I was reminded again recently how ingrained is our instinct to put heat on pain.  The trouble is that there is a time for heat when treating injured muscles and joints, but not when an injury is new.  When muscles are newly injured, in a motor vehicle collision, sports injury, slip and fall, or otherwise, applying ice is the best first aid.  For new injuries treat with ice or cold packs, applied to the area of pain for 20 minutes, wrapped in paper towel or over a t-shirt, every 2-3 hours to alleviate pain and reduce inflammation for the first 48 hours or more.  Do not apply ice for more than 20 minutes at a time.  Allow at least 20 minutes to pass between treatments.

Applying any type of heat, be it a heating pad, hot water bottle, commercially available heat wrap, soaking in a hot tub/bath, or otherwise, to injured muscles can boost the inflammatory response and pain.  Increased inflammation can affect a broader area, intensify pain and delay healing.  Avoid heat for new injuries.

As a Rule…

if pain is new, sharp, shooting, or burning, then you should apply ice.  If muscle pain is more than a few days old, sore, or dull and achy, the use of heat may be more appropriate.  If after an injury you have pain radiating or traveling into the arms or legs, this is a sign of a more serious injury to the nerves.  You should contact our office for consultation or present to another medical provider.

Muscles do the work of moving the bones and joints in the body, so when muscles are injured or not working properly, chances are that spinal joints may also be affected.  This is why at Matthews Chiropractic Center my approach focuses not just on improving and maintaining movement of the joints of the body, but also on treating and instructing home care of the associated muscles.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 13th, 2011 at 2:46 pm and is filed under In the Office. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.