If you’re injured, you may be asking yourself, “When should I use ice or heat?”

I want to talk to you a little bit about when we use ice and when we use heat. Both of them are helpful for treating injuries, but each of them should be used when it best fits the situation.

When you’re trying to determine whether to use ice or heat for your injury, ask yourself the following question.

Is it an acute or chronic injury?

An acute injury has a rapid sudden onset – like when we wake up and we have a really stiff neck and it’s hard to turn.
This would be a good time to be use ice since it will help reduce inflammation. It will also help numb the pain, including nerve pain.

For chronic conditions and chronic pain, you should use heat. Heat is best for chronic low back pain or chronic neck pain. The heat is going to help bring warmth, bring blood flow into the muscles, and aid in reducing pain and increasing your ranges of motion.

If you have any questions about when it’s best to use ice or heat on an injury or you’re experiencing pain you would like more help with, give us a call at the office. We’re available for you from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Monday through Friday.