Heat

Heat therapy works by improving circulation and blood flow to a particular area due to increased temperature. Increasing the temperature of the afflicted area even slightly can soothe discomfort and increase muscle flexibility. Heat therapy can relax and soothe muscles and heal damaged tissue.There are two different types of heat therapy: dry heat and moist heat.

Both types of heat therapy should aim for “warm” as the ideal temperature instead of “hot.” Dry heat (or “conducted heat therapy”) includes sources like heating pads, dry heating packs, and even saunas. This heat is easy to apply. Moist heat (or “convection heat”) includes sources like steamed towels, moist heating packs, or hot baths. Moist heat may be slightly more effective as well as require less application time for the same resultsTrusted Source.

Cold

Cold therapy is also known as cryotherapy. It works by reducing blood flow to a particular area, which can significantly reduce inflammation and swelling that causes pain, especially around a joint or a tendon. It can temporarily reduce nerve activity, which can also relieve pain. There are a number of different ways to apply cold therapy to an affected area. Treatment options include: ice packs or frozen gel packs, coolant sprays, ice massage, ice baths.

Other types of cold therapy that are sometimes used include: cryostretching, which uses cold to reduce muscle spasms during stretching, cryokinetics, which combines cold treatment and active exercise and can useful for ligament sprains whole-body cold therapy chambers.