This time of year, we tend to see a lot of “overuse injuries”. What does that mean?
As the weather gets nicer, we get the urge to get outside and enjoy it! This is great, increasing physical activity is beneficial for all aspects of our health! However, sometimes our body is not ready for that ambitious 5 mile walk we decide to take after sitting on the couch all winter! We end up with pain and inflammation from “overdoing it”.
We’ve all been told “RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation” is the way to go to heal injuries. In the immediate aftermath of an injury when there is a lot of swelling, this method can be very helpful to reduce the pain and inflammation. What about 3 or 4 days after the injury when the swelling is under control, but it still hurts? Sometimes the advice you hear is to keep icing it and it will heal on its own. This can be a bit counterproductive.
As a rule in Chinese Medicine, cold is congealing and slows blood flow, heat is invigorating and increases blood flow. In the immediate aftermath of an injury, there is a surge in blood flow to that area to flood it with your body’s naturally occurring healing mechanisms: red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, endogenous opioids (your body’s natural painkillers) etc. This surge in blood flow results in swelling of the area, which can be very painful.
This is why, in those initial stages, applying a cold compress or ice can be helpful to reduce pain. It slows the flow of blood rushing to the injured area to control the amount of swelling that is happening. Continuing to slow the supply of those mechanisms with ice packs, however, can prevent the injured tissues from getting the nutrients they need to heal quickly. That’s why we recommend switching it up with heat!
Start applying heat to the area in the form of a heat pack or, even better, a hot herbal soak. We have an amazing herbal soak with multiple different herbs that can help reduce inflammation while still promoting the flow of qi and blood to the area to heal the injured tissues. This herbal soak can be applied as a compress, or added to warm water for soaking, such as a foot bath for foot and ankle pain.
If you find yourself dealing with a lingering pain that just won’t quit, give us a call or click here to book with one of our providers! Acupuncture, massage and herbs can help your body heal after injury! We’ll help you get back on track to heal properly and get back outside to enjoy the lovely sunny weather!
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