Hot or Cold? How to Treat an Unexpected Injury
If you live an active lifestyle, sooner or later, you're going to twist the wrong way, lift a weight without bending your knees or tripping over a kerb. As this is the human condition, you need to know what to do when some of those niggling aches and pains become more pressing. So, where should you turn (gently, of course) to find the answer?
Hot or Cold?
To start with, you may wonder whether to apply heat or cold to the area in question. You may have heard that these approaches can certainly help to provide some relief.
Reusable Ice Pad
Think about applying an ice pack in the immediate aftermath of the pulled muscle, strain or sprain as a rule of thumb. Whenever you cause such an injury, your body goes into overdrive by creating an inflammatory condition to try and protect itself. Inflammation can lead to swelling, which can often press on the nerves and send the "pain" message directly to your brain.
Cold Application
As inflammation also creates elevated temperature, ice can be perfect in regulating the situation. So, have a reusable ice pack on hand to deal with this type of event. Just be careful to use a thin towel if you decide to use an ice pack rather than a specially designed pad. You will need to place this in between your skin and the ice pack. Otherwise, you may develop a case of frostbite to add insult to injury.
Reusable Heat Pad
If you are still dealing with the injury after a couple of days, an ice pack will no longer be of much use. Instead, you should turn to a reusable heat pack to relieve some of the pain and supercharge the healing process.
Heat Application
When you apply heat, it can open the blood vessels and increase blood flow. It can also loosen some of those muscles, which tend to restrict in order to protect the injured area. Again, do not place anything hot against your skin for long periods of time but use the reusable heating pad as instructed by its manufacturer. Usually, you should only apply for a certain period before giving your body a rest and repeating as needed.
Being Ready
So, always be prepared for those small injuries that will inevitably come along. Have a pad ready and waiting so that you can get relief as you heal.
For more information on reusable heat packs and reusable cold packs, contact a company near you.