When to use Ice or Heat for an injury

This is a subject that I probably talk about nearly every day because of the type of work that I do: treating injuries. It seems that a fair amount of people tend to neglect using one or the other and when they do make an attempt at using ice or heat, it is sometimes used at the wrong times.

So what is the correct way to utilize heat or ice? The best answer is that it depends on the circumstances, such as the type of injury, the individual involved and the duration of the injury. Each injury and each person has their own uniqueness about them so it is sometimes difficult to figure out which is most effective.

Let's start with types of injuries:  

Acute- These are sudden type injuries like a broken bone or sprained ankle where there will be significant swelling and inflammation involved. Acute injuries can last anywhere from 72 hours to 2 weeks. It is during this time, that ice is preferred and necessary. It is necessary to reduce any swelling and to numb the area, which will in turn reduce pain. Adding heat during this time should be avoided because it may actually increase swelling and pressure to the area which could result in increased discomfort.

Chronic- These type of injuries have developed over a course of time and are usually due to older accidents or an overuse syndrome (heavy lifting at work, computer work causing carpal tunnel, etc.). For the most part, heat is indicated for this type of injury unless it is a new aggravation of an older injury and there is swelling and tenderness involved. At this point, ice may be your best option.

Types of Heat and Ice and length of use

Heat: 

There was a time that the good ol' electric heating pad was the preferred choice but we have come a long way since then. While the electric pad is okay, it will distribute dry heat and the most effective source of heat is moist heat. Why? Because moisture will allow the heat to dissipate deeper into the muscles and tissues. If you have an electrical dry pad, you can apply a moist towel to the affected area and then place the pad over the towel ( I have given that recommendation out countless times over the years and no one has been injured....yet!)

A word of caution with electrical heating pads: don't use them in bed. Very easy to fall asleep and the small chance of a malfunction leading to serious injury. 

Other great sources of moist heat include: hot showers or baths, jacuzzi or hot tub, saunas or hot springs.

The general rule of thumb for heat usage is approximately 20 minutes. Anything more is basically useless and can also cause  decreased circulation to the area if used more than the allotted time.

Ice:

This is as easy as it gets. No real reason to go out and spend money when you can just wrap some ice in a towel or ziploc baggie and apply it to the area. Frozen bags of food can also be a temporary remedy. There are some great large and small ice packs to purchase if you did want to spend a little money. 

Another cute option is an ice massage. All you are doing here is filling up a paper cup with water, freezing it, peeling back the rim and massaging the area with the exposed ice.

The length of time to use ice is very important. Basically, you do not want to ice an area for more than 20 minutes at a time. My recommendation is to ice for 20 minutes, remove for another 20 minutes and then re-apply the ice for 20 minutes. Repeat this cycle for 2 hours.

The goal of ice is to numb the area to decrease the pain. At first you will probably feel, well, cold. Followed by burning, aching and finally numbness. At this point, the ice becomes ineffective.

What are some contraindications for Ice/heat (When not to use Ice or heat)

ICE

-decreased or increased sensation

-circulatory conditions

-Raynaud's disease

-High blood pressure

-frostbite

HEAT

 - Inflammation/swelling

 - infections

 - heart conditions

 - metallic implants

Hopefully, this has shed some light on the much debated question of ice or heat. You might get a different opinion from many different people or doctors or people trying to act like doctors but either way when dealing with most types of pain, the application of ice or heat is critical for the healing process.

Are your fruits and veggies clean?

It really seems lately that I have been seeing a big swing to the holistic side of health rather than conventional medicine. 

More and more people are getting on the "natural" bandwagon these days and that is great news! I have been preaching this gospel since Day 1 and will not stop now and it is great to see that people are being swayed in that direction. 

BUT, we have to be careful, real careful. Why? Because just like any industry, the health and wellness industry is all about big bucks and lots of people are profiting because of it. You can find it just about anywhere, "Organic", "All Natural", "Hormone free" and much much more. 

So here we are trying to be good and trying to make the right decisions for our families and it may all be for nothing? Not completely, but there is certainly some clever marketing out there. 

One area that is extremely important and that we need to pay extra attention to is our fruits and vegetables. We all know by now that raw or steamed veggies and fruits can have major health benefits due to the many nutrients it contains. It is always recommended that your veggie to fruit intake ratio should be 2:1, meaning eat twice as many veggies as fruits. This is primarily due to the fructose that is in fruits. While we know that it is natural sugar, it is still important to keep our fructose intake to <25 grams per day. This is especially important if you are diabetic or have blood sugar issues.

Okay, we are aware that fruits and veggies are great for us but how clean are they when we actually get them in our hands? According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), there is a huge difference between conventionally grown produce (non-organic) and organic produce. They state that there are probably over 50 different chemicals by the time it hits the produce section in your supermarket! Obviously, I am pushing for organic products here but if you decide organic is not for you, please don't stop eating produce all together. Better to have pesticides than no fruits/veggies at all. 

The EWG also goes on to list the cleanest and dirtiest produce after extensive research. Here are the findings:

Dirtiest (Buy these organic)

1

Apples

2

Celery

3

Strawberries

4

Peaches

5

Spinach

6

Nectarines
– imported

7

Grapes – imported

8

Sweet bell peppers

9

Potatoes

10

Blueberries
– domestic

11

Lettuce

12

Kale/collard greens

Cleanest (Lowest in Pesticide)

1

Onions

2

Sweet Corn

3

Pineapples

4

Avocado

5

Asparagus

6

Sweet peas

7

Mangoes

8

Eggplant

9

Cantaloupe
- domestic

10

Kiwi

11

Cabbage

12

Watermelon

13

Sweet potatoes

14

Grapefruit

Some of the conditions that have been linked to long term pesticide use include Parkinson's disease, male infertility, breast cancer, prostate cancer, stillbirths, learning disabilities and some neurological conditions.

Hopefully, this should shed some light on the difference between organic and non-organic produce.  It is essential and absolutely worth the extra money to buy organic.

My suggestion on how to do this are to plant your own garden or if that is not possible, then find local farmer's markets(there are a ton in this area) to get your produce needs met. 

You are taking a big risk with you and your family's health by using non-organic produce.