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Hot or Cold for Arthritis Pain

Treating arthritis pain is often a process of trial and error. Whether to best manage pain with ice, heat or both can be confusing, but selecting the best treatment option is possible.

  1. Which Treatment Is Better?

    • Both hot and cold methods of treatment for arthritis pain provide different types of relief, making them both equally appropriate.

    Hot Treatment

    • The warmth provided by a heat treatment relaxes the muscle surrounding the inflamed joint and increases blood circulation to the area. Both results will temporarily alleviate pain.

    Cold Treatment

    • Icing aching joints reduces inflammation and numbs the area, providing pain relief.

    What To Use

    • For hot treatment, dry heat from a heating pad or lamp or moist heat from a warm bath or hot wraps can be used. Cold treatment can be applied with ice packs, frozen wraps or even a bag of frozen peas. Never use hot or cold treatments for more than 15 to 20 minutes per session, and make sure skin returns to its regular temperature before re-treating the area.

    What To Know

    • Before using hot or cold treatment, make sure skin is dry and unbroken, and never place a hot or cold pack on bare skin (wrap in a towel first). Never use creams, lotions or other topical solutions on skin while applying a hot or cold treatment.

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