I have patients frequently asking me when they should use heat and when they should use ice. It really is a great question!
In general, if you have pain, use ice. If you have stiffness or soreness, use heat.
If you use heat at an improper time, it may feel good at first, but in the long run, you can actually worsen your symptoms. However, if you use heat at the proper time, I need to warn against lying on a heat pad or pack. It can actually capture heat underneath you and end up burning you.
Similarly, if you overuse ice, you can actually develop frostbite. Stop using ice if you start noticing the following symptoms:
1. You start experiencing numbness where you have iced
2. The skin underneath the ice begins to thicken
3. The skin you've iced starts to turn white
In the video below, I show you how I use ice packs and ice cups. I also explain when I prefer using an ice massage on the painful location, and I show how I do it.
In general, if you have pain, use ice. If you have stiffness or soreness, use heat.
If you use heat at an improper time, it may feel good at first, but in the long run, you can actually worsen your symptoms. However, if you use heat at the proper time, I need to warn against lying on a heat pad or pack. It can actually capture heat underneath you and end up burning you.
Similarly, if you overuse ice, you can actually develop frostbite. Stop using ice if you start noticing the following symptoms:
1. You start experiencing numbness where you have iced
2. The skin underneath the ice begins to thicken
3. The skin you've iced starts to turn white
In the video below, I show you how I use ice packs and ice cups. I also explain when I prefer using an ice massage on the painful location, and I show how I do it.
