Have you heard of the acronym R.I.C.E? It stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. It’s commonly given advice in the sports injury world. But you may have also heard about the benefits of heat therapy.

So, what is heat and ice therapy? And how do you know when to use heat and when to use ice?

The guide below will help you decide between heat and ice therapy so that you can get back to feeling better and moving comfortably.

Heat Therapy

You can use heat therapy to increase blood flow and reduce pain through muscles, joints, and tendons in the body. Heat therapy can also improve range of motion – meaning it is easier to move parts of the body even after an injury. Many people prefer to use heat therapy because it’s more comfortable than cold therapy, especially in cold weather.

Heating pads are one of the most effective ways to deliver heat therapy. They are affordable, easy to use and reuse, and you can find them at most drug stores. You may also use hot water bottles or warm towels if you prefer wet heat therapy over dry.You can use heat therapy for minor injuries, sore muscles, cramping, and aches. 

Ice Therapy

Ice therapy can be used to reduce swelling or inflammation. The best time to use ice therapy is directly following an injury. You can use ice therapy for muscles, joints, and tendons. 

Ice therapy works by narrowing the blood vessels and reducing pain and swelling. You can use an ice pack, bag of ice, or a bag of frozen vegetables to ice an injury. Do not apply ice or ice pack directly to the skin. Instead, wrap it in a towel to provide a barrier between your skin and the ice.

Apply ice for 10 to 15 minutes at a time. You can continue to apply ice throughout the day. If the swelling does not improve, consult a medical professional. 

Try Heat and Ice Therapy

Whether you’ve suffered an injury or you experience chronic pain, heat and ice therapy could be right for you. These easy forms of therapy can be completed at home with minimal effort and maximum results.

If you are still struggling with pain and want to seek professional care, contact us. At Amazing Life Chiropractic we help people of all ages recover from injury, improve range of motion, and live better lives.

Did you know that per 1,000 adults in the United States, there are up to 20 cases of herniated discs every year? Herniated discs are extremely common and can be quite painful. 

But just because they’re common doesn’t mean they always have normal causes. 

Read on to learn five unexpected ways that you could herniate a disc and end up with back pain.

1. Grocery Shopping

Everyone goes grocery shopping, and it’s a fairly safe errand. Still, you can herniate a disc while doing it. How?

Common causes of herniated discs are lifting heavy items the wrong way and deterioration from frequent lifting. 

When shopping, it’s not usual for people to try to lift heavy items, especially when you only want to make one trip out to the car when bringing your groceries in. You also do a lot of bending and lifting when picking up and setting down grocery bags and items.

2. Shaving Your Legs

If you shave your legs by bending down, it’s time to change that routine. Bending in half to shave your legs in the shower puts a lot of strain on the part of your back most susceptible to herniated discs – your lumbar. 

Worse yet, showers are slippery. If you fall while shaving in that position, one of your resulting injuries will likely be a herniated disc. 

3. Sneezing

As you probably know, sneezing causes an uncontrollable and forceful reaction. This reaction causes you to hunch over in a way that can actually herniate a disc. 

While this cause is rare, it’s a result of discs that are already degenerated and in poor condition due to other causes, including bad posture, being overweight, heavy lifting, and so on. 

Herniated disc symptoms also include back pain when you sneeze. If you experience this, you should see a doctor.

4. Office Work

Office workers and other individuals who work at a computer for long periods throughout the day without getting up or stretching are also at risk for disc herniation. 

Looking at a computer all day causes you to bend your neck in a way that can result in tech neck. Symptoms of tech neck include neck pain, bad posture, and herniated discs. 

You can also get tech neck from looking at your phone screen too often.

5. Exercising

Exercising is good for your health and can even help strengthen your back muscles to prevent injury.

At the same time, the wrong type of exercise can do more damage. This is because your discs absorb the shock your back experiences when exercising. Very intense workouts that put a lot of strain on your back can wear down your discs. 

To prevent this, avoid overly high-impact back exercises and those that put pressure on your lumbar in particular. 

Avoid These Herniated Disc Causes

Herniated disc causes aren’t always what you would expect. Your discs can wear down over time from everyday activities until one day you’re surprised by an injury. 

While you can’t stop exercising, shaving, working, sneezing, or grocery shopping, you can work to limit your disc deterioration and risk of disc herniation. 

If you’re interested in how to maintain a healthier spine, check out our services today.

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