The Difference Between Heat and Cold Therapy

Unsure of whether you should be icing an ache, pain, or injury? Here is the difference between icing yourself back to health versus using a heating pad.

Heat therapy is typically used for chronic injuries as it helps relax sore and tightened muscles by increasing blood flow to the stimulated area. This in turn brings more oxygen and nutrient rich blood to the site of injury. Heat should not be used if the patient's skin is hot, red, or inflamed.

Cold therapy is typically used for acute injuries as it slows circulation, which helps to reduce inflammation and pain. Cold therapy can help treat a swollen and inflamed joint or muscle. Cold therapy is not suitable if the patient has some kind of vascular disease or injury, or sympathetic dysfunction, in which a nerve disorder affects blood flow.

Either heat or cold will help you get relief from the following symptoms:

• Muscle aches, pains, spasms

• Stiffness such as in the neck, back, knees, or joints

• Swollen joints

• Pains in the fingers, wrists, knees, back

Easiest way to apply the heat or cold is using a heating pad, a gel pack, frozen veggies (e.g. peas) or a small bag of ice, a washcloth that has been soaked in hot water or cold, all work.

Still unsure of what to do? One rule of thumb might be to try heat before the activity you want to do to get your blood flowing and your joints or muscles ‘warmed up’ and loosened. Then after the activity apply cold to avoid or reduce inflammation or any discomfort.