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Hot/Cold Therapy Use in the Tonawanda Chiropractic Treatment Plan

In office, we have the ability to use a number of therapies to assist your spine in healing. Depending on your symptom, one or more of the following may be recommended:

Cryotherapy (Cold Therapy)

Purpose: Cold therapy stimulates vasoconstriction, the narrowing of blood vessels to slow down blood circulation in an area.

  • Cold therapy alleviates pain and swelling after an injury.
  • It is the preferred therapy for spinal pain within the first 72 hours.
  • Cold reduces the flow of fluid into tissues and slows the chemicals that inflame and cause pain.
  • Cold reduces swelling and bleeding and nerve ending conduction of pain impulses.
  • Deep tissue cooling with ice diminishes muscle spasm by lessening muscle contraction.

Note: If you have circulation issues, can’t feel cold or are allergic to cold, ice may not be the preferred therapy for you and may not be used.

Application: A towel is always put between you and the cold pack. Since inflammation and pain often accompany acute injury in the first 72 hours after an injury, ice only may be applied. Ice decreases swelling and numbs the pain in short spurts like 10 minutes at a time.

Tonawanda chiropractic application of cold therapy

Thermotherapy (Heat Therapy)

Purpose: Heat therapy stimulates vasodilation, the enlarging of blood vessels to bring more blood to an area.

  • Heat is typically sedating because of its ability to reduce the transmission of pain signals and relax tense muscles.
  • Heat opens blood vessels near a painful area, adding oxygen and nutrient flow to the muscles which helps heal damaged tissue.
  • Heat also reduces stiffness and increases flexibility which is very important in a healthy back to assist you in taking back your quality of life.

Application: In office, hot packs may be used on your spine with a towel around them for 10 to 30 minutes.

heat in Tonawanda chiropractic office

 

Cryotherapy/Thermotherapy Combined (Hot/Cold/Hot Therapy)

Purpose: Combining cryotherapy and thermotherapy is generally recommended. This allows stimulation of blood flow by bringing blood into an inflamed and painful area with heat and driving out the blood with an ice pack application.

Application: For nearly all of the patients coming to our office, a 10 minute hot/10 minute cold/10 minute hot routine is used. This routine is recognized as the Hunting’s Effect whereby too long an ice session reflexively forces the blood back into the inflamed area resulting in more pain. Hunting’s Effect is profitable for the body when you may find yourself in danger of severe cold, but not when trying to manage pain and inflammation. Heat eases muscles and joints and cold drives out inflammation. A combination of the two is best.

 
Cryotherapy/Thermotherapy/Electrotherapy Combined

Purpose: Often this hot/cold/hot therapy is applied along with electrical stimulation which is extremely effective for your pain relief. This generates stimulation of blood flow by drawing blood into a swollen and painful area with heat and pushing out the blood with ice pack application and nerve pain sedation with electrotherapy.

Application: Generally each modality with cryotherapy or thermotherapy is 10 minutes each but may vary depending on your condition.

 heat therapy with electrical stimulation
(1) heat with electroptherapy 
 
 electrical stimulation combined with ice
(2) cryotherapy with electrotherapy 
"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."