This is Day 5 The 30 Day Neck Pain, Back Pain and Sciatica Relief Challenge! Today we will discuss ice vs heat. Until recently everyone believed heat was best for neck pain, pain relief, and sciatica. In fact, heat was the best strategy for almost all pain relief…was!
For as long as I can remember, which is a long time (but not as long as my kids think it is!), people have been telling me to use heat for relief and treatment of my neck pain, back pain and sciatica.
Interestingly, this even includes medical pratitioners…including physical therapists and orthopedic surgeons. However, the most recent research seems to indicate that ice, and not heat, is the best neck pain, back pain, and/or sciatica relief strategy, both short term and long term.
There are a number of reasons for the change in thinking among much of the medical community, particularly those associated with orthopedic medicine and rehabilitation, but also pain management specialists.
Interestingly, many of the reasons why ice is such an effective neck pain, back pain, and sciatica relief strategy should have been apparent all along!
1) Ice reduces swelling and inflammation. Swelling and inflammation can cause pressure on the nerve roots, and spinal and sciatic nerves generally, intensifying the level of pain. Consequently, more swelling and inflammation leads to acute, and often chronic, neck pain, back pain, and/or sciatica.
2) Ice acts as a vasoconstrictor at first, meaning it restricts blood flow to the injured area.
3) While ice initially reduces the tissue temperature surrounding the affected, after approximately 20 minutes ice actually begins to enhance blood flow, increasing the temperature of the neck or back being treated.
4) Ice even accelerates the healing process in addition to alleviating and eliminating neck pian, back pain, and scitiaca.
5) Ice alleviates and/or eliminates discomfort and the muscle spasms often associated with neck pain, back pain, and sciatica.
6) Ice may also reduce or eliminate the chane of blood clots being formed and tissue damage.
7) Ice may also increase nutrient flow to the affected area. Interestingly, the associated blood flow will also help the body rid itself of waste in and around the injured site.
Ice and the associated blood flow, both tissue and arterial, have also been shown to enhance bone metabolism, thus improving the rate of healing in and around the affected, particularly in and around affected joints (e.g., sacroiliac).
9) Ice may also reduce neck pain, back pain, and/or sciatica in individuals just beginning to exercise. Ice may be appropriate during gentle, range of motion exercises early in the rehabilitation process.
Overall, ice is the ultimate neck, back, and sciatic nerve pain treatment and relief strategy. Ice has long been thought of as a first step in an overall treatment strategy leading to heat as the second and final step, and that it was thought heat would enhance healing, while ice would not. Most of the medical community now realizes that this is not the case, ice is an effective immediate and a long term neck pain, back pain, and sciatica treatment and relief strategy.
The application of ice can take many forms but the overall strategy can be implemented by using the well-known mnemonic….R.I.C.E…rest, ice, compress, and elevate the area above the heart (when appropriate). Ultimately, an ice-compression brace works best because you can slip it on and go about your daily activities if you need to…or you can sit back in your recliner, as I have demonstrated in a previous video, and wait for the neck pain, back pain, and/or sciatica relief to begin.
As an overall pain relief strategy, you simply can’t beat ice!
John
Professor John P. J. Zajaros, Sr., The Bad Back Guy
216-712-6526
Skype: johnzajaros1
johnz@ultimatebadbackstrategies.com
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