Healthline.com
1. Chicken soup...effective for reducing the symptoms of upper respiratory infections in particular...
2. Ginger...may help soothe a cough or sore throat...
3. Honey...has a variety of antibacterial and antimicrobial properties...
4. Garlic...
5. Echinacea...
6. Vitamin C...
7. Probiotics...
8. Salt water...
Learn More...Mayoclinic.org
1. Stay hydrated...water, juice, clear broth or warm lemon water with honey helps loosen congestion and prevents dehydration...
2. Rest...your body needs to heal...
3. Soothe a sore throat...
4. Combat stuffiness...
5. Relieve pain...
6. Sip warm liquids...
7. Add moisture to the air...
Learn More...Medicalnewstoday.com
1. Zinc...prevents rhinovirus...
2. Honey...allow it to fight some bacteria and viruses...
3. Echinacea...help prevent colds and relieve nasal symptoms...
4. Garlic...it has antibacterial and antiviral properties...
5. Menthol...
6. Vitamin D...
7. Oregano oil...
8. Reducing stress and sleeping well...
Learn More...When to use hot and cold therapy?
It is essential that you experiment until you discover the most effective technique for you. It is best to use hot and cold therapy as soon as possible after the injury is sustained. For best outcomes, you should use a combination of cold and heat therapy for about 20 minutes at a stretch. You can repeat this treatment multiple times per day.
What are the benefits of hot and cold therapy?
- Get in the shower and get completely wet at a temperature that is completely comfortable for you.
- Slowly increase the temperature to the point you can barely stand it. ...
- Now turn the water down to the coldest tolerable setting, and expose all areas of the body to this colder water. ...
Should I use hot or cold therapy?
When Should I Use Hot or Cold Therapy? Hot and cold therapies are known to relieve pain, but the combination of the treatments does not work for all conditions like it does for arthritis. It is vital to know which conditions to use each method for. If you have had an injury like a sprain, then you should use ice.
When to use cold or heat therapy?
When To Use Heat vs Cold Therapy For Pain Relief
- Cold Therapy. As the name suggests, cold therapy (also known as ice therapy or cryotherapy) uses cold temperatures to help relieve pain.
- Heat Therapy. Often preferred by most people due to its immediate comfort, heat therapy treatment involves applying heat to the impacted area and allowing the muscles to loosen up, which ...
- Conclusion. ...
How long do you do hot and cold therapy?
Duration varies with technique; usually 20 to 30 minutes per session. (See “Options for applying ice.”) Ice may continue to be useful in treatment as long as there is pain, swelling, inflammation, or spasm. There is no need to switch to heat after 48 hours or alternate between ice and heat.
What is hot and cold treatment good for?
Heat boosts the flow of blood and nutrients to an area of the body. It often works best for morning stiffness or to warm up muscles before activity. Cold slows blood flow, reducing swelling and pain. It's often best for short-term pain, like that from a sprain or a strain.
What is cold and hot therapy called?
Alternating between hot and cold therapy is called contrasting therapy.
When do you use heat and cold therapy?
As a general rule of thumb, ice is used for acute injuries or pain along with inflammation and swelling. It is best to use heat therapy for muscle pain or stiffness.
What order should you do hot cold therapy?
Once the area has been cooled or iced, it is then treated with heat in order to get the blood flowing freely again once the swelling has been reduced.
Should I ice or heat before bed?
“Ice is a great choice for the first 72 hours after an injury because it helps reduce swelling, which causes pain. Heat, on the other hand, helps soothe stiff joints and relax muscles. However, neither option should be used for more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time.”
Does alternating heat and ice work?
In some cases, such as exercise-induced injuries or pain or osteoarthritis, alternating between heat therapy and cold therapy is most effective. The cold therapy causes the blood vessels to contract and reduce circulation, therefore decreasing pain. Removing the cold causes the veins to expand, increasing circulation.
Does cold therapy reduce inflammation?
Cold numbs the affected area, which can reduce pain and tenderness. Cold can also reduce swelling and inflammation.
How do you do hot and cold water therapy?
Immerse either your entire body or the injured body part in warm water for 1 to 3 minutes. Immediately follow with a 1-minute dip in cold water. Repeat this process for approximately 20 minutes, ending with cold water.
Is heat or cold better for swelling?
“But don't be fooled! Ice wins to shut down swelling, inflammation and pain early on where heat may actually make an injury worse.” If you're dealing with lingering injuries (older than 6 weeks) then it's okay to use heat. The increased blood flow relaxes tight muscles and relieves aching joints.
Is alternating heat and ice good?
In some cases, such as exercise-induced injuries or pain or osteoarthritis, alternating between heat therapy and cold therapy is most effective. The cold therapy causes the blood vessels to contract and reduce circulation, therefore decreasing pain. Removing the cold causes the veins to expand, increasing circulation.
How do hot and cold packs work?
Hot and cold packs consist of two separate compartments, one containing water and the other containing a salt. When you break the seal between the chambers and shake the pack vigorously, the two compartments combine and the salt dissolves in the water. This generates a chemical reaction.
