Arthritis Pain Relief – Hot vs. Cold Treatment

Choosing whether to use heat therapy or cold therapy to reduce joint stiffness and arthritis pain depends on the type of arthritis and the type of pain you have. Different people have different levels of pain tolerance so it’s always advisable to discuss a treatment program with your doctor.

When to use Ice Treatment

In general, ice is ideal for soft tissue injuries such as bruises, sprains, or acute trauma. Cold numbs the sore area and significantly reduces swelling and discomfort.

When to use Heat Treatment

Heat increases blood flow and improves range of motion for joints. For arthritis pain, doctors and therapists recommend heat more than cold because it relaxes tendons and ligaments to increase flexibility and decrease pain.

The debate over whether to use cold or heat stems from the fact that both cold and heat can help to reduce inflammation for chronic conditions like arthritis.

For most people, using cold or heat may come down to what feels better.

Common cold therapy products

Frozen gel cold packs: These ice packs are kept in the freezer and can be used anytime when you have pain. The ice pack should be wrapped with a dry towel before applying it to the skin.

Biofreeze: This is a topical pain reliever used for temporary relief of arthritis and tendonitis. It comes as a roll-on, spray, or gel pump.

Common heat therapy products

Infrared heat: Deep penetrating heat can reduce arthritis pain. The Chiondo heating belt is ideal because it can be used on the upper back, lower back, shoulders, thighs, and joints.

Spa or hot tub: Portable compact spa’s or sauna’s are easy to assemble and can be moved around easily. Of course, if money is no object,  installing a permanent spa in your home will give you the ultimate spa experience.

Paraffin bath: Placing your hands, feet or elbows in melted paraffin wax can help with pain relief.

Arthritis gloves: These gloves provide mild compression and warmth for your hands and can be worn all day. The gloves have open fingertips to allow your hands to be functional.

Infrared Heat Therapy for Back Pain

Infrared is electromagnetic radiation that has longer rays than visible light but shorter rays than a microwave. For centuries, heat therapy has been used to alleviate muscle pain. Using thermal heat in the form of infrared light to reduce back pain is gaining popularity. The products that use infrared heat are easily available and quite affordable.

The Chiondo heating pad is ideal for someone that sits at a desk for most of the day or for someone that spends a lot of time driving. It can be worn around the waist, or on the shoulder and chest to give your arms free mobility. The infrared heat from the pad warms the muscles to relax and relieve tension. The advantage of using this pad is that it heats your body without heating the air around it. This type of heat therapy increases circulation and helps to remove toxins from the body.

Another product that provides infrared heat therapy is the portable infrared sauna. Only the interior of the sauna stays warm so the air around you will not be warm. These portable sauna’s come in models that seat one, two, or three people and are easy to assemble and they use about the same amount of electricity as a hair dryer.

Moist heat therapy has been proven to be effective at penetrating deep into muscles and soft tissue than dry heat therapy. Infrared heat increases circulation and removes toxins from the body.

While back pain is usually the result of sore muscles, over worked or an improperly used back, often the pain is caused by a serious injury or medical condition. It is always advisable to consult with a doctor before starting any type of back therapy. A doctor will determine the cause of the problem and be able to recommend a course of therapy.

Relieve Pain & Stay Healthy with the Chiondo Heating Pad

It’s now possible to find relief from joint and muscle discomfort and even chronic pain without drugs, electrical stimulation, physical manipulation, ultrasound or cortisone injections.

Although this breakthrough is still new to western science, eastern practitioners have been using it’s healing power for 3000 years. This healing power is Far Infrared Radiation or FIR

Clara Leedom

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