Hot Compress | Cold Compress
Cold treatment reduces inflammation by decreasing blood flow. Apply within 48 hours after an injury. Heat treatment promotes blood flow and helps muscles relax. Use for chronic pain.
Though both can reduce pain in joints and tissues, ice packs decrease blood flow, and warm compresses increase it. Cold compresses are useful for decreasing inflammation, while warm compresses are good for conditions like stiff tendons or relieving pain in the lower back.
“Ice is a great choice for the first 72 hours after an injury because it helps reduce swelling, which causes pain. Heat, on the other hand, helps soothe stiff joints and relax muscles. However, neither option should be used for more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time.”
While colder temperatures have an anti-inflammatory and anti-swelling effect, warmer temperatures make the skin smoother and reduce pores.
Icing is effective at reducing pain and swelling because the cold constricts blood vessels and decreases circulation to the area. For example, if an athlete rolls an ankle in a volleyball match an immediate application of ice will cut down on long-term swelling and potentially lessen recovery time.
Some studies have shown that the warm compress intervention has a synergistic effect with the antipyretic, being faster and more lasting in reducing the body temperature of the febrile child than the administration of the antipyretic alone.
Never use heat where swelling is involved because swelling is caused by bleeding in the tissue, and heat just draws more blood to the area. Heating tissues can be accomplished using a heating pad, or even a hot, wet towel.
