Some Like it Hot, Some Like it Cold - The Role of Temperature in Pain Control

Pain can be managed with temperature. It is actually so easy to relieve pain with temperature, that it is highly underrated. Like anything else there is a skill to using hot & cold treatments to your benefit. You will want to make whatever you do work for YOU, but here is how I do things...

Basically, I treat my pain like a sports injury.

That takes away the shame, the blame, and makes me feel like I'm in the game. Right now, I think of my pain management techniques as being "in rehab", whether I can rehab them away or not. Treating yourself as an injured athlete brings the pride. It also makes you take better care of yourself because you validate your self-worth with this viewpoint, rather than continuing the traditional self-demeaning beaten-down view that we chronically-ill folk usually have.

For burning pain: Use ice-packs. Core Products icepacks are best, ColPac is also good for your back. I have a stack in the freezer of several of them. 3 square ones from Core Products, one long one from ColPac (11x21), and another smaller one from Core Products that wraps around my neck. I use the long one & lean against or lay on it at least once a week. It does wonders in opening up my breathing. I use the smaller ones behind my neck, to put me to sleep at night. Or I strap them on with a Nylatex wrap (you can find them at WisdomKing.com) during the daytime. The thing with ice is that it should be very cold and hurt a little at first. I put it on with a thin layer of t-shirt or something in-between. I put all three packs on at once (back, back of neck, front of neck) for 45 minutes, or until I get very cold & then warm up again & perhaps fall asleep. Any shorter time just doesn't have the whole-body effect. I have found that I know when I need to use ice packs: when I get annoyed and irritated at EVERYTHING. Or when the pain is a burning, searing one that nothing else can help. Out come the ice and up goes my mood.

(IcePacks from Core Products)

For aching pain: Use heat. There are many ways to use heat. You can use a heating pad (for short periods of time), a thermophore (much better)from Battle Creek products for longer periods, a hot bath with Epsom sales (yes this really works) or a hot shower. I use all of these frequently, depending on how I am feeling. If I am in too much pain to get up, I just reach over, put the thermophore on or under me, and punch that button. That's how easy it is to get pain relief. Hot showers in the morning are IMPERATIVE. I have found they work wonders in pain relief, and muscle loosening. Then there are the hot baths that are just wonderful. Make sure you have the water as hot as possible. You want the most heat you can stand. Cool off with a cold shower afterward to feel best.

If you do nothing else for pain control, I encourage you to (check with your doctor about your circulation and then) start using cold and heat frequently. Like every day. Several times a day. Water is cheap, easy, effective, and delivers temperature to your skin in a manner that is highly effective. If not water, using heat & cold in another manner is critical to pain relief.


Practice:

For three days use an application of heat or cold. Record your feelings, thoughts and pain level before and after. Determine which method does what for you, so that for all kinds of pain you know what works best. Start making temperature the primary pain-control tool of your entire arsenal, and lean on it above everything else - pain meds, exercise, sleep, everything. Because it will just make everything else better.