Skip to main content

What should I use, heat or ice?

What do you do if you are in pain ice or heat? This is a question that I get asked frequently. The number one rule is if you've injured something and it hurts, ice it. When you injure yourself blood rushes to the injured spot to promote healing. When you ice you not only numb the area so you don't feel the pain, but also cause the blood that is pooled there to leave. When you take the ice off fresh blood will come back to the area. The rule of thumb when icing is 15 minutes, or less, if the area becomes numb.

If you are stiff and sore and just are not sure if you should ice or heat, alternate heat and ice three times, end in ice. If your muscles are tight heat is best. Remember that moist heat is better as water is a good conduit. Hot showers, sea salt baths ( the sea salt will help bring out toxins from your body), moist heat packs that you can put in the microwave or even a wet wash cloth heated in the microwave.

When you are injured you should also pay attention to what you eat. Sugar, alcohol, red meat and dairy can all cause inflammation. Your body will heal quicker if you eat a healthy diet. Think whole foods, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, not foods that are processed. Your body will not have to work as hard to break these down and can expend more energy into healing your injury.

In Health Cynthia Karvonen LMP

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Health Benefits of Stretching

Have you done your stretches?” You probably hear this question all the time from your chiropractor. But why is stretching so important to your health? It all has to do with proper alignment in the musculoskeletal system. The Musculoskeletal System Your skeleton is a collection of over 200 bones that give your body its shape and structure. In between adjacent bones you have joints, or articulation, and holding the joints together, are ligaments. These are the main components of the system that gives your body support, protects your vital organs, and allows for the foundation around which movement occurs. The skeletal system is a static structure on its own. However, when you add muscles you create a dynamic, functional musculoskeletal system capable of performing work, maintaining an upright posture, transporting your body from one place to another, and allowing for personal expression using language and gestures. With few exceptions (like the movement of the eye or tongue), a...
Post a Comment
Read more

Watch Out For the Lawnmower

  Summer is when lawnmowers come out weekly.  It is also the time of the year when there are serious accidents to kids because of lawnmowers.  In 2007, according to the Consumer Product safety Commission 210,000  people - 16,200 of the children - were treated in doctors' offices, clinics and emergency rooms for lawnmower-related accidents.  The tragedy is that most of these accidents to children could have been prevented if the adults operating the machines had been more careful or just used common sense procedures.   Many of the new lawnmowers certain safety features, but still won't help if a child runs in front of the mower, or while sitting in front of an adult on a riding mower, falls off and gets his foot caught in the blade.  Here are some safety precautions: - Keep children out of the lawn area while mowing - If a child enters that area TURN off the machine immediately - Learn how to turn off the machine quickly and always leave all ...
1 comment
Read more

Saturday

Doyle Chiropractic will be closed this Saturday, September 19th. We will reopen Monday, September 21st at 8:30AM. Visit the Doyle Chiropractic Clinic website at www.bothellfamilychiropractic.com We serve the communities of Bothell, Woodinville, Kenmore, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, and Lynnwood.
Post a Comment
Read more