If you ask your significant other or your coworkers, they might tell you that your back pain is also causing them mental stress because you have turned into a world-class grouch.
All of your family, friends, acquaintances, and sometimes even perfect strangers will happily give you advice about how best to deal with back pain.
The controversy of whether to apply heat or cold to an aching back has raged for centuries.
If you take a poll (when your back isn’t hurting, of course) among the people you know, you will find that they are about equally divided between those who advocate the use of heat on an aching back and those who advocate cold for an aching back.
So, just how are you supposed to know whether to plug in the heating pad or get an ice pack out of the freezer?
The truth is that the heat SOUNDS like a better idea. The idea of sticking a cold pack on your already aching back isn’t very appealing, is it?
The fact is that the real answer to the question of heat or cold for an aching back is BOTH. That’s right. Both heat and cold can help to relieve pain and promote the healing of a strained muscle.
First, use ice. You can buy ice packs at your local drug store. There are even ice packs that don’t have to be stored in a freezer. They are filled with chemicals that produce cold.
As quickly as you can when a muscle in the back is strained, apply an ice pack. Leave cold on the injury for at least a half hour to help prevent swelling.
After about a half hour of ice, begin to alternate the ice pack with a heating pad.
The ice prevents and reduces swelling, and the heat will help increase blood flow and promote healing.