Heat or Ice? Which is Best for Back and Neck Pain?

Is it better to use heat or ice for an injury or condition like back strain?

Both heat and ice have their place when it comes to pain relief and treating an injury, and determining which one to use may depend on what type of injury you have along with your personal preference and prior success with a particular method. Heat is often recommended to alleviate muscle spasms, while ice is generally suggested for back injuries as a way to keep a check on inflammation.

Ice works by narrowing the space inside your blood vessels, which in turn limits blood flow and decreases the metabolic requirements of your body’s soft tissues. It also reduces the level of your body’s naturally-occurring chemicals that are a response to inflammation but need to be kept under control to avoid excessive formation of scar tissue at the site of your back or neck injury or source of pain. Ice also acts as a natural anesthetic to help reduce the sensation of pain.

As a temporary fix to back or neck strain, take aspirin or ibuprofen and ice the area as needed for the two or three days of when inflammation of the area is most likely to occur. After that, ice as needed. Ice therapy is often referenced by the acronym RICE, which stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.

For individuals who suffer from short-term lower back pain such as a back strain from over-exertion or jarring of the body, many feel that heat, such as a heat wrap, can help to improve function and reduce pain. Exercise combined with heat wrap compresses may help alleviate symptoms until the back feels better. Others may utilize chiropractors for an adjustment and to help re-align the spine.

Before choosing either heat or ice as a short-term solution to back or neck pain, we recommend that you always speak first to your family physician to help determine a course of action that is best for you and based on your medical history.

For a more permanent solution to chronic back or neck pain, consider talking to us at The Minimally Invasive Spine Institute and finding out how a minimally invasive back or neck surgery could potentially help you to return to a pain-free lifestyle!

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