HOT AND COLD THERAPY FOR ARTHRITIS JOINT PAIN

1
HOT AND COLD THERAPY FOR ARTHRITIS JOINT PAIN
2

• How does Hot Cold Therapy Alleviate Arthritis
  Pain?

3

• Hot Cold Therapy  works by stimulating the bodys
  healing process. For example, the blood vessels
  dilate with heat therapy. It even decreases
  muscle spasm and stimulates blood circulation.
• You may use moist heat like heated cloths or warm
  baths or dry heat, such as heat lamps or heating
  pads, to relieve arthritis pain.
• On the other hand, cold compress helps in
  reducing inflammation by constricting the blood
  vessels. Although you may feel a bit
  uncomfortable using cold packs, these are helpful
  in numbing deep pain.
• What Temperature is Right for Using Heat Therapy?
• When you use dry or moist heat therapy, you need
  to ensure that the temperature is not too hot to
  burn your skin. You need to find a tolerable
  temperature for yourself when using the heated
  pad, hot water bottle, hot bath or spa therapy.
  You can apply heat for around 15 minutes before
  beginning exercise.
• Types of Hot Therapy to Relieve Arthritis Pain-

4

• You can pick any of the following types of hot
  therapy for relieving arthritis pain
• Heated swimming pool
• Disposable heat belts or patches
• Hot packs (warmed in a microwave)
• Warm bath
• Moist heating pad
• Warm shower
• A therapeutic mixture of mineral oil and paraffin
• Hot tub
• Warm cloth or moist towel

5

• You can sit on a stool with rubber tips to safely
  use hot therapy on the affected area. The
  continuous heat flow on the arthritic joint site
  can help keep pain minimal while allowing easier
  movement.
• Most people also get relief from stiffness and
  pain with hot spas or baths. The moist heat
  therapy improves muscle relaxation while boosting
  blood supply to the pain site. It also relieves
  spasms and rigidity in your muscles. However, you
  need to avoid spas and hot tubs if you have heart
  disease, high blood pressure or if youre
  pregnant.
• Is Cold Therapy Helpful in Relieving Arthritis
  Pain?
• Yes, of course. Cold therapy using cold packs
  helps numb the swollen or sore area. It also
  helps reduce swelling and inflammation. You can
  use ice packs to alleviate joint pain due to an
  arthritis flare. Even using a local spray like
  fluoromethane is recommended for painful areas or
  back pain before/after exercise. A spray provides
  superficial cooling for decreasing muscle spasm
  while elevating the pain threshold. You can even
  use instant cold packs made from a frozen pack of
  vegetables.

6

• Some patients find cold therapy more helpful than
  moist heat therapy, whereas others prefer
  alternate sessions of Hot Cold Therapy. You can
  experiment with hot and cold therapy and pick the
  method that provides you relief with minimal
  trouble.
• How Often to Use Hot or Cold Therapy for
  Alleviating Arthritis Pain?
• You can use hot and cold therapy twice a day for
  quick relief from stiffness and pain. On the
  other hand, use ice pack massages for 5 to 10
  minutes on the painful area. The cold therapy
  must be used within 48 hours of your pain onset
  to get relief. And, the heat therapy must not be
  used for pain that remains longer than 48 hours.

7

• Conclusion
• Using hot and cold therapy is known to be quite
  helpful in relieving arthritis pain. But before
  using hot-cold therapy, your skin must be dry and
  there should not be any soreness and cuts on the
  affected area. If theres visible skin damage,
  avoid using cold or heat therapy. If you cannot
  figure out what to do, consult a doctor to be on
  the safer side.
• Article Resource-https//axizz.com/hot-and-cold-t
  herapy/