The Many Physical Benefits Of Hot Versus Cold Therapy

There are many different ways in which either hot or cold can help your physical state, but combining the two at a wellbeing spa can give you the best of both worlds.

Using the cold is something you may have encountered, even if it is just the use of ice to restrict bruising.

The cold helps reduce swelling and when things warm up, your blood vessels, which have contracted in the cold area, widen, with increased blood flow promoting muscle healing. This principle also applies across your body with ice baths, which is why they are used by top sports competitors like tennis players.

By contrast, warmth can help with things like stiff joints, because it widens the blood vessels straight away and therefore promotes healing. This can be very useful for conditions such as arthritis.

While each of these treatments brings benefits, combining the two means you can get all the positives together. There are some kinds of pain, such as back pain, that can benefit from this. The practice is sometimes known as contrast therapy and many top athletes use it.

It works by alternating between hot conditions, such as immersing yourself in a hot tub or steam room, before switching to an ice bath or cold shower, and then back again. This enables you to get the cold benefits of reduced nerve activity and swelling, while ensuring the blood vessels open up even more as they make the transition from cold to hot.

As a result, your muscles will flush out more waste, get fresh oxygen and heal damage sooner. This therapy also ensures that your body benefits from all the gains that are on offer, as some things (like tired muscles) may be aided more by cold and some (like joint problems) by heat.

By using contrast therapy, you may find that even the most persistent muscle and joint problems soon cause you a great deal less pain and discomfort than they once did. What’s more, it’s also possible to boost your immunity and improve brain health by going from hot to cold… so why not give it a go to see how good you could feel this year?