A famous Buddhist proverb goes as ‘Pain is inevitable but suffering is optional’. It does make complete sense, and more so when we consider it in terms of physical injury. While you cannot always protect yourself from injuries and pain, you can make efforts to minimize the suffering caused by acute injuries. This is where hot and cold packs come into the picture. In this article, we reveal to you the utility of cold and hot packs for injury recovery.
Treating pain with hot packs
Heat therapy is an effective remedy to treat various kinds of injuries that cause chronic pains and discomfort. If you are suffering from any kind of muscle spasm, back ache, arthritic pain, cramps, etc. you can use hot packs to get relief from your suffering. Hot packs are an easy and convenient means of applying heat therapy to the impacted area. By raising the temperature of the injured area, a hot pack helps to widen the blood vessels and enhance the blood flow to the area. This stimulation of blood circulation helps in healing the injured tissues.
Treating pain with cold packs
When you are suffering from injuries that cause swelling and inflammation, cold therapy is the best option to get significant relief from your distress. Known as cryotherapy, cold therapy helps to limit the blood flow to the injured area by contracting the blood vessels. This causes temporary lessening of nerve activity, which reduces pain and brings relief. Cold packs are a great means to apply cold therapy to the affected area. For sudden acute injuries like sprained ankle or muscle tear, a cold pack comes across as a great remedy for injury recovery and pain relief.
Precautions while using hot and cold packs
Hot and cold therapies are effective remedies for varied kinds of pains. But before you buy hot pack for pain relief or cold pack for your injury, be aware of the following precautions:
- Do not use the hot or cold pack over any part of your skin that is in poor condition
- Avoid using the hot or cold pack over skin areas where the sensation towards heat or cold is low
- Hot or cold packs are not to be applied over body areas where the blood circulation is poor
- Evade using hot or cold packs in any skin area that has infection
