Wellbeing
Hot or cold - which is best?
One of the most common questions I get asked almost every
day as an Osteopath is if it’s a good idea to put something hot
or something cold on a painful area. This is not such an easy
question to answer. Applying heat or cold to a sick patient is
probably one of the oldest treatments known to mankind. For
centuries people have used volcanic pools, Bath houses,
Saunas, cold showers and ice packs to make achy muscles feel
better and to take away pain.
strain your ankle or knee you should take the weight off it,
apply an ice pack for about 10 minutes at a time, put your leg
up and wear a compressive bandage. This is a good example of
where heat will actually make the problem worse because it
increases the inflammation. For sharp low back pain the same
is also true. Lie down, apply ice and wear a back support. Even
if the ice is not effective it will not make the problem worse.
Cold compress will also help tendon problems like tennis
elbow and Achilles tendonitis, but these types of tendon
conditions can take some weeks to improve even with therapy.
Pain in muscles can often come from over exercise or stress. A
good long soak in a warm bath can help muscles to relax and
soften which feels very nice. In general, sore and tight muscles
at the end of a hard day, from driving, or using a computer
will relax in warm water or the application of a hot water
bottle.
A mosquito bite can be quickly cured by applying heat from
the back of a hot spoon (from hot water) onto the bite. This
kills the proteins that make it itch. A bee sting or wasp sting on
the other hand requires a cold compress to reduce the pain
and inflammation.
However heat can make some conditions worse. When an area
of the body becomes damaged, blood floods the tissues to
provide oxygen and nutrients that allow it to repair. This is
called inflammation. The affected area becomes warm, swollen
and painful. In this case the treatment is to apply cold which
reduces the inflammation. Ice packs act as a natural anti-
inflammatory. The cold causes blood vessels to narrow which
removes the swelling. The cold also causes nerves to become
less sensitive and acts as a painkiller.
Finally remember that everything in excess can be harmful. A
hot pack should not be filled with boiling water. If it’s too hot
for you to drink, it’s too hot to apply to your body. Similarly
cold packs should be applied for 10 minutes 2 or 3 times an
hour and always with a cloth on you to prevent damage to
your skin.
MARK SHUREY D.O.
OSTEOPATH
TEL: 618 994 590
Any time a joint is injured just remember RICE. This stands
for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. For example if you
42