We've all been there. We slept "funny" and woke up with a stiff neck. We overdid it with yard work and now our back is sore. We just returned from vacation that maybe included a long car ride or flight and sleeping in a hotel bed or at grandma's and now our neck and back are aggravated with pain and stiffness. Do I apply heat or ice to my injuries in Indianapolis IN?

At Meridian Chiropractic Clinic, we get that question all the time.

So should I use heat or ice?

There doesn't seem to be a consistent answer. Go to a 24-hour medical facility and they will tell you that heat is best. The emergency room of a hospital will advise alternating heat and ice. Drugstores are filled with heating pads, ice packs and even creams that start out warm and turn cold. How are you supposed to know which is most effective in the treatment of your pain?

There is a definite difference between the application of heat or ice and the circumstances surrounding both. Dr Jeff Yoder will most often recommend the application of ice along with a chiropractic treatment. The conditions indicating ice treatments are extreme pain and/or swelling. Ice can calm an irritated nerve and decrease inflammation of a disc. Ice is recommeded if your pain is new or fresh or what is called "acute" stage or a re-aggravation of an old injury that has flared up.

Ice brings relief by constricting the blood vessels in the painful area thereby decreasing swelling and pressure and consequently, the pain.

Ice also stablizes the injured tissues and allows a chiropractic treatment to bring a quicker response and relief from your pain.

Applying ice can be in the form of ice cubes in a baggie or frozen vegetables...no need to buy fancy drugstore ice packs. Be sure to NEVER apply ice direclty to the skin as frostbite can be a real threat.

When to use heat for an Indianapolis IN injury

So, when should you apply heat? Heat is used primarily for the maintenance of an existing problem and has been recommended by your chiropractor. Applying heat to a new irritation probably feels better and is more soothing but actually has the ability to make the problem worse by increasing pressure and swelling.

So, in conclusion, if you are ever in a situation where you need to choose heat or ice for your pain.....use ice until you can call Meridian Chiropractic Clinic and make an appointment.