What condition would not be treated with heat therapy?
Heat Therapy: Don't use heat therapy if you have any of the following conditions: Bruises or swelling in the area. Open wound in the area. Diabetes.
Is heat or cold better for inflammation?
“But don't be fooled! Ice wins to shut down swelling, inflammation and pain early on where heat may actually make an injury worse.” If you're dealing with lingering injuries (older than 6 weeks) then it's okay to use heat. The increased blood flow relaxes tight muscles and relieves aching joints.
How does cold and hot therapy work?
The process of hot and cold therapy should always start as soon after the injury is sustained as possible in order to get to work on the knocks, aches, pain and stiffness. Cryotherapy (to use the official title for ice or cold therapy), works by reducing the blood flow to the affected area of the body to significantly reduce any inflammation ...
What are the benefits of hot and cold?
To summarise, the main benefits of hot and cold treatment include: Fast and effective relief from pain. Reduction of swelling or stiffness in the joints. Speeds up the healing process.
How many rounds of ice pack for a swollen ear?
After three rounds of the treatment you should return your ice pack to the freezer and allow your heat treatment to cool. You can then repeat the three-round cycle throughout the day in order to maximise its impact and to reduce the pain and swelling as quickly as possible.
What is heat therapy?
Heat treatments are used mostly when it comes to musculoskeletal injuries, such as pulled muscles and any pain in the joints. There are a number of different ways to use heat therapy ranging from quick-fixes like Deep Heat spray to more long-term treatments such as heat packs that can be applied to areas such as the lower back to provide therapeutic heat throughout the day to restore movement.
How long does an ice pack stay cold?
This starts a chemical reaction that instantly makes the pack cold. The Instant Ice Pack stays cold for 15 to 20 minutes, making it ideal for the early treatment of sports injuries.
What is ice treatment?
This form of treatment is typically used on impact injuries such as blows to the head or knocks to the fingers. Ice treatments can range from coolant sprays such as Deep Freeze to ice packs and even ice baths in some cases.
Can you use a gel pack as a heat pack?
To use a gel pack, simply cool in the refrigerator or freezer is intending to use as a cold pack, or warm in hot water (or microwave) to use it as a heat pack.
How does heat help?
Benefits of a Heat Treatment. Heat or warmth will help get things moving by speeding up the molecules in tissues and increasing blood flow. Heat is helpful for stiff joints and muscles, and can be useful prior to an activity. We often see an athlete warming up before a workout.
What is a heat pack?
A heat pack is a type of heat treatment that should be wrapped in cloth to avoid burning the skin. Figure 2. A cold gel pack is an effective cold treatment. Figure 1. Close. Slider Back. Slider Next.
Does heat help with stiffness?
A warm compress or heating pad can also relieve stiffness (Figure 1); however, too much heat could cause fainting, swelling, or burns to skin and tissues, so use your heat treatment with moderation.
Can cold cause sore joints?
As with heat, too much cold can slow down and stiffen sore joints, so use this treatment with moderation. Applying ice or anything extremely cold to bare skin can cause injury. Always wrap the source of cold in some sort of fabric.
What is heat therapy?
Hot Therapy. Heat therapy is primarily used for taking the edge off of several different kinds of body pain. Those dull, persistent pains that you get with stiffness and cramping, for example. Pain such as soreness from jumping straight back in to exercise and going a little too hard, we’ve all been there.
How does heat therapy work?
Heat therapy works by relieving pain, reducing muscle spasm and improving circulation to the injured area. Heat therapy is able to carry the heat in to the tissue to the depth of around two centimetres with a heat rise of a degree Celsius or two, depending on the method and which body part it’s applied too.
Can you use cold therapy for sensory issues?
People with sensory issues that stop them from feeling certain sensation should not use cold therapy in the home setting as they may not be able to tell if damage is being done. This includes diabetes, which can cause nerve damage and lessened sensitivity.
Is heat a neurological effect?
It’s worth mentioning that there are also the potential neurological effects of heat. The feeling of heat in itself can be reassuring, and reassurance can be analgesic, meaning it can relieve pain. To check out our range of heat packs and rubs, click here.
Can you use cold or hot therapy on a stiff muscle?
Do not use cold therapy on stiff or tight muscles and joints. Heat Therapy is used to relax and sooth sore muscles and to increase range of motion. Do not use Hot Therapy on an injury that is already warm to the touch.
How to treat a cold injury?
For cold therapy, or cryotherapy, a water bottle filled with cold water, a pad cooled in the freezer, or cool water can be used. In some cases, alternating heat and cold may help, as it will greatly increase blood flow to the injury site.
How long does cold therapy last?
Some ways of using cold therapy include: a cold compress or a chemical cold pack applied to the inflamed area for 20 minutes, every 4 to 6 hours, for 3 days. Cold compresses are available for purchase online. immersion or soaking in cold, but not freezing, water.
Why is ice used for back pain?
It may be less helpful for back pain, possibly because the injury is not new, or because the problem tissue, if it is inflamed, lies deep beneath other tissues and far from the cold press.
