Ice packs and heating pads are part of first aid for all sorts of physical pain, and they’re versatile! Headaches, pulled muscles, stiff joints, nerve pain and more can all be treated with the proper use of heat or cold.
The trick is knowing whether to use an ice pack or a heating pad—or even a moist, hot cloth—to handle your pain. Using the wrong treatment can exacerbate the pain and delay healing.
If you’ve just pulled a muscle or sprained an ankle, your best option for immediate treatment is to ice down the area. Ice is best for fresh injuries; it reduces inflammation and reduces pain. Swelling tissues is a body’s natural response to injury or damage, but that compresses other tissues and nerve endings, leading to more pain.
The cold narrows blood vessels and slows blood flow, reducing any fluid buildup to the affected area and reduces inflammation and swelling. It also numbs the tissue, reducing pain. Ice is the best option for a recent injury or reddened/inflamed tissue.
Tense muscles are painful and likely to be damaged if put through any excessive usage. A heating pack or hot water bottle encourages increased blood flow. This helps relax muscle tissue, easing stiffness and painful muscle aches. It’s used to ease muscle spasms and can relieve aching joints.
Heat should never be applied to a swollen injury because it encourages blood flow. This can make the swelling worse and cause more damage. Ice can make muscle tension worse by restricting the blood flow and causing the tissues to stiffen up.
Neither cold nor hot therapies are of much help when you’re already shivering or enduring a fever. Excessive use of cold can cause tissue damage, and you need to be careful when using heat sources to avoid burns. When the pain is eased, remove the ice and/or heat and let your body start healing!
