Spondylitis Association of America Forums General Discussion General Message Board for Ankylosing Spondylitis and Related Diseases Ice or Heat?

Hey Guys,
Well I seem to have failed the Humira after 5 months and rheumy wants to double up the humira to every week. I have lived on a heating pad for years now, but wondering if ice will help this chronic pain? I have tried it in the past but prefer heat because it feels better, but dont think it helps much other than easing the pain. What do y'all think?

Unless its a new acute injury which should be iced the first while, its what ever works. For me I alternate, and believe it or for some pain do what I call "the baked Alaska" Heat on one side cold on the other. Its works best for me knee shoulder and especially a costo flair

Like you, I prefer how heat feels. My massage therapist uses something like Biofreeze (similar active ingredient to BenGay but without the nasty smell) on sore areas after she works me over and I was surprised to find it seemed to help (soft tissue mostly though) and the cold sensation wasn't so bad. More like a numbing (though it doesn't have any numbing ingredients). I used ice a little when I was quite sore after SIJ injections and it was helpful then although I hated the cold feeling! Again though it mostly numbed. I have never tried ice for my chronic inflammatory pain (t-spine and posterior pelvis) but my vote is for you to go ahead, give it a shot, it can't hurt and if it helps please post and let us know!

Both for me. Depends how I feel. Ice does seem to give a lot better relief, though when the weather is cold I really don't feel like sitting on an ice pack to ease my SI joints. Heat kind of feels nice, but if things are really inflamed I suspect that ice works better. No harm in alternating though. The bits that ice really does seem to do well on for me are: plantar fasciitis, SI joint, TMJ and shoulders. The bits that heat feels nicest on are anywhere on my spine right up to my neck. Only place I wouldn't use ice would be the back of my neck, as I've been warned that it can make you rather woozy. I suppose it would be worst if you had the ice pack over your neck blood vessels - would be a bit like cryotherapy I suppose.

Whatever works best for you. I use heat exclusively because cold causes my muscles to tighten up and spasm.

Having had both muscle spasms and nerve pain, I have found heat to work best for muscle problems and cold to work best on nerve problems.

thanks for all the responses. I am under the conclusion that heat is my best option as that is what works best for me, but I think the correct answer is it is all just a temporary stop on the pain train! Man, this disease has been the biggest challenge in my life. I have raced through life trying to accomplish and succeed, now I have to be a bystander, and watch from the sidelines. Im trying not to succumb to the temptations to give up, but I know thats not me, so I guess we keep on going on with a fake smile on our faces which is what we do right?