Hot or cold for swelling is one of the best remedies for healing any inflammation in your body. Treating pain with hot or cold packs are incredibly useful for swelling caused by muscle tension or chronic conditions.
Heat therapy enhances blood flow. Blood flow improves muscle functioning by providing them higher quantities of oxygen and nutrients. It also helps the body get rid of toxins that build up dependent areas. Heat can also relax tense muscles and relieve pain.
Heat therapy can be applied in different ways. They include
Heat is a prevalent form of injury prevention and rehab. Heat compresses are fantastic for lessening discomfort and easing the tension in the muscle, particularly if you have long-standing trauma. The most convenient way to use heat therapy is a heating pad. They are available at the local stores.
The conditions in which you can use heating pads are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, tendonitis, or chronic irritation and relieving pain or spasms relating to neck or back injury, including the lower back. It can also be used to warm up stiff muscles before strenuous activity.
[Read: Reduce Swelling with Natural Treatments]
If you have pre-existing conditions, heat therapy is best avoided. The conditions include
On the other hand, cold therapy slows it down. This reduces the chance of injuries like cramps, spasms, and inflammation. It decreases the rate of blood flowing to a body part that aids in eliminating swelling. It also reduces the perception of pain. Cold therapy is useful for swelling caused by acute injuries or trauma.
Cold Therapy aids in relieving pain immediately by acting as a local anesthetic, numbing out the body part. This inhibits the transmission of pain signals to the brain (2). It reduces blood flow to the injured part, reducing the risk of tissue damage. It is most effective within 48 hours of trauma. Different types of cryotherapy are ice tubs, a cold compress or a chemical cold pack, soaking in cold water and massage with an ice cube.
Cold Therapy can be applied in different ways. They include
The proper way is to combine cold therapy with other procedures.
It is used for Runner’s knee, tendonitis, sprains, pain, and swelling after a hip or knee replacement, swelling under a cast or a splint and lower back pain.
Hot and cold packs can make your life easier at so many levels. However, there are some precautionary measures that you need to take, or you will end up in a worse condition for more extended periods.
[Read: Cure Swelling Using Epsom Salt]
Hot or cold therapy is the most effective remedy for healing any swelling in your body. It enhances the blood flow that leads to improvement in muscle functioning with increased replenishment. It also assists the body in removing wastes. Heat can also loosen tense muscles and alleviate pain. Cold remedy restricts blood flow reducing the chance of trauma. It also lessens the feeling of pain by numbing out the body part. Understanding when to use either of the two compresses for your problem would significantly assist you to deal with your suffering and distress.
Also Read:
Simple Remedies To Reduce Swelling in Hands
Home Remedies To Reduce Swelling in Feet
Yes, it is one of the best ways to relieve ankle swelling. It can reduce the edema and pain by multiple mechanisms mentioned above.
It can change your entire mantra of physical training. Cold showers and ice packs can be beneficial right after working out since your muscle fibers are torn and sore. It relieves pain and gets you ready to go about your day.
It can be very dangerous as you can get frostbite. You need to place a rag between your body and the pack.