Heat Therapy Vs. Cold Therapy: Which is Right for Me?
When you hear the word chiropractic, chances are you’re picturing somebody applying pressure to a patient’s spine — or a manual adjustment. But, heat and ice therapy are just as legitimate (and effective) chiropractic applications as this treatment. Often used to treat injuries, heat and ice therapy can play a strong role in healing your injury. Read on to learn about how heat and ice therapy work, and the various methods of application.
Heat Therapy
As a method of chiropractic treatment, heat therapy is extremely effective at easing neck and back pain, and soothing muscles.
How Does Heat Therapy Work?
The central goal of heat therapy is to improve circulation. In doing so, the functioning of the spine should improve, and with it, the muscle and soft tissue tension in the lower back. As the heat therapy begins to take effect, the blood vessels within the muscles start to dilate. This helps heal the damaged tissue by bringing more nutrition to the area, while also helping sensory receptors in the skin. In addition to helping the body to heal and restore the previous range of motion, heat therapy also eases pain.
The duration of the heat therapy treatment plays a large part in the outcome. Treatments that are delivered with a specific period of time and overall plan in mind tend to be more effective. A Chiropractor can determine whether a shorter or longer treatment is necessary.
Overall, heat therapy can be a meaningful component of any spine-focused Chiropractic treatment.
What are the Different Methods of Heat Therapy?
There are a few different ways that Chiropractors apply heat therapy. All of these methods fall under the category of either dry or moist heat.
The first (and most common) application of moist heat is applying moist heat packs to the affected area. Hot baths and steamed towels are also effective moist heat treatment methods. Moist heat treatments tend to channel the heat into the muscles, providing excellent pain relief.
Dry heating methods are not quite as effective, but are more practical in a home setting. For example, an electric heating pad can provide a consistent level of heat to the impacted body part. Heat wraps and saunas also accomplish the same goal, which is to soothe the muscles by improving circulation. However, be sure to always keep a buffer between your skin and the heat source. Direct contact with a heat source could cause an injury. Also, warm temperatures are more effective than scalding hot temperatures.
Ice Therapy
Also called cryotherapy, ice therapy is a fully natural solution to pain management and spine-related injuries. Generally, it is used to treat swelling.
How Does Ice Therapy Work?
Ice therapy is best suited for patients with incidental acute injuries, rather than chronic injuries that develop over time. The goal of ice therapy is to reduce the inflammation and swelling that occurs after a spinal injury.
In a way that is similar to a local anaesthetic, cold temperatures have a numbing effect on the tissue. In reaction to the colder temperatures, the veins contract, which causes the body’s circulation to reduce in the short term. After the ice pack is removed, the body over-compensates for the lack of circulation. By slowing the nerve impulses, ice therapy also prevents the body from transmitting pain signals. In order to have the strongest restorative impact, ice therapy should be administered promptly after the injury.
What are the Different Methods of Ice Therapy?
In order to properly reduce swelling, there are a few different methods of ice therapy that the Chiropractor might administer. First, ice massages can help limit the damaged area’s sensitivity, as well as limit pain and inflammation. The soothing effect of the ice allows the massage technique to work more effectively. Once the tissue opens up, the Chiropractor’s massage technique has a more restorative effect. Massages tend to last around five minutes, in order to prevent injuries, like ice burns.
The second (and more obvious) method of ice therapy is applying ice packs to the injured area. Instead of a standard ice pack, the Chiropractor will use a special ice pack designed to help patients reduce swelling. Depending on the individual injury, the Chiropractor may recommend that the patient continue icing it at home. If that is the case, the patient will be provided with detailed instructions regarding time. Consistent Chiropractic care will help the patient to recover with lower chances of future pain.
Ice therapy is unsafe for patients with certain preexisting conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, cold allergies, paralysis, and Raynaud’s Syndrome.
Brenner Chiropractic in Bellmore
At Brenner Chiropractic, our team is committed to providing you with the best possible treatment. Based on your medical history and injury, we will work to develop a treatment plan that is right for you. Dr. Brenner will help you to ease your spinal pain, and enjoy the benefits of a pain-free lifestyle. Contact us to schedule an appointment, and begin improving your life.