How to use ice and heat to treat pain
Your body’s natural response to injury is pain and inflammation. Regardless of whether your injury is an acute sprain/strain or chronic, you most likely want to get pain relief quickly. This is where the combination of applying ice and heat to the injured area can come in handy. Let’s say that you have an acute injury such as a sprained ankle, your body will suddenly begin to produce inflammation in that injured region. Applying ice to a sprained ankle can help to reduce the inflammation and temporarily numb the pain. If you control inflammation, you can control pain. Whereas applying heat will help to promote blood flow to the injured area and may speed the healing process.
Your body’s instinctual reaction is to produce inflammation in order to protect the damaged joint, tendon or muscle. Oviedo’s top injury chiropractor, Dr. Ressler tells patients that, “the body creates swelling around the sprain to provide support. This acts like a natural sprint protecting the injured region.” Symptoms of redness, swelling and pain all occur when inflammation is present. Dr. Ressler uses all-natural and holistic chiropractic techniques to reduce inflammation in the body by realigning the joint. When the joint is slowly returned to its normal position the inflammation process will stop. Activator technique uses a very gentle way to return the joint back to normal function and decrease pain. Chiropractic adjustments alleviate the pressure on the cartilage between the joints that compress the nerves. To aid the body in the recovery process, Dr. Ressler recommends using ice and heat in addition to chiropractic care.
When using ice, Dr. Ressler, Oviedo chiropractor tells patients to “wrap the ice pack in a damp paper towel to protect your skin. Then place it over your injury for 10-15 minutes.” You will want to apply ice on the first day your injury occurs. An example would be to use ice for 15 minutes. Then take it off for 15 minutes. Finally put it back on for 15 minutes. Do this twice a day after the injury. Make sure after you ice the first time you put 15 minutes of no ice before you put the ice back on for 15 minutes. The cold from the ice pack constricts the blood vessels, minimizes swelling and helps to reduce pain.
Applying heat loosens soft tissue and stimulates blood flow to the injured region. You can apply heat by using a heating pad or a moist towel that may be warmed in the microwave. Apply heat for 10-15 minutes following the application of ice. REMEMBER: NEVER fall asleep while using a heating pad. Prolonged use of a heating pad may cause additional inflammation or potentially burn your skin.
Apply ice and heat in spaced intervals throughout the day (up to three times a day) always ending with the application of ice. The ice reduces inflammation while the heat loosens soft tissues and stimulates blood flow to the injury. Rotating between both ice and heat creates a better opportunity for you to experience pain relief. This pumps the inflammation out of the tissue.
Learn more about treating injuries with ice and heat by clicking here!
Oviedo Injury and Wellness Center is fully stocked with specialized ice packs that stay flexible and pliable even when frozen. This makes it easy to treat areas of the body that require folding the ice pack (elbow, knee, neck, etc.) At Only $10 (5 X 18) or $15 (9 X 12) the OIWC office provides the best holistic care options at an affordable price.
During every appointment, Dr. Ressler gives patients at home care recommendations to ensure you receive optimal pain relief quickly. However, the Oviedo injury chiropractor tells patients that “you should never ignore your pain or try to treat it solely at home.” This is because receiving proper medical care may prevent life-long injuries. Oviedo Injury and Wellness Center is your injury clinic built on chiropractic methods that are safe, gentle, and highly effective. Using an adjusting instrument called the “activator,” Dr. Ressler treats many conditions. The activator is a spring-loaded instrument that operates by correcting the specific joint or bone that is out of alignment. No twisting of the neck or lower back is involved. The activator method is pain free and has helped hundreds of patients recover from injuries as quickly as possible.
VERY IMPORTANT: DON’T IGNORE YOUR PAIN!
If you have been involved in an auto accident, you may not realize that you have been injured. Just because you don’t experience immediate pain does not mean you haven’t been injured. In fact, you may not experience pain for several days or even weeks. Florida law requires that you be evaluated by a chiropractor or medical doctor within 14 days of your accident. If you do not receive an evaluation within that timeline, you will lose all your medical insurance benefits related to the auto accident. Oviedo Injury and Wellness Center stays open until 7 pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday (Tuesday and Thursday until 1 pm) so you can get the auto accident injury recovery you need. Our knowledgeable staff members are here to help you with every step of your injury recovery. Even if you don’t feel any pain, it does not mean that you haven’t been injured. Ignoring symptoms or trying to treat your injuries solely at home is not worth the risk of losing all your medical benefits. If you do not receive proper medical injury care, you may be faced with life-long or permanent injuries! Don’t search endlessly for a “car accident injury doctor” or “car accident recovery center.” Oviedo Injury and Wellness Center is an auto accident injury recovery clinic proudly serving the Oviedo, Winter Springs and Orlando area for 23 years. Let Dr. ressler use his vast experience of treating injuries to get you back to your normal activities Call 407-977-5005 and schedule your appointment today!