Sudden injury, sprain, or severe back pain due to sitting on a chair for a long time during daily activities, sports or household work is a very common problem. In such a situation, doctors or elders in the house often recommend fomentation as first aid. But most of the people get confused as to what type of pain should be treated with cold therapy and when heat therapy with hot water or heating pad is beneficial. In the absence of correct information, applying wrong compress can increase the pain and swelling instead of reducing it. Therefore, it is very important to understand whether the injury to the body is new or old, and what kind of therapy the nerves and muscles of the body respond to. When to apply cold compresses: The science of cold therapy to suppress new injuries, sprains and swelling Cryotherapy is always used for acute and new injuries. Whenever there is a sudden injury to any part of the body, a sprained leg, a muscle strain or swelling, ice application is considered to be most effective within the first 24 to 48 hours of the injury. According to science, the coldness of ice immediately shrinks the damaged and dilated blood vessels of the injured area, which is called vasoconstriction in medical language. Due to slowing down of blood flow, internal bleeding stops at that place, excess fluid cannot accumulate and swelling reduces rapidly. Along with this, cold temporarily numbs the nerves, due to which pain signals do not reach the brain and the person gets immediate relief. This therapy proves to be extremely effective in sudden sports injury, migraine or severe headache, reducing body temperature in high fever and sudden flare-up of arthritis pain. Correct way to use ice pack: Never apply ice directly on the skin. It is very important to take some precautions while applying ice so that the skin does not get cold burn or damage. Never rub ice cubes directly on bare skin. For this, always use gel based ice packs available in the market or wrap ice pieces in a clean cotton cloth or towel at home and keep them on the affected area. If ice is not available, fomentation can also be done by soaking a towel in cold water. Keep the pack on the affected part for 5 to 10 minutes and then remove it. This process can be repeated every one to two hours. Keep in mind that if the skin starts becoming extremely numb or a pricking sensation is felt during compression, the pack should be removed immediately. When to do hot compresses: Heat therapy works wonders in chronic muscle stiffness, cramps and back pain. Hot compresses or thermotherapy are always used to treat chronic pain and severe stiffness lasting more than 72 hours. When the injury is chronic and the swelling has completely subsided but the muscles remain strained, stiff or dull, then warm compress is the best treatment. Heat therapy works like a panacea to relieve chronic back pain, cervical pain, sciatica, stiff shoulders and tension in the spine due to work-from-home. The warm temperature dilates the blood vessels within the skin and muscles, increasing the flow of oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to the affected area. Increased blood circulation removes lactic acid accumulated in the muscles and loosens the tissues and makes them flexible. Apart from this, warm compresses provide instant relief from stomach cramps, tension headaches and loosening of muscle knots during periods in women. Keep these things in mind while doing hot fomentation: Balance of temperature and time is very important. The most important thing while taking heat therapy is that the temperature of water or heating pad should not be too boiling. Always heat the water to a moderate or tolerable temperature so that there is no risk of burning the skin. Apply a hot water bag, electric heating pad or a towel soaked in hot water to the painful area for 3 to 4 minutes and keep checking the skin in between to see if any red rashes are appearing. If excessive burning or stinging is felt on the skin, stop the application immediately. In general, applying a warm compress for 15 to 20 minutes twice a day is considered sufficient to provide permanent relief from chronic pain. By choosing the right compress at the right time, you can keep your body pain-free and fit even without any medicine.
