Keep It Safe

When you have pain in your muscles or joints, what is the best treatment, heat or ice? What should you do first, use an ice pack or pull out the heating pad?

The answer, according to pain experts, is it depends on the type of injury and the location of the pain. Is the injured place swelling? Are your joints stiff?

ICE – Use for acute injuries, inflammation, and swelling

Tips:

• Start ice therapy as soon as possible after an injury.


• Apply for no more than 20 minutes at a time, several times daily.


• Do not apply ice directly to your skin. Use a towel, bag, or ice pack.


• Don’t use ice if you have poor circulation, or for stiff muscles or joints.

HEAT – Use for muscle pain or stiffness

Tips:

• Aim for warm temperatures, not hot temperatures, to avoid burns.


• More severe pain may benefit from longer-duration heat therapy.


• Do not apply to areas that are swollen, bruised, or have an open wound.


• Do not use if you have a health condition that affects your sensitivity to temperatures.

The bottom line: Both ice and heat are an option. Patients are reminded that if they’ve tried a heating pad and ice packs but are still in pain, or if they have noticed numbness or weakness in the affected area, they should contact their doctor.

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