Hot and Cold Therapy
One treatment method that does not need extracts, ointments, or herbs is using either hot or cold treatment. This type of treatment can relieve inflammation and arthritis pain. When using heat treatment, an individual can take a long, warm bath or shower in the morning. This can help relieve stiffness after hours of inactivity while the person sleeps. The individual can also use a moist heating pad or electric blanket to minimize discomfort at night.
Inflammation, swelling, and joint pain can be relieved with cold treatments. An individual can use a bag of ice cubes, frozen vegetables, or a gel ice pack wrapped in a towel placed directly over the painful joint. The user must not put ice or frozen goods on the skin when using cold treatment.
The effects of cold and heat treatments vary, but both are effective ways to reduce the pain from arthritis. Heat treatment boosts circulation; thus, it can soothe aching muscles and stiff joints. On the other hand, cold therapy restricts the blood vessels, effectively slowing circulations, which numbs the pain and reduces swelling. When using cold treatment, people should limit the application to 20 minutes.
