Cold vs Hot Therapy: Which is best for you?
Don't just take our word for it, read more to see what doctors and professionals have to say about it!
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Hot & Cold Therapy Studies
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2019
Deep Heat
"The physiologic effects of temperature occur at the site of the application and in distant tissue. The local effects are caused by the elevated temperature response of cellular function by direct and relax action. Locally, there is a rise in blood flow with associated capillary dilatation and increase capillary permeability. Initial tissue metabolism increases, and there may be changes in the pain threshold. Distant changes from the heated target location include reflex vasodilatation and a reduction in muscle spasm (as a result of skeletal muscle relaxation)."
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2004
The Physiologic Basis and Clinical Applications of Cryotherapy and Thermotherapy for the Pain Practitioner
"Cryotherapy and thermotherapy are useful adjuncts for the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries. Clinicians treating these conditions should be aware of current research findings regarding these modalities, because their choice of modality may affect the ultimate outcome of the patient being treated. Through a better understanding of these modalities, clinicians can optimize their present treatment strategies. Although cold and hot treatment modalities both decrease pain and muscle spasm, they have opposite effects on tissue metabolism, blood flow, inflammation, edema, and connective tissue extensibility. Cryotherapy decreases these effects while thermotherapy increases them. Continuous low-level cryotherapy and thermotherapy are newer concepts in therapeutic modalities. Both modalities provide significant pain relief with a low side-effect profile. Contrast therapy, which alternates between hot and cold treatments modalities, provides no additional therapeutic benefits compared with cryotherapy or thermotherapy alone. Complications of cryotherapy include nerve damage, frostbite, Raynaud's phenomenon, cold-induced urticaria, and slowed wound healing. With thermotherapy, skin burns may occur, especially in patients with diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis, poor circulation, and spinal cord injuries. In individuals with rheumatoid arthritis, deep-heating modalities should be used with caution because increased inflammation may occur."
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1988
Study to Evaluate the Usefulness of the Battle Creek® Petite Thermophore® Automatic Moist Heat Pack™ for the Treatment of TMJ/Muscle Pain Dysfunction
"A study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of a moist heating pad as an adjunct to occlusal bite plane splint therapy for TMJ/muscle pain dysfunction. Using an analog pain scale and a questionnaire, differences in the effectiveness were evaluated for experimental and control groups of patients having TMJ/muscle dysfunction. There was a statistically significant difference (p<.01) between the analog scale values for the two groups and it was concluded that the use of a moist heating pad is an effective adjunct to bite plane splint therapy. Most patients reported that the unit was a convenient means to reduce their discomfort."