Ice VS. Heat: What to Use and When

Life is full of bumps and bruises. And if you’ve found yourself injured, there seems to be a lot of different information online about whether or not you should be using heat or ice to help the pain and reduce inflammation. As your partner in health, we wanted to set the record straight. Here are some tips for choosing heat and ice when it comes to specific injuries.

Headaches and migraines: If you have a terrible headache, instead of reaching for a pain relief such as ibuprofen, consider using a cool compress at the base of your skull and around your neck. If you’re dealing with a tension headache, choose a warm compress around your neck to help the muscles relax.
​New Injuries (less than six weeks old): Ice is usually the winner when it comes to new injuries. That’s because ice may help constrict blood vessels, which lowers pain and inflammation. Heat, on the other hand, may increase inflammation in new injuries.
Chronic Injuries (older than six weeks): Choose a heating pack for lingering injuries as the warmth will encourage circulation and relax tight muscles, which can relieve stiff joints and offer relief.
Strains or Sprains: Using both heat and ice can be beneficial. Immediately after a strain or sprain, choose ice to help reduce swelling and inflammation. When inflammation has gone down, use heat to help relieve muscle stiffness.