Most of the time, the choice of which method to use is a function of what individuals feel will provide the best results. If the affected body part does not experience an increase in temperature and the swelling is minimal, a person can continue to use heat therapy regularly to reduce the inflammation and pain in that part of the body. Patients who have rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis are usually more predisposed to heat treatment as ice packs or cold create highly unfavorable sensations and may even worsen their symptoms.
As for the cold treatment, it works best for areas where there is constant inflammation of the body part or bleeding. If the body part is swollen, it usually becomes painful to the touch.
Ice is used for treating acute injuries which are injuries that happened some few minutes ago. An ice pack will help to stop the flow of blood in the affected area and reduce inflammation and pain by reducing the sensation around the area. But applying heat to a new injury is a recipe for chaos. Not only will it be painful, but it will also lead to more bleeding and muscle spasms, causing the victim a lot of discomfort and pain.
For chronic injuries, heat treatment does
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Ice treatment helps to reduce inflammation in damaged tissue, which brings down the level of pain in the area and makes the injury bearable throughout the treatment, rehabilitation, and recovery phase. On the other hand, heat therapy works best for muscles. When you apply heat to sore and aching muscles, it warms up the muscles and make them more flexible and receptive to blood and the nutritional supply it is transporting. This produces a soothing effect that wears off the pain in the muscles, effectively allowing the patient to engage in activities that will help him get back full function of the