Treatment Options
From pain to gain, we highlight the best uses for heat treatment or cold treatment.
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Disclaimer: We are not licensed physicians, and you should always consult a medical professional such as a doctor, chiropractor, or massage therapist if you have prolonged pain.
Heat Therapy
Sore muscle
Stiff muscles
Neuropathy (nerve damage)
Headache or migraine
Menstrual cramps
Arthritis
Fibromyalgia pain
Relief of muscle spasms
Reducing inflammation
Chronic muscle pain
Heat comes in handy when you're experiencing continued stress, which oftens translates into trigger point-pain (such as a knot in your neck, back, or shoulder). Heat is also great for those who have nerve-damage or nerve-pain. When we place heat onto our bodies, it activates our nerves and helps them to become activated. When those "dead" nerves or "stiff muscles" are activated with heat, it gives us a small bit of relief. Heat can be used with sore muscles after a long workout, but typically, those sore muscles will only be relieved for short periods of time. If you are experiencing a migraine or headache, heat is great to be used on the back of the neck towards the base of the skull.
We recommend heating your Heat Buddy for 1 minute to a 1 minute and 30 seconds. It will all vary on the level of heat you are comfortable with, the strength of your microwave, and the size of your Heat-Buddy. Keep in mind, these CAN burn you if they are too hot or directly placed on your skin. If it's too hot after removing it from the microwave, you can always wrap a towel around it to help put a barrier between your skin and the heat. You should never keep a Heat-Buddy on for more than 20 minutes without rest from the heat.
Cold Therapy
Sprains
Strains
Bumps & Bruises (Great for kids!)
Relief of muscle spasms
Reduces swelling
Headache or migraine
Not many people utilize cold therapy on their body unless they're using the RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) method. And this is what it's primarily used for. Ice is great following an injury (such as an ankle sprain). It can also be a great tool when you notice swelling. Above, I mentioned that heat is a great tool for headaches and migraines. However, you can also use an iced Heat-Buddy on your forehead to help with the pain. (If you are experiencing a sinus headache, ice may not be the best option as cool environments can make it harder to breathe, which may cause more harm than good.) If you are fortunate enough to have more than one Heat-Buddy, you can utilize heat on the back of the neck, and an iced Heat-Buddy on your forehead.
We recommend keeping your Heat-Buddy in the freezer when you're not using it. If you are switching on-and-off with ice, or switching between heat and ice, you should allow at least an hour for freezing. If the Heat-Buddy is too cold to place directly on your skin, you can always wrap a towel around it to help put a barrier between your skin and the coldness. You should never keep a Heat-Buddy on for more than 20 minutes without rest from the ice.