Hot Cold Therapy Packs
Allot of people get confused about when they should use hot cold therapy packs – most aren’t sure when to use hot therapy and when they should use cold therapy. This is a very common question and we are here to help! Only when you better understand the benefits of each are you able to relieve pain and start recovery.
- It’s usually best to use Cold Therapy packs immediately after an injury to reduce inflammation.
- Try not to use Cold Therapy packs on stiff muscles or joints.
- It’s best to use Hot Therapy packs to relax/sooth sore muscles or to increase range of motion.
- Try not to use Hot Therapy packs on an injury that is already warm to the touch.
Hot Cold Therapy Packs – It’s time for the Cold!
As a general guideline, sudden acute injuries like a sprained ankle, muscle tear, bruise or inflammation should be treated with cold therapy as soon as possible following the injury. Why? When a sudden injury occurs, the surrounding soft tissue often bruises, swells and becomes inflamed. Cold therapy packs helps to reduce these symptoms.
Applying cold packs to these injuries
- Reduces Swelling: Cold therapy packs constricts the blood vessels and reduces blood flow to the injury. The reduced blood flow limits the amount of fluid that pools around the injury, which prevents or minimizes swelling and bruising.
- Relieves Pain: Cold therapy packs helps to numb the nerve endings, which decreases the pain messages sent to the brain.
Continue to use Cold therapy packs for 3-5 days following the injury. Cold packs are also recommended for treating overuse injuries, common in athletes. Apply a cold pack after activity to help control inflammation. Cold packs should not be used before exercise.
Hot Cold Therapy Packs – It’s time for Heat!
Sore, stiff muscles are best treated with Hot Therapy packs because the heat helps to relax and loosen tired muscles. Hot packs can also be used before exercise to improve mobility by loosening muscles and increasing joint elasticity. Our hot packs provide cold relief and the same pack can be heated to provide hot therapeutic relief for arthritis, muscle spasms, menstrual cramps, and more.
After the first 3 to 5 days of cold therapy for an acute injury, experts like The Mayo Clinic recommend alternating hot and cold therapy for effective pain relief and recovery from muscle tears, overuse injuries and chronic joint pain. The expansion (from heat pack therapy) and contraction (from cold pack therapy) acts like a pump. During the hot pack therapy treatment, the blood vessels expand, increasing circulation and the flow of healing oxygen and nutrients to the injury. During the cold pack therapy treatment, the blood vessels constrict, reducing circulation which allows the injured area to soak up the nutrient rich blood before it is pumped on. In summary, hot cold therapy packs work cohesively to help you recovery faster. To easily switch from hot therapy to cold therapy, keep a spare set of Softouch hot cold packs – one to store in the freezer and one to keep at room temperature ready to microwave.
Contact your healthcare provider for serious injuries or if your pain does not improve within 48 hours. Your healthcare provider can also provide answers to questions specific to your situation.
Hot Cold Therapy Packs – Questions?
If you have questions about our Hot And Cold Packs or see something you would like for us to carry please feel free to send an email, sales@hot-cold-pack.com make sure to remember that all of our hot cold therapy packs are RF Sealed and are 100% American Made!
At HOT COLD PACK, We Know Cold Packs!