When applying heat, how hot should it be?
Water hotter than 42 degrees c is harmful to the skin, breaking down tissue and increasing the chance of infection.
Techniques to get the most from the application of heat and ice
There are a number of different ways heat and ice can be applied to make it more effective, these are described below in more detail:
Zone Therapy
This is the use of both heat and ice at the same time but in two different areas of the body. For a sprained ankle, heat should be placed behind the knee and cold on the ankle.
Contrast Therapy
This is the application of heat and ice to the same area in an alternating fashion.
"This type of therapy: 1) Facilitates edema (fluid) removal, by creating alternate vasodilation and vasoconstriction of the local blood vessels; and, 2) Enhances the healing process by bringing nutrient-rich blood into the area via vasodilation, and pushing waste-laden blood out of the injured tissue via vasoconstriction.
Contrast treatments are good to use in the post-injury phase, edema removal, or when uncertain of the readiness of the tissue for heat.
A full session of contrast therapy takes about 30 minutes. A general formula to follow looks like this:
7 minutes COLD
2 minutes of HEAT
5 minute of COLD
2 minutes of HEAT
5 minutes of COLD
2 minutes of HEAT
7 minutes of COLD "
This article was based upon a document hosted by http://portangelesmassage.com
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