Heat vs. Cold Therapy: The Differences, Benefits and Tips to Get Started


Everyone experiences aches, pains, and injuries at some point, whether it’s a one-time incident or a chronic condition. And the last thing you want to do when suffering in pain is have to do a bunch of research into whether you should be applying heat or cold, or worse: spend a fortune seeing a physical therapist. The good news: Heat and cold therapy is a cost-effective and efficient solution that can help reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and promote healing, all from the comfort of your own home. In this article, we break down everything you need to know about using heat or cold therapy, or a combination of both to stimulate the body’s natural healing processes and promote faster recovery. So, whether you’re dealing with an injury, sore muscles or a chronic condition such as arthritis or fibromyalgia, or simply want a rejuvenating and therapeutic experience for your body, we’ve got you covered.

heat and cold therapy guide

What is Heat and Cold Therapy?

Heat and cold therapy, also known as contrast therapy, is a therapeutic technique that can be used to enhance overall well-being, soothe aches and pains and expedite the recovery process. It involves alternating between hot and cold applications, such as a heat pad and ice pack, and applying them to a specific area of the body. But in order to understand how this unique healing process works, you must first know how the different temperatures affect your body:

  • Cold therapy helps reduce swelling and inflammation as it causes your blood vessels to constrict, which reduces blood flow to injured areas.
  • Heat, on the other hand, increases blood circulation to reduce muscle tension and promote healing in injured areas.

By combining heat and cold temperatures, you get the benefits of both for optimal healing and pain relief which include:

  • Boost energy levels
  • Fast recovery
  • Improve circulation
  • Improve mental clarity and alertness
  • Improve mood
  • Increase motion range
  • Reduce inflammation and swelling
  • Relieve pain in muscles and joints
  • Speedy healing

When To Use Heat vs. Cold for Healing?

While there are significant benefits to using hot and cold therapy together, you can use them individually as well. As a general rule of thumb, cold therapy is ideal for tackling inflammation and heat therapy is recommended for promoting healing. There are also many significant benefits to using a combination of the two.

But first, let’s take a look at what the individual benefits of heat and cold therapy are and when you should be using heat vs. cold.

The Benefits of Cold Therapy

Since cold therapy helps reduce swelling and inflammation, it’s particularly beneficial for alleviating inflammation, tension and pain. As such, it’s commonly used to treat conditions associated with a joint or tendon, such as arthritis, sprains, lower back pain, runner’s knee and tendonitis. It can also be used to prevent pain after an injury, as it reduces swelling which is what causes the pain.

A common method used with cold therapy is the “R.I.C.E.” method, which stands for:

  • Rest: Take a break from any activities that may worsen your pain.
  • Ice: Apply cold therapy, such as an ice pack to start tackling inflammation and swelling.
  • Compression: Applying pressure to the area to help control swelling and pain, and stabilize the area so that you do not injure yourself further.
  • Elevation: Elevate whatever body part is in pain.

Keep in mind, it is best to apply cold therapy within 72 hours of your injury and in 20-minute intervals.

The Benefits of Heat Therapy

Heat therapy is best for treating chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, primary dysmenorrhea and lower back pain or old injuries, as it helps to relax tight muscles and alleviate painful joints and muscles. It can improve the range of motion in stiff joints and promote better mobility.

How To Use Heat and Cold Therapy Together?

Using heat and cold therapy separately has numerous benefits but they also come with some risks. For example, ice can cause your muscles to become tense and spasm resulting in pain. Heat does the opposite of ice and can actually make inflammation worse. This is why many people choose to alternate between heat and cold to maximize the benefits while simultaneously reducing the risks.

To use heat and cold therapy together, it’s important to follow a specific process.

Begin by applying ice for 20 minutes to narrow the vessels, followed by heat for 15 minutes to dilate the vessels. This creates a pumping mechanism that pushes inflammation away from the injured area.

Now, you should always end the treatment cycle with ice, except when treating chronic back spasms. This will keep the vessels narrowed, preventing inflammation from returning to the area. By combining ice and heat in this specific way, you can experience even more significant relief from pain, inflammation, and swelling than if you were to use one or the other.

Ways to Do Heat and Cold Therapy

There are a variety of tools available to help you use contrast therapy (or just heat or cold) therapy. Some popular options include:

  • Heat pads
  • Hot water bottle
  • Heat wraps
  • Heated gel packs
  • Warm bath
  • Ice pack
  • Cool water
  • Coolant sprays
  • Ice baths
  • A frozen water bottle
  • Cold therapy machines
  • A pack of frozen peas

Pretty much anything that can hold the desired temperature and be safely applied to your body can be used. You don’t need to go out and purchase a fancy machine or wrap, and something as simple as a microwavable heat pad and ice pad can work wonders.

Tips for Using Heat and Cold Therapy

Since applying an ice pack to your skin or laying on a heated pad isn’t always the most comfortable experience, there are plenty of tips to make this therapeutic process as enjoyable and beneficial as possible. So, whether you’re using just ice or only heat, a combination of both or are treating an injury or chronic condition, here are some tips to remember:

  • For injuries that have occurred within the past three days, it is recommended to use ice therapy.
  • If only using ice therapy, apply ice for 20 minutes, followed by a 30 to 40-minute break before reapplying.
  • Apply ice within the first 72 of an injury or ideally, as soon as possible.
  • Use ice to soothe pain in your joints such as knees, elbows and shoulders.
  • For pain relief in the back, neck, and large muscle groups like quads, hamstrings, and calves, heat therapy is recommended after the first three days of injury.
  • Heat pads work best when used for 15 minutes on and at least 30 minutes off.
  • If you’re sensitive to cold, use a thin towel between the ice and skin to avoid burning your skin or having a reaction.
  • Keep it local. Taking a full-body ice bath should not be used to treat an ankle sprain, as the body will get confused and the injured area won’t get the treatment it needs.
  • Try different application methods, application times, and areas of application to find what works best for you.
  • If you are trying different things, try to only switch one variable at a time so you can pinpoint what works.
  • Stay hydrated and drink plenty of water before and after treatment.
  • Only use the hottest and coldest temperatures that you can personally handle and gradually work your way up (or down).
  • Try stretching your muscles during the heat portion.
  • Incorporate some deep breathing to help get through the cold therapy portion.
  • Listen to your body.
  • Heat and ice can be used on all injuries or sore body parts at any time.
  • Use a wrap to hold ice onto the injured part without having to use your hands.

It can be confusing trying to figure out if your body needs heat or cold when suffering from an injury or pain. And the last thing you need is the added stress of trying to figure it out as you try to get through the pain. The good news: you now have all the knowledge and tips needed to make the best choice for your specific situation. Whether it’s using ice to quell inflammation, heat to promote fast recovery or a combination of the two for the best of both worlds, you are one step closer to unleashing the power of therapeutic, heat-cold therapy.

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