How do Heat and Ice Therapy Work?

 Chiropractic care offers an option when you prefer a holistic approach to healthcare. When it comes to sore muscles and strains and sprains, hot and cold therapy is a way to provide treatment without having to resort to medication. Dr. Jay McClanahan of Dr. J Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Nitro, WV provides chiropractic treatments including cryotherapy to residents in Nitro, Cross Lanes, Charleston, St. Albans, and Teays Valley, WV. 

What is cryotherapy?

Cryotherapy is the use of cold temperatures, at or near freezing, to treat injuries, inflammation, and pain. When you use an ice pack on your sprained ankle, you are using cryotherapy at its most basic level. It can be used as a whole-body treatment, or it can be applied to a particular part of the body. 

It is often used to help accelerate the healing of injuries in athletes. Using ice packs for muscle pains has been mainstream for years. When the ice pack is removed, the circulation is increased in the area and this helps not just raise the temperature, but to promote healing and pain relief. When cold is applied, it encourages the production of endorphins, which are nature's pain relievers.

A 2000 study showed that cryotherapy provided temporary relief for the pain of rheumatoid arthritis.  

Heat therapy

Heat therapy increases blood flow to the area that is injured or in pain. It is often used with stiff and sore muscles. Heat treatment is usually more effective when it comes to chronic pain and arthritis. But some chiropractic therapies also use heat to treat soft tissues and promote healing. Ultrasound therapy uses sound waves to vibrate and health the tissues below the skin and help promote healing at a cellular level. 

Heat is also psychologically comforting and when you are sore, you want to be comforted. That is where a heating pad or warm packs can help. A hot stone massage uses heat therapy to help relax and provide a feeling of contentment. 

Cold and heat therapy are often used one after the other to treat injuries in the soft tissues. Cold brings down the swelling and slows the blood flow and heat increases blood flow and provides relaxation and comfort.

Contact us

Don't wait, call our office today. Dr. McClanahan of Dr. J Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Nitro, WV will help you with your pain. The option of cryotherapy will be discussed and if hot and cold therapy makes sense, it can be used. Reach out to us at (304) 776-1520. 

Ice Pack Cryotherapy

You are probably familiar with icing a freshly sprained ankle or busted shin to reduce swelling and pain. Cryotherapy, or “cold therapy,” works in the same way to reduce inflammation and pain, but on injuries suffered long ago. Start your road to recovery with Dr. Jay McClanahan at Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center today! There are many benefits associated with ice pack cryotherapy that it’s become a popular treatment option in the Nitro, WV, area.

Cryotherapy is also an effective way to help with muscle spasms. Benefits can be obtained from just one session of cryotherapy, but it is most effective when used regularly. Commonly used in treatment for sports injuries, some athletes use cryotherapy twice a day, while others may go once a day for ten days and switch to once a month after that time. Listen to what your body says as it reacts to the treatment, as well as any advice given to you by your trusted chiropractor.

Other benefits of cryotherapy include:

- Reduces pain attributed to arthritis
- Helps treat mood disorders
- Decreases symptoms of migraines
- Numbs pain associated with nerve irritation
- Treats certain skin conditions
- Potential to help treat low-risk tumors
- Potential to help prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s

Are you an athlete who could benefit from cryotherapy? We are happy to address any questions or concerns that come up! Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center is located at 642 Cross Lanes Drive in Nitro, WV 25143. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit drjbackdocwv.com or call the office at 304-776-1520.

Icing An Injury

At the Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center, we help patients rehabilitate from all kinds of injuries.  The method of icing an injury, called cryotherapy, is known to provide cooling relief and help numb painful soft tissue injuries. Applying ice safely by using an ice pack or cold compress is an excellent way to treat muscle spasms and injuries like sprains and strains.  If icing an injury does not provide relief or your pain worsens, contact us for help.

After an injury, affected soft tissue will be inflamed and icing the area reduces inflammation and pain, as well as cools the skin to constrict blood vessels and heal the area.  The healing effects of ice pack therapy can also be helpful after a flare-up in chronic pain like in the back of the knee and is a cheap option for at-home relief. Cryotherapy is an effective way to manage pain at home without medication.

To learn more about soothing injuries and the services provided at the practice, visit www.drjbackdocwv.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Jay McClanahan of Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center in Nitro, WV, call 304-776-1520.