Heat and Ice

Heat and ice both have their place in the chiropractic treatment arsenal.Ice is a vasoconstrictor and heat is a vasodilator. These technical words simply mean that heat opens the blood vessels wider and allow blood flow to surrounding soft tissues. Ice does the opposite and helps to pump blood out of the area. We use heat to help loosen an area and relax the muscles which assists in making the chiropractic adjustments smoother. We use ice to help decrease inflammation and reduce swelling. Ice also helps to numb the pain receptors.