when you pull a muscle in your back do you put hot or cold on it?
Question:
Answers:
I do both. Doctors recommend both. Lately I tend to put cold on it. I LOVE the Colpac brand which you can get on eBay for cheap. They are very soft and flexible, even right out of the freezer so that it will bend with your back, etc., and it's not too cold.
Other Answers:
Ice first, then heat.
alternate heat for 20 minutes, then nothing for 20 minutes, then ice for 20 minutes.
This is the medical advice I've always gotten from doctors.
You pretty much have to lay on your back on the ice or heating pad. Have someone position the ice/heat in the spot of your pain.
When you pull a muscle, you put ice on it for the first 48 hours (20 minutes at a time several times a day). When the swelling goes down, you can put heat on.
You put a heating pad on it.
bath tub full of Ice
Hot......... this helps ur back muscles to relax
In general, after a pulled muscle, joint sprain, or traumatic tendonitis, when swelling is noted, a good rule of thumb is to use cold therapy for the first 48-72 hours (acute period), or until after swelling and pain have peaked. Thereafter, heat therapy may be more advisable, as one enters the subacute phase (3-7 days), or for prolonged symptoms lasting beyond a week.
That one variers from person to person. You see heat will cause the musles to relax and strech out, alowing better blood flow. While the cold may reduce the swelling of the musles, it may also cause cramps if you go from one to the other to fast. try the heat then wait for about five to ten and try the ice.
ice will constrict the blood vessels and relieve pain momentarily (usually effective when awaiting medicine to kick in). Apply heat when you want to loosen the muscle, hopefully to allow it to heal. Usually when a muscle is pulled it is torn and requires minimal usage and rest to allow the tear to heal. There are many different types of back injuries that have similar symptoms so be careful what you do to relieve pain until you know for sure exactly how the muscle was damaged. Good luck and hope everything heals properly.
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