Ice or Heat for Low Back Pain?
I am often asked whether to use ice or heat when you hurt your back. And, the answer is most definitely ice. Ice, Ice, ICE!
In 14 years of practice, I have only seen one patient that got into trouble using ice. This patient put an ice pack directly on his skin and he developed frostbite.
In contrast, I get two patients a month who sustain a mild back injury. They put a heating pad on it and in the morning they can’t stand up due to severe pain. The heat caused the 
injury to swell and it will take about twice as long to heal. The swelling must be brought down with ice, and then the chiropractic treatment can be allowed to work.
Be aware, emergency room doctors and nurses are notorious for telling patients to use heating pads on their backs and necks. I have no idea why. The scientific literature is pretty clear on this point and you should be too. Any new injury should be iced for the first 48 to 72 hours. After that, heat can be used, but in my experience I would only suggest it if the pain is significantly less. And, I would only use it under the advice of a professional.
When in doubt ice. 20 minutes every two hours and go to your chiropractor as soon as possible.
For more information on how I treat back pain, go to www.newbackpainreliefinfo.com or call Jennifer at 262-251-8306 to schedule an appointment for a free consultation to see if I can help.
Comments
So do I use an ice pack even if it’s arthritis pain in the lower back?
Any time your pain gets worse, use ice. I will not suggest that you use heat. There are some indications for heat, however, due to the potential risks of using it, I would only suggest you use it if you were my patient, I examined you and found an arthritic condition that would respond favorably to heat. When in doubt, use ice. I’ve only had one patient get in trouble using ice in 15 years of practice. It was because he used an ice pack directly on the skin and he frostbit himself. On the otherhand, I see 2 patients a month that feel a little pain in their back, decide to use heat and by morning they can’t stand up.
August 23rd, 2009 at 3:32 pm
I have had significant back pain for 20 years. Everytime I go to physical therapy they want to use heat. Thanks for sharing this helpful information.