Hot vs. Cold Therapy: Benefits and When to Use Each

Your back aches after a long day. Your knee is sore after a run. You reach for something from the freezer or the microwave and wonder if you chose right.

Hot and cold therapy provides simple drug-free ways to ease everyday aches. They work in opposite ways, so each has its moment.

Hot & Cold Therapy - Follow these 4 simple guidelines: 

• Cold numbs pain and limits swelling. It suits new injuries and the hours after activity.
• Heat boosts blood flow and relaxes muscles. It suits stiffness, tight muscles, and aches that linger.
• Use cold for new, heat for lingering.
• Keep each session to 10 to 15 minutes, and never more than 20, as Cleveland Clinic advises. And ensure a 2-hour break between sessions. 

Cold therapy: Calms and Numbs

Cold narrows blood vessels and slows down the blood flow to the area, which helps limit swelling. It also numbs the area, which dulls pain.

Cold is a good fit when:

• You have a fresh injury, like a sprain, strain, or bump.
• A tendon flares up after activity.
• Your muscles feel achy after exercise.

Heat therapy: Warms and Loosens

Heat widens blood vessels and improves circulation. It relaxes tight muscles and eases stiff joints.

Heat is a good fit when:

• Muscles feel sore, tight, or knotted.
• Joints feel stiff, as with long-lasting arthritis pain.
• You want to loosen up before exercise.
• Your neck and shoulders hold tension.
• You have menstrual cramps.

Cleveland Clinic notes that heat can add swelling to a fresh injury, so skip it until the swelling has eased.

Hot and cold, made simple with Sherpa Therapy

Whether it's a stiff neck, a sore knee, or a long day on your feet, there's a Sherpa Therapy pack for the moment. Most of our reusable packs work for both hot and cold, so one pack can do two jobs.

Not sure where to begin? Shop by body part or take our quiz to find your fit. Always follow the QR code on your gel pack to view online instructions, and/or review the insert provided. 

Shop Sherpa Therapy

Sources

• Cleveland Clinic: Should you use ice or heat for pain?
• Cleveland Clinic: Heat or ice for arthritis

This article is for general education. It is not medical advice. See a healthcare provider if pain is severe, lasts, or gets worse.