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What Is Best For Knee Pain Heat Or Ice

How Do You Use Ice / Cold As Pain Relief For Your Knee Injury

Ice vs. Heat for Knee Pain | Knee Exercises

COLD is used to treat injuries or conditions that are red, hot, inflamed, swollen and suffering from tissue damage . Cold therapy is a natural / organic pain reliever that numbs pain right at the source of your injury. While doing this, the cold also stops tissue break-down and reduces the amount of scar tissue forming .

Cold can Make Your Knee Injury Worse – How?

Applying cold can restrict blood flow and stiffen / tighten soft tissue. Cold is NOT a good treatment method for your knee when the tissue is already tight and constricted, because the cold will just stiffen the tissue further.

If you feel you have contricted or tight tissue, you should use a therapy that will increase blood flow instead – like Circulation Boost . Increasing blood flow at this time will help to relieve any tightness or stiffness. Circulatory Boost used at this time will also help to relax / elongate your tissue making it much more pliable for activity.

Ice Vs Heat For Treating Your Knee Injury

When dealing with a knee injury it’s hard to know what treatment will work best for you. You might be wondering if ice and heat will work for you. Or maybe even which will work better – ice OR heat.

Icing and heating are 2 of the most natural treatment options available. Compared to medications, surgery and other treatment methods – icing and heating have been around for centuries and have always been used for knee injury healing as a means to soothe and heal.

We understand that it can get pretty confusing to figure out what conservative treatment method will work best with all of the treatment options available to you today. To get started, you should think about the benefits you’ll get from using these therapies.

Guidelines For Using Heat

  • Use microwave heat packs, hot water bottles or muscle rubs for heat.
  • If using a heat pack or hot water bottle, use for 20 minute intervals.
  • Do not fall asleep on a heating padthe heat can damage skin.
  • Heat is not recommended for everyone: those with diabetes, open wounds or stitches should not use heat because it can increase bleeding.

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Both Hot & Cold Treatments Are Important

People get confused with how ice and heat work to relieve pain and heal. They also get confused with which temperature treatment is better for their injury and how to get the right amount of “ice” or “heat” for effective treatment.

When it comes to using ice and heat for treating knee injuries, it’s important to keep in mind that both ice AND heat are very effective ways to relieve pain and heal. Most people will think one is better over the other from their own experience or what a doctor / physical therapist has previously told them.

The only difference between using ice and heat is that 1 is better for you at a specific time in your healing cycle. Ice is used first, right when you get your injury, to decrease pain / swelling and inflammation. Heat comes later, to increase blood flow circulation and stimulate the body’s healing response.

So which is better?

They’ll ultimately work for you in the same way. Each temperature has its own unique benefits for your knee, and when used togther they provide a powerful advantage to long-term healing. You may already know that ice or heat feels better on your knee, and this could influence your decision too.

The bottom line is that ice and heat are exceptional, natural, pain relievers and healers for your knee injury.

There are cases where some injuries will respond better to 1 temperature over the other. We want to help clear up the confusion so you know which is better and how to get the most from your treatment at home.

When To Use Heat Therapy:

Best Knee Ice And Heating Wrap Pack
  • If you are experiencing joint or muscle pain or stiffness.
  • Minor stiffness or tension can often be relieved with only 15 to 20 minutes of heat therapy.
  • Moderate to severe pain can benefit from longer sessions of heat therapy like warm bath, lasting between 30 minutes and two hours.
  • Local therapy is best for small areas of pain, like one stiff muscle. You could use small heated gel packs or a hot water bottle if you only want to treat an injury locally.
  • Regional treatment is best for more widespread pain or stiffness, and could be achieved with a steamed towel, large heating pad, or heat wraps.
  • Full body treatment would include options like saunas or a hot bath.

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Attach The Tshellz Wrap Plug It In And Let The Energy Pad Do The Work

The application of a TShellz Wrap® is a good long-term plan as you will find it to be a highly beneficial tool for soft tissue health both in the recovery process as well as for long term re-injury prevention. Many of our clients use it on a preventive basis to relax constricted soft tissue especially prior to exertion. The TShellz Wrap® enhances the local blood circulatory system, increasing the flow of oxygen, nutrients and energy your body needs during its self healing process.

Our TShellz Wrap wraps are registered with the FDA as medical devices which meet high manufacturing standards.

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Disclaimer:

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The Art Of Using Hot And Cold Therapy

Hot and cold therapy each have their own appropriate uses. You should never apply heat to a joint that is already hot, red, and irritated, for example, nor should you apply cold to a joint that’s stiff and not moving well. Remember, heat helps muscles relax cold helps to minimize inflammation and pain.

