Is it better to apply ice or heat to your injury?

First you must determine whether the body pain you are experiencing is caused by inflammation or constriction (spasm).  Once this is determined, follow these 3 rules:

1. If an injury is acute (caused by new trauma), it is best to apply cold within the first 5 minutes to reduce swelling, inflammation and pain. Ice packs, ice cubes, a frozen bag of peas or cold gels can be applied. On for 20 minutes, off for 20 minutes, then continue as necessary.

2. When swelling is down and the pain cycle is broken, stop the cold and apply heat. This will bring oxygen and nutrient rich blood to the area to relax muscles, remove waste products and promote healing.

3. Simply put: never heat an inflamed area and never ice a constricted area. Inflammation is an expanding reaction and needs to be reduced, so cold is the answer. A spasm is a constriction that needs relaxing, so heat is the answer.

You may be asking why the answer is so simple when the debate is so heated. There can be no debate when one understands the mechanisms behind pain, spasm and inflammation and then how cold and heat applications affect them.

When pain is experienced the body sends more white blood cells
to the affected area. The result is less red blood cells, less oxygen and less nutrients are available to begin the healing process. The process of retarding oxygen and nutrients causes a new “injury” to the area.

When the nervous system senses an injury it sends signals to the brain
, which interprets them as “pain.” The new signal is sent to the injured area, telling the muscles to reduce blood supply in an effort to reduce swelling. However, this blood deficit causes more pain, swelling and spasms.

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