If you have ever been injured during exercising, you have heard about cold therapy and heat therapy. Debates have been occurring for many years about which method is better, and while there is no clear-cut winner, cold therapy does have benefits that make it worth using. In particular, cold shows blood flow, and it helps you see the damage you have done to yourself.
One of the issues people have is understanding what therapy you should use when you have specific injuries. With these tips, you won’t have to wonder.
Click here to see the top benefits of using cold therapy after exercise vs. heat therapy!
What Cold Therapy Can Offer
Cold therapy will show the blood flow to allow damage assessment, but that is not the only thing it can do. While heat boosts the flow of blood and promotes the nutrients to the injured area, cold therapy offers a reduction in swelling. It will also help with the pain, inflammation and it is the best option for short-term pain and injuries while providing the chance to ensure that you don’t injure yourself further. If you injure yourself, further cold or heat therapy might not help. This is why you need to ensure that you are careful and thoughtful about what you will use.
Cold Therapy And Polar Care Kodiak
Polar Care Kodiak understands that cold therapy will help long-term issues. Cold treatment has been shown to support long-term conditions such as the following.
- Neck pain
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Back pain
- Osteoarthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Muscle aches
- Knee pain
In the short term, it can help spasming, tender joints, or swollen joints, and it can help with finger pain and pain in your hands and wrists. Be sure that you are only doing this for fifteen minutes at a time because if you go longer, you can cause permanent damage to your body. If you notice that your skin is purple or dark red, or has a spotty red and white color once you have taken the cold compress off, call your doctor immediately as it is a dangerous sign that you have hurt yourself. If you notice swelling, blisters, or hives after removing the compress, that is another sign to call your doctor immediately.
Cold Vs. HeatHeat is a valuable tactic for helping muscle aches and other areas that cold can help as well because it increases relaxation and loosening of the muscles. However, you can also use heat to avoid causing sores and irritation, and pain. The danger of using heat, however, is that you need to be careful not to damage your skin. Just like the cold can damage your skin, the heat can cause burns, blisters, cracking of the skin, and other issues. As they can be detrimental to your health, you need to make sure that you are never leaving the heat on for longer than fifteen minutes at a time and never back to back. That same tip works with cold therapy as well. Each treatment has its unique benefits, and the cold treatment will be able to offer you a reduction in pain and the underlying causes and inflammation and swelling. Using these tips, you will understand what is best for you to use for yourself!