It’s also important to be careful when using hot and cold therapy to manage arthritis pain, or you might end up with damage to your skin from exposure to relatively extreme temperatures.

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Here are suggestions for safely using heat therapy devices such as a heating pad, a heat pack, a hand towel soaked in hot water, a warm water soak, or a hot water bottle:

  • Make sure that the temperature is never uncomfortably high you don’t want to put your skin at risk for burns.
  • Place a cloth or towel between your skin and the heat source to prevent burns.
  • Don’t apply heat to skin that is cut or injured in any way.
  • Never apply heat for longer than 20 minutes at a time.

Suggestions for safely using cold therapy devices such as a cold pack, a bag of frozen vegetables, or a bag of ice:

After using heat or cold on your joint pain, always evaluate your skin and look for any signs of damage like a change in color, rash, or blisters.

Switching between hot and cold therapy can offer excellent arthritis pain management benefits, as long as each one is used appropriately.

How And When To Use Heat

When to use heat or cold for knee pain?

Heating pads, warm baths, and other heat-based treatments tend to be best before activity. Applying heat to your knee before you hop on the treadmill or head out on a shopping excursion will improve blood flow, relax your muscles, and prime your joints for action.

Wrap a moist heating pad in a towel and place it over your knee or knees for 15 – 20 minutes before exercise. For a do-it-yourself heating pad, place a wet washcloth in a freezer bag and heat it in the microwave for 1 minute. Electric heating pads are another option for treating knee pain, provided they are not too hot.

Other ways to tap into the healing effects of heat include:

  • Warming your clothes in the dryer before getting dressed.
  • Turning your electric blanket up for a few minutes before getting out of bed.

There is one caveat to keep in mind when using heat therapy: Do not burn yourself. Avoid this by using heating pads for less than 20 minutes at a time and filling heating bottles with hotnot boilingwater.

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Using Both Heat And Ice

In some situations, applying both ice and heat to your joint may be helpful. Called contrast therapy, this treatment involves alternating between icing and heating a joint. While this option has traditionally been utilized after exercise or participating in a sporting event to aid in recovery, it may be helpful for more chronic conditions as well. This style of treatment can be performed using hot and cold packs or by alternately submerging the knee in hot and cold water.

While individuals who received contrast therapy subjectively reported less overall soreness and muscular fatigue, the research is still mixed. The current evidence is lacking on whether this treatment is helpful in managing the pain associated with a knee injury or in reducing your inflammation levels.

What Is An Ice Burn

Ice burns look and behave like other burns. You can compare an ice burn most to sunburn since it is usually superficial and changes skin color.

The affected skin will most likely turn the skin colors. Certainly, ice by itself will make your skin turn red. An ice burn, however, will look different.

An ice burn will turn the skin bright red, white, or even yellowish-gray. You may also notice a change in feeling if you sustain an ice burn. Your skin may feel numb, itchy, or tingly.

If you have a deeper, more extreme burn, you will feel pain, and your skin may even blister. At its worst, the skin will feel unusually firm or waxy.

To avoid an ice burn, put a barrier between the ice and your skin. Never put the ice directly on the skin.

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How To Ice Your Knee The Proper Way

The pain is excruciating. Sometimes it’s a dull ache from a throbbing knee, and other times it is a sharp pain stemming from just under the knee cap. The experts say you should put some ice on it, but have you ever wondered how to ice your knee?

When you ice your knee, you need to protect the skin first. Then place an ice pack or bag of ice over the protective layer and directly on the area that hurts. Keep reading to learn all the tricks and tips for how to ice your knee effectively.

When Should You Use Heat

5 Best Ice Packs For Knees Pain Relief

When you use a heating pad or hot water bottle, blood flood increases. This makes it easier for oxygen and nutrients to reach your painful joints. Heat helps loosen tight muscles and joints and relieves pain and muscle spasms. If you have swelling, it’s best to use ice for 24 hours, then switch to heat. If swelling isn’t a problem, it’s fine to use heat when you first notice joint pain.

Although a heating pad can help you feel better, it can cause burns if you use it too long or the setting is too high. Don’t use the heating pad for more than 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Stop using the heating pad sooner if it worsens your pain or your skin begins to look very red.

If you don’t have a heating pad or hot water bottle, wet a washcloth, wring it out, then microwave it for 30 seconds. You can microwave the washcloth for a few seconds longer if it isn’t quite warm enough.

A hot shower or bath is also a good choice if you have aching muscles or joints due to an injury, chronic low back pain or arthritis. The Arthritis Foundation® suggests keeping the water temperature between 92 and 100 degrees when you take a shower.

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What Is Ice Therapy Or Cold Therapy

Ice has traditionally been used to reduce swelling caused by damage to the muscles, ligaments or tendons .

