Let me start with, I am not a Dr.! I have been in the medical field as a Physical Therapist Assistant for 13 years now in various settings of care. When in doubt about anything please contact your Dr. 1st!
Ok, here we go! You aren’t the only one asking this question. It is a frequent occurrence. Here is the simple rule of thumb for a normal healthy person.
Acute injury or pain- cold
Chronic ( long standing more then a month) pain- heat
Acute may be…
- a sprained ankle
- dropping a cattle trailer on your foot (yep my husband!)
- a pulled muscle
- a bee sting
- a good deep tissue massage that has moved some things around
- an adjustment from your Chiropractor
- a stubbed toe
- a surgical area
- I think you get the idea!
How to use cold safely.
- Gel packs are very pliable to fit any area and can be found from Amazon to your local pharmacy, but your bag of frozen peas works too.
- Homemade packs are super easy: 1 cup rubbing alcohol, 2 cups water in a gallon freezer bag, I would double bag just in case. Let this set up overnight.
- Put a barrier between yourself & the cold pack, such as a towel or thin piece of clothing
- DO NOT LEAVE THE COLD PACK ON FOR MORE THEN 20 MIN
- Check the skin after 5 min to make sure it looks ok (should just be reddened)
- Give your skin at least 1 hour rest before applying again and I recommend not using more then 4 times a day.
- If the injury is in a lower part of the body where it is more dependent it’s a good idea to elevate it while icing
Chronic may be…
- History of back pain (thanks kids)
- Arthritis or other joint degeneration
- Achy parts that aren’t swollen up
- An old injury
For me I know heat I usually enjoy more! In therapy we will use a hot pack to warm up a body part so it loosens it up some and makes it easier and more comfortable for the person to follow through with the exercises we are asking them to perform.
How to use heat safely
- Only use 20 min max!!! Otherwise the body thinks there is an injury and will send MORE heat via increased blood flow to the area to rescue it. So you may end up with more pain.
- At my house we use a bag with millet in it and heat in the microwave
- You can make your own one with rice in a tube sock
- In physical therapy we use what’s called a hydrocollator- this machine keeps water hot and we place packs filled with a clay substance in it to provide warm moist heat to patients.
- Warm moist heat will penetrate deeper and last longer.
- Like cold, use a barrier between you and the direct heat source
- Do a skin check after about 5 min
- If it starts to itch or get too warm- don’t tough it out TAKE IT OFF!!!
- Like ice, allow your skin “rest time” between applications, I would only use a max of 3x’s day.
- Keep in mind if you are laying on the heat, therefore added body weight, you might want to decrease your time to 10 minutes.
Other Considerations:
- If you have decreased sensation to the area you are applying or nerve damage to the area you’ll need to keep an even closer eye on it.
- Children- sometimes they don’t give us all the information, so make sure to ask them questions frequently about how the application feels and check their skin.
- Cognitive issues- if someone doesn’t understand or is unable to communicate effectively watch their body language or communicate the way they do best.
Using creams or other ointments or essential oils with hot or cold is not really recommended as it can magnify the item you have applied and cause severe skin irritation. You can always apply these about 1/2 an hour later.
Don’t have room in your diaper bag or purse to keep a hot or cold pack on hand?
Our household uses Essential Oils
This means I keep on hand in my purse some basics to help us out till we can get home. Lavender, and blends of oils that have Peppermint or Wintergreen as a main oil.
All I know is for me after using a cold pack, I love to roll on my Deep Relief, PanAway or Aromaseiz when my back and neck are not happy for the day. I feel we never go wrong applying Lavender or my DIY Aloe/Lavender Spray or Young Living’s Lavaderm Spray for immediate ouchy relief on my kiddos! You can order those products and oils here
Remember essential oils are plant based and are SUPER concentrated so it’s important to dilute them appropriately and check your skin if it’s a first time usage. 1-3 drops MAX is what I’ve used for me. You can learn more basic essential oil usage and education from my Facebook page Grace and Wellness
With any wellness tips please know that all of us are created differently and our bodies therefore do not respond the same. Wellness is about listening to your body, prevention, supporting the body systems and following what it needs at that moment and not what is the most popular or seemed to work for everyone else.
Again I will repeat, I am not a Dr., I recommend if you have serious medical concerns or questions to contact your personal provider that you use.
Stay well!