The cold vs heat debate
I recently overheard two friends talking about whether or not it was better to ice an injury (like a sprained ankle) or to apply heat.
Heating up an injury rather than cooling it down?
Most of us think of applying an ice-pack as soon as we are injured, but maybe that is just the first step.
Why do we ice an injury?
When we apply ice to an injury it slows down the flow of blood to the affected area. This reduces the pain and swelling by slowing down the circulation and helping to reduce muscle spasms. It is simply a painless way of reducing the inflammation.
Sounds about right.
So why would I heat up an injury?
Heating the injury (low temperature heat therapy) opens the blood vessels and increases blood flow, bringing vital oxygen and nutrients to the area. It can also help relax muscles and tendons in the area. Like cold, it too can reduce muscle spasms and pain and promote flexibility.
But when you are in pain, the first thing you want to do is stop the pain – which is why most people traditionally will ice an injury.
So it seems that people ice an injury to immediately relieve the pain.
Once the pain has been reduced, think about adding heat to the injury to increase the blood flow and help to speed up the recovery. The sooner the blood flow is restored to the affected area, the sooner the healing process can begin.
Reduce Lactic Acid
Adding heat also eliminates any lactic acid build up, reducing the chance of muscle aches or fatigue. It also reduces any stiffness in the muscles promoting better movement.
And, I’m all for that!
How can you heat up an injury?
- Apply a heat pack
- Apply a hot water bottle
- Soak in a warm bath
Apply heat a low temperature for up to 20 mins at a time, 3 times per day.
For injuries that linger for longer than 6 weeks, heat wins out every time.
Warning
Be aware the icing of painful muscles can make it worse – especially for your lower back . And sometimes adding heat to an extremely painful injury could increase the level of pain. Firstly, always do what feels right for you. If you need to get rid of the pain, ice the injury and then apply heat.
Multi-dimensional healing
If you are into multi-dimensional healing, you could also sit quietly and do this healing meditation. Imagine immersing or infusing the painful area in cobalt blue light. Stay in this space as long as you want. Once you are happy with the length of time and depth of blue, flood with a burgundy red light. My experience has been this alleviates the pain, too.
I would love to hear your thoughts about cold vs heat and if this has worked for you!
Julie Lewin – a world renowned Medical Intuitive started her journey in the art of intuition in 1984. She appeared in four episodes of the TV show “The Extraordinary” which was syndicated to 22 countries. She’s a published author, Amazon #1 Bestseller and has a Bachelor in Metaphysical Science. Julie won the Our Internet Secrets Business Builder Award 2013, has founded a charity, and teaches her healing modality.