Its believed that ice reduces the tissue temperature and blood flow to the area, which helps to limit the bodys response to the injury, reducing inflammation and bleeding. It can also numb the area, reducing any pain.

For this reason it is thought to be effective in treating new injuries that have acute pain and swelling.

Heat Therapy Helps Relax Stiff Joints

Learn different ways to ease joint pain using warm water or a hot compress.

Heat Therapy Helps Relax Stiff Joints

Learn different ways to ease joint pain using warm water or a hot compress.

Looking for a natural way to get your joints moving in the morning? Close the medicine cabinet and try an age-old remedy that has stood the test of time: heat.

If you have a chronic condition like fibromyalgia, arthritis, or lower back pain, try heating things up. Soaking in warm water or applying a heated compress is one of the oldest, cheapest, and safest forms of complementary therapy. Research has shown that heat treatments can loosen stiff joints and relieve achy muscles.

Here is how it works. When you warm up a sore joint or tired muscle, your blood vessels get bigger. This allows more blood, oxygen, and nutrients to be delivered to the injured tissues. Better circulation means more relaxation for those stiff muscles and joints.

Stay away from heat if you have an acute injury or are having a flare. If you have a sudden onset of swelling and redness from overdoing it yesterday, you are better off using cold treatments for a few days. Cold has the opposite effect of heat: it reduces blood flow and decreases inflammation.

Here are a few simple ways to heat up your daily routine.

Here are a few simple ways to heat up your daily routine.

Take a Steamy Shower

Apply a Warm Compress

  • Dip your hands or feet in melted paraffin wax . Wait for it to cool and peel the wax off.

  • Managing Pain

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    How To Ice Knee

    The most recommended immediate treatment following a soft tissue injury to the knee is R.I.C.E. the acronym for:

    • REST

    Do not perform any motions which cause pain. Each time pain is felt, the knee injury is continuing and delaying healing. Protect your injury.

    Ice Apply ice for 15-20 minutes to the injured area at least 2 to 3 times a day. It is important not to ice longer than 15-20 minutes at a time. Longer periods can produce skin irritation and also damage underlying tissues. The icing reduces swelling by constricting the fluids the body rushes to the injury. Too much fluid can actually increase the severity of the injury and prolong healing. Ice also acts as a temporary pain reliever by numbing the immediate pain receptors.

    Wrapping the injury with a compression type of material also reduces swelling for the same reasons as ice, but compression can be applied for longer periods of time. It is important not to wrap an injury too tightly as it can cut off circulation. Wrap the injury just tight enough to keep the swelling from increasing while still maintaining circulation.

    Elevation If possible keep the injured knee at about the heart level. This keeps fluids from accumulating in the injury due to gravity. Often an injury will throb when it is not elevated.

    COLD COMPRESSION THERAPY

    The combination of ICE and COMPRESSION is known as COLD COMPRESSION THERAPY. This therapy is useful after a soft tissue knee injury or knee surgery.

    See a doctor if there is:

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    Some Facts About Knees:

    Approximately 19.4 million visits to physicians’ offices in the US per year are due to knee problems.

    The knee is a complex joint with many components, making it vulnerable to a variety of injuries.

    Oral medications can mask the pain but do not aid in the healing of knee injuries.

    Most knee injuries can be successfully treated without surgery.

    Sadly, regardless of treatment, ACL injuries in high-school youths are associated with a 10-fold increased risk for degenerative knee arthritis later in life.

    MendmyKnee is an FDA registered company.

    Every year, at least 1 in 3000 Americans between ages 14 and 55 tear an anterior cruciate ligament .

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    Much Much More Hot And Cold Information

    Heat for Pain and Rehab A detailed guide to using heat as therapy for acute and chronic pain and recovery from injury

    Never Use Ice on Low Back Pain! An important exception to conventional wisdom about icing and heating

    Other closely related topics:

    Neenca Knee Brace With Ice Pack Wrap

    • SIGNIFICANT PAIN RELIEF NEENCA adjustable knee brace with ice packs of hot or cold therap, providing comfortable and effectively pain relief for sprains and strains, ACL, arthritis, sports injuries, muscle aches, bruises, knee surgery and more.
    • 3 REUSABLE GEL PACKS Medical Grade knee support with 3 removable and reusable special gel packs for hot/cold therapy.
    • HOT/COLD THERAPY A cold compress slows blood flow to the injury site, reducing inflammation, swelling, and discomfort.
    • ADJUSTABLE STRAP FOR BEST FIT The knee wraps is secured with a strong fastener system of four adjustable straps.
    • UPGRADED DESIGN AND RISK FREE Overcome the defects of similar products.

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