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Home » Hot & Cold Therapy » Hot / Cold Compress

Hot / Cold Compress

Hot & Cold Compresses are a convenient tool for treating both acute and chronic injuries.

Sprains, strains, contusions and other injuries experienced at home or on the playing field can be effectively treated by cold packs activated in just a few minutes. They are simple to use and you can employ them just as effectively at home as can your therapist at the clinic or on the court. You can also easily treat chronic injuries at home using a hot pack that you have left in the microwave for a minute or two.

You can take Hot & Cold Compresses along with you on business or vacation trips to help manage ongoing injuries. It’s also useful to keep a few of them at home to deal with insect stings or bites, falls or the other accidents that will inevitably take place. Compresses that can serve a dual purpose (functioning as both hot and cold treatments) offer additional versatility in managing various types of conditions.

When Are Hot Compresses Best Used?

Hot Compresses will improve your blood circulation to a specific area. They do this by opening up your blood vessels to allow a faster rate of flow.

Another benefit of using a hot compress is a reduction in muscle or joint stiffness.

In general, hot therapy is best applied for longer periods than cold therapy. This is particularly true when you are using a hot compress for pain relief. In those circumstances, a hot compress can provide benefits when used for periods of two hours or even more.

When used to treat muscle stiffness, you can benefit from applying a hot compress for as little as 20-30 minutes.

When Should Hot Compresses Never Be Used?

Avoid using hot compresses on areas where you have contusions or swelling. It will only make these problems worse.

Also avoid using heat therapy of any kind if you have an open wound. The increased blood flow may increase bleeding from the wound.

You should also avoid using hot compresses if you have diabetes, deep vein thrombosis or multiple sclerosis. As with cold therapy, you should avoid the use of a hot compress if you have limited feeling due to nerve damage.

Precautions To Observe When Using A Hot Compress

In addition to the above, if you have high blood pressure, you should check with your doctor before using a hot compress.

On Which Occasions Should Cold Compresses Be Used?

Cold compresses (or ice packs as they are sometimes called) are best used on acute injuries and in the first few days after these injuries have occurred. They will reduce inflammation and will also relieve pain and swelling, which will be the key problems to overcome during the first few days of such an injury.

If you have an open wound, the cold compress will also help by reducing the rate of blood flow. It does this by constricting the blood vessels in the area of the injury. This will then help to stem any bleeding that you may be suffering.

As a suggestion, we would recommend applying a cold compress to the affected area at intervals of around 2-3 hours. Each application should last for around 20 minutes.

When Should Cold Compresses Never Be Used?

If you have a disorder that prevents you from feeling a normal range of sensations, you should avoid cold therapy. An example of such a condition might be diabetic neuropathy in which a diabetes condition causes nerve damage. If you have such a condition, you may not be able to detect when the old compress is actually damaging your skin. The risks of cold therapy then outweigh its benefits.

You should also avoid using cold compresses on stiff muscles or joints. They will only make those problems worse.

If you suffer from poor circulation, you should also avoid using cold compresses for the same reason.

Precautions To Observe When Using A Cold Compress

Avoid applying the compress directly to your naked skin as this may result in a skin injury. Instead, first wrap the compress in a damp towel or other similar insulating material.

If you have heart disease, you should check with your doctor before using cold compresses.

Suggested Hot / Cold Compress Products

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Type of Injury

Achilles Heel Pain(2)
Ankle Pain(1)
Arthritis In Neck(1)
Back Of Ankle Pain(3)
Back Of Knee Pain(2)
Contusion(5)
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness(1)
Elbow Hyperextension(2)
Front Of Ankle Pain(1)
Heatstroke(1)
Ligament Sprain(1)
Muscle Cramp(2)
Muscle Strain(1)
Quad Contusion(5)
Sprains And Strains(1)
Tailbone Injury(1)
Tennis Leg(3)
Upper Back Pain(4)

Brand

DJO(1)
- Chattanooga(1)
DynaPro Health(2)
Mueller® Sports Medicine(3)
Rapid Relief(1)

Price Range

In Stock

Cold & Hot Reusable Compress
Hot / Cold Compress
Rated 5.00 out of 5

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The DynaPro Reusable Hot/Cold Pack is a versatile non-toxic compress that you can use for both hot and cold therapies and for treatment of both acute and chronic injuries.
ColPac Cold Therapy
Hot / Cold Compress
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ColPac® Cold Therapy packs come in seven different sizes of blue vinyl and four black sizes of black polyurethane and are filled with a non toxic silica gel that maintains it pliability during treatment.
In Stock

Instant Extra Hot Compress
Hot / Cold Compress
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The Instant Extra Hot Compress from Rapid Relief offers a ready to use source of warm/hot therapy whenever this may be required. It’s an excellent treatment for still joints and muscles and will also promote circulation for faster healing.
MuellerKold Instant Cold Pack
Hot / Cold Compress
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The Mueller Sports Medicine MuellerKold Instant Cold Pack is ready for use whenever you need it. It needs no refrigeration and activates instantly. This fast-acting cold compress is ideal for acute sports injuries or other situations requiring first aid.
In Stock
Reusable Cold/Hot Pack
Hot / Cold Compress
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- The Mueller reusable hot and cold pack is a versatile and non toxic gel pack.
- Refridgerate it for cold therapy to treat bruises, sprains, strains and other soft tissue injuries
- Microwave it for heat therapy to treat sore or stiff muscles or joints.
- In heat therapy mode, it can also be used for relief from pain due to problems like arthritis, back injuries and other sources of pain due to joint siffness.
- Provides a convenient on the field option for treating a wide variety of sports injuries such as sprains, strains and bruises.
- Is also a versatile and useful accessory to take along on camping or other outdoor trips where first aid may be needed to treat insect sting, bites as well as cuts and bruises.
- Easily stored in a camping bag or haversack or included in a small first aid kit.
- The Mueller reusable hot and cold pack is available in 2 sizes for convenient application to both small and large joints/muscles.
Reusable Cold/Hot Pack
Hot / Cold Compress
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The soft gel of the Mueller Sports Medicine Reusable Cold/Hot Pack refrigerates for cold therapy and microwaves for heat therapy. Recommended for treatment of both acute and chronic injuries as well as minor muscle aches and pains.
In Stock

Single Use Instant Cold Pack
Hot / Cold Compress
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The DynaPro Single Use Instant Cold Pack will help reduce pain, swelling and bleeding in the immediate aftermath of suffering an acute injury.

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