How To Use Ice & Heat For Pain In Eden Prairie, MN

Self-care should always be the first line of defense in Eden Prairie, MN, for minor injuries that cause pain. Some techniques can prevent pain before it occurs or minimize it if it does. Methods that numb the area, reduce or prevent muscle swelling, and increase circulation help overstressed muscles and bring pain relief. Using ice packs and heat are ways to reduce swelling and inflammation, as they boost circulation to speed healing.

Apply ice when the injury first occurs.

If you have a sprained ankle, pulled back muscle, or knee injury, start by applying ice to reduce swelling from inflammation. Swollen areas create pain. The cold temperature can also numb the area to minimize the pain. Some people use special ice bandages you keep in the freezer. Others find a bag of frozen corn or other frozen vegetables work just as well. You can do this on the first day or two. Do twenty-minute intervals. If it continues longer or is overwhelming pain, seek the help of a professional.

Heat relaxes the muscles and reduces tension.

Using warm, moist heat also increases circulation. You can use a heating pad, a towel dipped in hot water, or a damp cloth warmed in a microwave. Hot baths and showers are also good for pain relief. Twenty-minute sessions three times daily can help relax the muscles and bring relief. You can combine the two with 15 to 20-minute sessions. It doesn’t matter which you use first but alternate between the two. Use one, and then wait two hours and do the other.

Seek the help of a professional if you’re experiencing problems regularly.

If your spine is out of alignment, it affects all body parts. It causes joint issues, pulled muscles, strains, and sprains. It tugs on the fascia—the connective tissue, the ligaments, muscles, and joints to create pain from minor injuries. If you’re experiencing chronic injuries, the problem isn’t that you’re clumsy. The constant injuries may occur due to misalignment and the body’s inability to function at its best.

• It takes a few adjustments to get complete relief from pain. Using ice during the day and heat before sleeping diminishes the problem until the body heals completely.
• Chiropractic treatment can help reduce the potential for permanent damage if a minor injury is left untreated, especially if the muscle injury occurred because of misalignment.
• Always focus on self-care and using the least invasive treatment first. Realigning the spine allows messages to flow freely to the body so it can heal itself.
• Exercise and alignment can correct problems and prevent them from reoccurring. Self-care and chiropractic treatment may not seem like it’s immediate since the pain reduces slowly as the body is realigned and is healing itself, but it takes longer to recover from surgery.

For more information, contact Zen Chiropractic!