For acute injuries, follow the 6-week rule:
| Ice | Heat |
|---|---|
| 0 weeks | 6 weeks + |
| Ice constricts your blood vessels, which relieves pain, inflammation and bruising. | Heat increases blood flow, which relieves tight muscles and aching joints. If you use heat for an injury less than 6 weeks, it increases inflammation and possibly delays healing. |
Chronic pain? Intense injury? Look into these solutions:
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Arthritis Worn cartilage in joints (knee, shoulder, fingers, etc.) | Heat helps relax tight muscles |
| Inflammatory arthritis Chronic arthritis (ankle, wrist, elbow, heel, etc.) | Ice calms flare-ups and numbs pain |
| Headache Pain from nerves or blood vessels in the head | Ice numbs head pain |
| Neck tension headache Pain in lower neck muscles/back of the head | Heat helps relax neck spasm |
| Strain or sprain Pulled muscles, injured tendons or torn ligaments (thigh, back, etc.) | Ice eases inflammation + Heat eases stiffness after inflammation |
| Tendinitis Irritation of a tendon from overuse or infection | Ice eases inflammation |
| Tendinosis Pain from nerves or blood vessels in the head | Heat eases stiffness |
