Applying heat and cold

Sometimes relief can be a frozen bag of peas or a hot bath. This is because applying heat and cold can often help ease joint pain, back strains, neck pain and other types of pain.

Here's how these methods work:

• Cold can numb pain by causing blood vessels to constrict, which helps reduce swelling. That's why, when you experience an injury — whether it's a bee sting or a sprained ankle — icing is often a good first choice. You can use an ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables, or you can submerge the affected area in a container of ice water.
• Heat, on the other hand, is a muscle relaxer. Heat helps loosen tense muscles, which contributes to pain relief. Heat also increases blood flow to an injury, which can help promote healing. Sources of heat can be a heating pad or a warm bath.

You may find that cold or heat provides more relief. Or you can alternate the two, ending with the cold treatment.

Unfortunately, simply applying heat or cold often doesn't completely resolve pain. It's more likely to lessen its severity and reduce inflammation. But in many cases, a heating pad or ice pack can be applied in addition to other pain treatments, such as analgesics, to increase the chances of relief.