Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Heat or Ice?

I'm in pain. I work out 3 days a week and yesterday I got to aerobics class late. I normally use 4 pound weights but they were all gone so I grabbed the 5 pounders. I realized this morning that I had pulled a muscle and I ache from my lower neck, across my right shoulder and down my arm to my elbow.

I've been in pain all day.... it just aches like a bad toothache. I have taken 6 ibuprofen, two extra strength Tylenol, and an Aleve over the last 12 hours and nothing works. Not even a twinge of relief. It's just throbbing.

I never know when to use ice versus a heating pad. I hate the idea of ice since I'm already cold. A heating pad sounds good. Must go find it.

It was torturous at work today because I had a test plan to write. If I'm in this much pain tomorrow, I'm staying home. *sigh* God, I feel old.

6 comments:

Jennie said...

I'm so sorry! I wrenched my back last summer playing tennis and it was so horrible. I still get twinges every once in a while. So I understand your pain. ;) I hope it starts to feel better soon.

On heat vs. cold, I've always heard that within the first few hours of the injury you should put ice on it. After that you should use heat.

ReneeW said...

Jennie: Thanks, that's just what I wanted to hear :) I'm feeling slightly better today. Only a few twinges.

CindyS said...

Glad to hear you are feeling a bit better. I've never known pain until this past Dec when I threw my back out for the first time in my life. Constant pain blows!

I would put heat on it for a while and then put ice on it until the ice melted. Then I'd start over.

Personally, I think the ice just numbs the area because I do remember laying on it and thinking 'Thank God! I can't feel a thing!'. The problem was I knew I was burning my skin with the ice and heat but I just kept going. At least I didn't do any permanent damage.

And just so you know, you aren't old! I'd be in a body cast if I worked out with a one pound weight! And I'm not old.

I'm not!

Cindys

ReneeW said...

Cindy: No, you aren't old! :)
You make me feel so much better. I keep forgetting that most of my friends my age can't handle what I do. I tend to compare myself to all those young chicks in my class who use 8 lb weights. Ack! It would kill me. The heat helped and I feel better than last night at this same time when I posted whiny diatribe. I hate being in pain and really, I EXPECT ibuprofen to work on everything. I think I'll sleep better tonight.

Rosie said...

I'm sooo late to this but its 10-15 minutes cold and 10-15 heat for 30 mins to an hour at a time depending on the severity of the strain. Ibuprofen (or other OTC anti-inflammatory) for pain. If you still have pain after a week you should see a doctor.

You can check out this website: Health Tutorials

Acronym RICE (Rest, ice, compression, elevation)

Learn the RICE guidelines. RICE is short for rest, ice, compression, elevation. These are the home remedies that are very effective for Grade 1 sprains. If carefully followed, this simple formula will speed up and improve the healing process considerably. Note, however, that RICE isn't in chronological order. You should elevate the injured muscle as you ice it; and you shouldn't compress it until you've applied ice and elevated the injured muscle. (More details to follow.) Rest, however, is certainly the first step on the road to complete recovery.

I used this for my boys because they always seem to have some ache or pain. Hope this helps

ReneeW said...

Rosie: I wish I had known this before. But I will certainly keep this in mind now. I feel all better now... the ache has gone away. But just thinking about the ice gives me the shivers. When Bob sprained his ankle they told him some of this. I nagged him to keep ice on it and keep it wrapped but he wouldn't do it until one day he discovered that it felt better when he did that. Men!

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