Expert Insights

Ice vs. heat for pain: a modern guide to healing

A woman sitting on a bed, holding her neck with a pained expression. She is wearing a beige shirt and blue pants, with a chair in the background.

Footnotes

1

Dubois B, Esculier JF. Soft-tissue injuries simply need PEACE & LOVE. Br J Sports Med. 2019;53(2):72–73.

2

Mayo Clinic. “Cold therapy: When and how to use ice.” 2024.

3

American Physical Therapy Association. Clinical Practice Guideline: Acute Musculoskeletal Injury Management. 2023.

4

JAMA. Musculoskeletal disorders as a leading cause of healthcare costs. JAMA. 2020;323(9):863–884.

5

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Sciatica Fact Sheet. NIH, 2023.

6

Higgins T, et al. Contrast therapy and recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage. J Physiol Sci. 2019;69(6):929–936.

7

Arthritis Foundation. “Heat and cold therapy for arthritis pain.” 2023.

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