Are you looking for a reply on “should I use heat or ice for lower back pain?” If yes, keep reading this article, and you will get it in a few minutes!
If you’re suffering from lower back pain, you’ve probably heard a lot of advice from family and friends. Some people will tell you to ice it, while others will tell you to heat it. The answer to which is best is often dependent on the type of pain you’re experiencing and who you ask.
In a 2015 poll of 327 physical therapists (PTs), the percentage of those who used heat or ice for pain ranged from 47.7% to 66.8%. Whether the PTs were treating the patient’s musculoskeletal discomfort in an inpatient or outpatient environment, the range varied. Despite this, there is a tiny body of data that these treatments are effective.
Treatment for acute back pain caused by an injury, muscle strain, or overexertion was also requested of the therapists. While there is no general consensus, doctors agree that cold therapy should be used for the first day or so after an injury. After the edema and discomfort have reduced, switching to heat therapy may be therapeutic.
Ice or Heat for Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain is a relatively common complaint. It’s highly likely that you’ll come across it at some point in your life. While lower back pain might be annoying in everyday life, conservative treatment is typically enough to relieve it. Hot and cold therapy are two of these treatments. These options are not only convenient but are also cost-effective.
If you’re experiencing lower back pain, you might be wondering which is the better alternative. According to the physician, it depends on the severity and timing of your back discomfort. To learn more, continue reading.
How do cold and heat therapy relieve back pain?
These treatments rely on the physiology of your body’s natural healing mechanisms. After an acute injury, your body’s emergency repair cells rush to the injured tissue to stop bleeding, prevent infection and begin re-growing cells to replace the ones that have been damaged.
When can cold relieve inflammation-induced back pain?
Inflammation and swelling are the body’s natural responses to injury, but once the threat has been neutralized and healing has begun, inflammation and swelling can actually aggravate pain.
By blunting the inflammatory response, ice can reduce swelling and relax nerves near the injury site in some cases. Once the edema has decreased, switching to heat therapy is likely to be more useful.
Start with cold therapy for acute back pain
If your back pain has been with you for less than four weeks, cold therapy is likely your best option. Lowering the temperature can constrict blood vessels while reducing edema and information. A numbing sensation will be left behind, which should bring some comfort.
Once you’ve noticed a reduction in inflammation, switch to heat therapy. Heat can help with muscle mobility, flexibility, and overall performance. It will make you feel better by supplying nutrition to the tissues that are harmed.
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When is it appropriate to use heat to relieve back pain?
Heat treatment has physiological effects such as temporary pain alleviation, increased blood flow and metabolism, and improved connective tissue elasticity.
It is good to use heat to stretch soft tissues surrounding the spine and relieve stiffness. A healthy back necessitates a high level of flexibility.
As a result, if you have back pain after exercising, heat therapy before exercising and ice afterward may be beneficial. Heat relieves muscle stiffness, promotes flexibility, and warms up the muscles before use, while ice reduces inflammation.
In any case, remember that pain relief from heat or cold is most likely only temporary and not intended to be a long-term remedy. The researchers found in a 2010 study comparing heat and cold therapy for acute back pain that the choice of heat or cold therapy should be dependent on the preferences and availability of the patient and practitioner.
Is it effective to treat chronic back pain with heat or cold therapy?
Depending on what is causing the nerve irritation, heat or cold therapy may provide pain relief for persistent back pain caused by nerve irritation in the spine or where the nerve exits the spine.
Cold therapy, together with rest and avoiding the positions or activities that produced the muscular inflammation in the first place, can assist if the pain is caused by a muscle or tendon injury. In many circumstances, merely administering cold to the muscle will aid in its recovery and provide long-term relief.
If the pain is caused by a herniated or bulging disc, a narrowing of the canal in the vertebra, bone spurs, or any of several other causes of nerve irritation and back pain, heat or cold therapy will only provide temporary relief.
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