Heat and Cold Treatments
Using heat and cold over muscles or joints may give you temporary relief of aches, pains and stiffness.
Heat helps to relax muscles that may be aching. There are heating pads, heated pools, hot tubs and hot packs.
Cold packs usually numb the area so you donĚt feel as much discomfort. Methods of cold would be ice, cold packs and packages of frozen vegetables like peas or corn.
Your doctor or physical therapist will instruct you on the type of heat or cold that you should use. It is important to use heat and cold safely so you will not cause injury to you skin. Either treatment should not be used for more than 20 minutes at a time. You should let your skin return to normal temperature before using heat or cold again.
Heat or cold should never be used with any over the counter creams or rubs such as Bengay. This can result in skin burns which may be serious.