What are heat and cold therapy?
Heat therapy means putting something warm on a sore area, such as a warm towel or a heat pack. Cold therapy means a cold pack or a bag of ice wrapped in a cloth.
Both are simple home options. They change how the area feels for a while, but they do not mend the tissue on their own.
Which one should I use?
Warmth suits stiff, tight muscles and aches that have been around for a while. Cold suits a fresh injury that is swollen or very tender, such as a twisted ankle in the first days.
If you are unsure, use the one that feels better and stop if the pain gets worse. For a longer explanation read heat or ice and ankle sprain: the first days.
What cautions matter?
Always put a cloth between the pack and your skin, and check the skin every few minutes. Stop if it turns very red, white, blotchy or painful.
Take extra care if you have diabetes, poor circulation, numb skin or a stroke affecting one side, because you may not feel a burn or a freeze. Do not apply heat to a swollen, hot, red joint.
An everyday example in Ipoh
A father in a terrace house has a stiff lower back each morning. Instead of a very hot pack in the humid weather, his physiotherapist suggests a warm, damp towel before his gentle stretches, because the room is already warm.
After a weekend badminton game with a sore ankle, the family uses a wrapped cold pack for a short spell and keeps the foot raised.
Related terms and our pages
- TENS: electrical pulses through the skin for pain relief.
- Pacing: spreading activity through the day.
See pain management and persistent pain for what to do when home options are not enough.