These gentle, non-iritating vibrations and heat help break down and disperse unwanted tissue accumulations. Most patients feel a pleasant and relaxing warmth below the surface of the skin during treatment, because it improves local blood flow. Heat and ice are commonly used to reduce pain. Icepacks are helpful initially to an injured area because they constrict blood vessels, numb the pain, relax muscle spasms, reduce nerve transmission of painful symptoms and thus provide temporary relief. Ice is most often used to manage acute injuries or recent eruptions of chronic conditions.
Heat is helpful when relaxation of the injured area is needed.
Hot packs, hot baths, moist warm towels, heating pads, and hot water bottles are often used to help raise the temperature of soft tissues directly below the surface of the skin. Heat applied to the surface of the skin enlarges blood vessels below the surface, relaxing tissues and temporary relieving painful symptoms. Heat is usually recommended for the relaxation of spasms and temporary relief of the symptoms associated with chronic pain.