Why is my skin hot and red?
the skin is hot, red or inflamed. the person has dermatitis or an open wound. the area is numb. the person may be insensitive to heat due to peripheral neuropathy or a similar condition. Ask a doctor first about using heat or cold on a person who has high blood pressure or heart disease.
How to avoid ice burn?
immersion or soaking in cold, but not freezing, water. massaging the area with an ice cube or an ice pack in a circular motion from two to five times a day, for a maximum of 5 minutes, to avoid an ice burn. In the case of an ice massage, ice can be applied directly to the skin, because it does not stay in one place.
Does heat help with lactic acid?
Improved circulation can help eliminate the buildup of lactic acid waste occurs after some types of exercise. Heat is also psychologically reassuring, which can enhance its analgesic properties. Heat therapy is usually more effective than cold at treating chronic muscle pain or sore joints caused by arthritis.
Does cold medicine help with swelling?
Cold treatment reduces blood flow to an injured area. This slows the rate of inflammation and reduces the risk of swelling and tissue damage. It also numbs sore tissues, acting as a local anesthetic, and slows down the pain messages being transmitted to the brain.
What is contrast therapy?
Contrast therapy will relieve pain and swelling associated with a variety of injuries. It's most effective to treat pain in the hands and lower body. ( Image Reference) This versatile treatment can be used for a variety of conditions, including:
Why is ice good for injury?
It is effective because it causes vasoconstriction, or narrowing of the blood vessels. The muscles contract, inflammation is lowered, and pain signals are reduced.
How long does it take for contrast therapy to work?
Pain relief sprays and gels, such as Icy Hot, work according to concept—they cool first to dull the pain and then heat to relax the muscles. Here is a basic pattern of how to apply contrast therapy: Begin with 1 minute of cold. Apply 3 minutes of heat. Apply 1 minute of cold. Apply 3 minutes of heat.
Is contrast therapy good for you?
For most people, contrast therapy offers an easy and cheap way to lower inflammation, loosen muscles, and enjoy natural pain relief.
Does contrast therapy help with pain?
Sometimes, choosing one over the other simply may not provide enough relief, which is where contrast therapy comes in. With this gentle method, you can simultaneously reduce inflammation, stimulate circulation, and loosen tight muscles, thereby easing your pain.
Is cold or hot therapy good for recovery?
Hot and cold therapy may be effective in aiding recovery by reducing levels of both lactic acid and muscle soreness. It may be particularly beneficial for those who have a second workout planned for later in the day, as it doesn’t shut the body down in the way pure ice therapy does.
Can you use contrast therapy on hips?
Although the hip joint causes problems for many, it is not usually the best candidate for contrast therapy due to its size and the fact that it is often padded with fat. However, given the simplicity and cost effectiveness of hot and cold therapy, it’s worth trying contrast therapy for many conditions that cause pain.
When will hot cold treatment be available in 2021?
July 16, 2021. Most people are aware that the use of hot cold treatment can be very beneficial in treating some musculoskeletal conditions but a lot of people get confused about which one to use and at what stages of rehabilitation should they go from using one to the other?
Is hot cold massage good for you?
Additionally combining hot cold treatment with massage is also very effective. When you physically push fresh blood through the tissues it can start to feel a lot better and accelerate the natural healing and rehabilitation processes.
Can you use hot and cold together?
Hot cold treatment together. Once the initial inflammation has subsided, you can use hot cold treatment together to accelerate the natural healing process. By continuously transitioning from hot to cold you can help to open and close the blood vessels to drive more nutrition and oxygen through to the injury site.
How does cold therapy work?
It works by reducing blood flow to a particular area, which can significantly reduce inflammation and swelling that causes pain, especially around a joint or a tendon. It can temporarily reduce nerve activity, which can also relieve pain.
What are the different types of heat therapy?
Types. There are two different types of heat therapy: dry heat and moist heat. Both types of heat therapy should aim for “warm” as the ideal temperature instead of “hot.”. Dry heat (or “conducted heat therapy”) includes sources like heating pads, dry heating packs, and even saunas. This heat is easy to apply.
How long does heat therapy last?
Moderate to severe pain can benefit from longer sessions of heat therapy like warm bath, lasting between 30 minutes and two hours.
How long should you heat a wound?
Heat applied directly to a local area, like with heating packs, should not be used for more than 20 minutes at a time.
What is the best treatment for stiffness?
Regional treatment is best for more widespread pain or stiffness, and could be achieved with a steamed towel, large heating pad, or heat wraps. Full body treatment would include options like saunas or a hot bath.
What is the best treatment for a swollen muscle?
Sometimes a single treatment will even include both. As a general rule of thumb, use ice for acute injuries or pain, along with inflammation and swelling. Use heat for muscle pain or stiffness.
What is the best cold therapy for sprains?
ice massage. ice baths. Other types of cold therapy that are sometimes used include: cryostretching, which uses cold to reduce muscle spasms during stretching. cryokinetics, which combines cold treatment and active exercise and can useful for ligament sprains.
