Hot & Cold Therapy Packs

Dynamic Chiropractic offers a variety of professional, long-lasting hot and cold packs that are used to reduce pain and swelling. These packs help relieve muscle pain and swelling. They are far more effective than other hot or cold solutions, and are convenient to use at any time.

These packs have their own fabric covering, so they can be placed directly on the skin from either the freezer or microwave. They also only retain cold or heat for the recommended period of time, so you reduce the risk of over-cooling or over-heating your tissues by using ice bags or heat from other sources.

Dr. Stein will explain when to use cold therapy and when to use heat; each therapy is used for different types of aches and pains, and during different times in the healing process.

Cold or hot therapies manipulate the body into healing more rapidly. Both are very popular because they are easy to self-administer at home.

Many people prefer warm over cold therapy. If used incorrectly or applied during the wrong part of your treatment, you may stall, halt, or even reverse the healing process.

These therapies vary greatly in purpose, result, and application. Dr. Stein will coach you on their use.

Finally, any patient who has questions about using hot or cold therapy at home should feel free to contact our office.

Cold therapy (sometimes referred to as cryotherapy) is the application of cold compresses to reduce the temperature of soft tissues directly below the surface of the skin. We’ve all seen athletes applying ice or cold compresses immediately following an injury. Because this topical cooling slows blood flow to the area, pain and swelling are immediately reduced.

When applied correctly, cold therapy does not harm your tissues, but instead has many positive effects:
1. Slows blood flow to the area, because the cold causes blood vessels below the surface to contract, actually pushing blood away from the area.
2. Toxins caused by the injury are carried away in the blood.
3. Relieves pain.
4. Reduces inflammation.
5. Reduces muscle spasms.
6. Relaxes muscles.
When you remove the cold, new blood rushes into the area, bringing with it fresh oxygen and nutrients that speed healing.

It’s called cold therapy because cold is applied repeatedly, but only briefly each time. Instead of a single lengthy application, you apply cold to the area for 20 minutes, then remove it for 20 minutes, then apply it again and so on. Dr. Stein will work with you to determine a schedule that’s just right for you, one that will match your individual needs and achieve the desired effect. He will coach you so you can easily apply the therapy yourself.

Need gel packs? Dr. Stein sells professional gel packs that include a permanent cover; this important safety feature protects your skin. Besides cooling quickly in your freezer, these gel packs retain the appropriate level of cold for the appropriate length of time. Conversely, real ice can cause over-cooling and actual skin injury. As a precaution, when using actual ice, besides using a plastic bag be sure to buffer the cold with a fabric cover such as a handkerchief or worn-out t-shirt.

Just as it sounds, heat therapy is the application of heat—specifically moist heat—to raise the temperature of soft tissues directly below the surface of the skin.
When you apply moist heat to the surface of the skin, you can expect many positive effects:
1. Enhances blood flow to the area, because the heat causes blood vessels below the surface to expand.
2. Boosts oxygen and nutrient levels and removes cell waste.
3. Relieves pain temporarily.
4. Reduces joint stiffness.
5. Relaxes muscle tension and spasms.
6. Relaxes tissues.
7. Increases range of motion.
8. Increases flexibility.
9. Promotes increased circulation to speed healing.
10. Prepares tissues for rehabilitation.

In addition, using heat therapy to increase blood circulation and relax muscles is often helpful immediately before or after exercising, chiropractic treatments, and other treatments.

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In general, before reaching for the heating pad try reaching for the cold pack. Never use heat therapy during the first 48-72 hours after an injury. It is imperative to reduce any inflammation and swelling in the area before applying heat, as heat will aggravate any already occurring inflammation. Heat therapy is appropriate only after the inflammation has subsided.