Should I use heat or ice?

Written by:

Philippe Paradis

Scientifically reviewed by:

Claudine Farah

Download the article in PDF

You're in pain and wondering what to apply: ice or heat? This question comes up all the time, and for good reason—the answers you find are often contradictory. Maybe you've heard that you should always put ice on an injury, then read somewhere else that this is bad advice. This confusion is normal.

Good news: The answer depends on your situation, and both options are generally safe.¹ Neither heat nor cold has a miraculous effect on healing, but they can help temporarily relieve pain. What science teaches us about hot and cold:

Neither significantly speeds up healing; their effect is mainly on comfort.
Heat is often preferred for muscle tension and stiffness.
Ice can slow down healing if used excessively on an acute injury.
Your personal preference matters, trust what brings you relief.

This guide helps you choose between hot and cold depending on your situation. To understand how to manage acute injuries, check out our article on PEACE and LOVE.

There is no universal correct answer.

Several factors must be considered. First, whether cold or heat, neither option will have a miraculous effect on pain. Scientifically speaking, there is no solid evidence that either is particularly important for healing an injury.

Muscle Pain

For muscle pain, For conditions such as stiff neck or muscle spasms, people often report that heat has a relaxing effect and can temporarily reduce pain. At this point, a heat pack wrapped in a towel can be applied to the painful area for 15-20 minutes.

Acute pain

For more acute pain When you've just had an injury, such as a sprained ankle, you tend to think of ice as a way to relieve the pain. However, science has now concluded that ice may have little effect in such cases. negative on healing. So perhaps it should be avoided. However, studies on this subject are still too inconclusive to draw any clear conclusions. There is no scientific evidence that ice is effective in promoting healing. So, for the ice cream It is best to use it only if the pain prevents us from sleeping or if we are unable to control the pain with rest. If we use it, the ideal solution is crushed ice in a plastic bag. Never apply an ice pack or cold pack directly to the skin, as this can cause burns. Apply for 15 to 30 minutes.

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In short, here are three important conclusions to remember:

Neither heat nor ice plays an important role in healing an injury.
If you absolutely want to use one of the two, you can test between hot and cold to see what feels best and go with that.
In the case of an acute injury such as an ankle sprain, it is better to control the pain with rest than ice, but if you can't or you don't sleep well, ice can be a tool.

Sources

Doherty C, Bleakley C, Delahunt E, Holden S. Treatment and prevention of acute and recurrent ankle sprain: an overview of systematic reviews with meta-analysis. British journal of sports medicine. 2017 Jan 1;51(2):113-25.
Vuurberg G, Hoorntje A, Wink LM, Van Der Doelen BF, Van Den Bekerom MP, Dekker R, Van Dijk CN, Krips R, Loogman MC, Ridderikhof ML, Smithuis FF. Diagnosis, treatment and prevention of ankle sprains: update of an evidence-based clinical guideline. British journal of sports medicine. 2018 Aug 1;52(15):956-
Singh DP, Barani Lonbani Z, Woodruff MA, Parker TJ, Steck R, Peake JM. Effects of topical icing on inflammation, angiogenesis, revascularization, and myofiber regeneration in skeletal muscle following contusion injury. Frontiers in physiology. 2017 Mar 7;8:93
Duchesne E, Dufresne SS, Dumont NA. Impact of inflammation and anti-inflammatory modalities on skeletal muscle healing: from fundamental research to the clinic. Physical therapy. 2017 Aug 1;97(8):807-17.
Dubois B, Esculier JF. Soft-tissue injuries simply need PEACE and LOVE.

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