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When you’re looking for pain relief through physical therapy, it is important to know whether you’ll be best served with ice therapy or heat. Fortunately, the knowledgeable physical therapists of Physical Therapy Specialists in Dothan, AL, are here to help you figure out the treatment option that is appropriate for you. 

Below, they discuss the differences between these treatments and situations where one is more effective than the other:

Heat It Up

pain reliefPhysical therapists often utilize heat to treat chronic injuries that have been bothering the patient for an extended period. These injuries can result in muscle and joint stiffness, leaving you feeling pain anytime you move. Heat therapy targets muscle stiffness by relaxing the muscles, expanding the blood vessels, improving mobility and flexibility of tendons and ligaments, and reducing muscle spasms. This treatment should only be considered after injury inflammation has subsided.

Ice It Down

On the other hand, ice treatments are better for treating recent injuries and current inflammation to provide pain relief. Injuries damage and inflame tissue cells, which in turn can lead to painful swelling at the site. Although inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury, ice therapy can lessen the swelling and sharp pain that you feel right after you’re hurt. For recent injuries, ice treatment is more beneficial than heat.

While ice therapy and heat treatment can both provide pain relief, your physical therapist will best determine which treatment is appropriate. Regardless of the type of injury you’ve sustained, contact the professionals at Physical Therapy Specialists at (334) 673-2422 to find pain relief. They’ll get your back on your feet and as active as you were before your injury.

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