If you’ve ever sustained a painful injury, chances are your loved ones will have advised you to apply either something cold or something warm to the affected area.
Indeed, both a cold compress and a heat pack appear to be perfectly reasonable treatments. But which of these approaches actually works best?
Dr Nightaf Arif has stepped in to set the record straight. « It’s the most common question I get asked by my family, » the NHS and private practitioner revealed in a TikTok video.
Outlining in her own publication, she claimed the answer depends entirely on the nature of your condition. She demonstrated in her clip that arthritic pain, chronic back pain and joint aches should all be treated with heat.
On the other hand, for sudden swelling or a pulled muscle, a cold treatment is the way to go. « My book took me about two years to write, » Dr Arif explained in a follow-up clip, proudly holding aloft a copy of The Complete Family Health Guide.
She added of the fully-illustrated book: « The book has underpinned all my incredible knowledge as a general physician and family health doctor. It has been a labour of love to bring you no-nonsense medical advice to empower you and your family about their health. »
Why use ice?
The NHS claims with any sprain, strain or bruise there is some bleeding into the underlying tissue which causes pain and swelling. Using ice immediately after the injury will help to limit the body’s response to injury, the ice will:
- Reduce bleeding into the tissues
- Prevent or reduce swelling (inflammation)
- Reduce muscle pain and spasm
Using ice treatment every 2 hours (when awake) for the first 24 to 48 hours after an injury will give the best results.
Ice may also be used to ease the pain in the lower back and long-term problems such as arthritis.
When to use heat treatment
When an injury is over 2 days old, heat can be applied in the form of a wheat bag, heat pad, deep heat cream, hot water bottle or a bath. Heat causes the blood vessels to open wide (dilate) which delivers more blood into the area to help the healing of damaged tissues.
Heat also soothes or relieves pain and spasm leading to less stiffness. If heat is applied to the skin, it should not be hot; gentle warmth will be enough. A towel can be placed between the heat source and the skin for protection. The skin must be checked at regular intervals.
The NHS also advises: « Do not use heat on a new injury because it may make the problem worse. The exception to this is when you have a new lower back strain. A lot of the pain in this case is caused by muscle spasm rather than tissue damage, so heat is often more helpful than ice.
« Ice gives a longer-lasting effect on the circulation and the pain-relieving properties are deeper than heat. Both heat and ice can be re-applied after an hour if needed. »
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