Do you feel pain following a sport practice, or a false movement? Do you or your child have a boo-boo, a contusion, a bump? I very often see clients who live with pain from sprains, aches, bruises or even edema for days because they don't know when to use cold or hot. Although both heat and cold help to soothe pain in case of injury or inflammation, care must be taken as to what to use. This is why we talk today in this article about how to help yourself while waiting for an appointment with a health professional.

Warm is recommended in case of muscular contractures, cramps, aches and pains, torticollis, back pain. It also relieves painful periods or stomach aches. Heat acts in different ways, it provides a relaxing effect and it promotes muscle relaxation.

You have several possibilities by using a pocket of gel, or a hot water bottle (with hot water) and leave it on for 15 to 30 minutes. Be careful not to burn yourself with a hot compress. You can also find in pharmacies heating patches to be stuck on the skin that diffuse heat for 4 to 8 hours, which is also practical to keep freedom of movement.

But attention heat is on the other hand contraindicated in case of venous insufficiency, skin disease or inflammation. Coming to the cold now which is recommended in case of inflammation, sprain, strain, contusion or bruising, muscle tear and osteoarthritis. Applying cold will reduce cell activity and blood circulation (at the applied site), which will reduce pain and reduce the risk of internal bleeding (bruising).

It can cause temporary stiffness, a kind of safe anaesthesia, which also explains the reduction in pain. Cold should be applied for about 10 minutes several times a day, after which the wound will warm up again and you will need to apply cold again.

The use of ice or heat is a simple and effective form of treatment in most cases, however, it can become harmful in some cases. It is recommended that you never apply ice or heat when you have severe circulatory problems, a significant decrease in sensitivity, or when you are taking medication affecting the state of consciousness or a Malignant Tumour.

After two days if the pain persists, it is advisable to consult a therapist or doctor.