In Burrascano's treatment guideline, the use of ice is not recommended for treating pain:
"DO NOT use ice or electrical stim unless specifically ordered by our office."
I am suffering terribly from lower back/leg pain brought on by a damaged disc. At the same time, I'm dealing with a bad flareup of Lyme and Bartonella.
The only thing that helps the pain is icing the area. Does anyone know why ice is not recommended when you have Lyme?
- Andrew
[ 21. July 2007, 04:22 PM: Message edited by: AndrewInCA ]
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
hi andrew,
i can't answer that, but i'd be lost without my frozen ice packs and occasion moistened heating pads!
i've been going thru physical therapy for 6-7 weeks; twice weekly. after stretching & my doing exercises, they finish off the treatment w/frozen ice packs in a towel. Posted by jaime1978 (Member # 11786) on :
Andrew, I have heard that lyme likes the cold.... and hates the heat.... I don't know why it is, just what I have heard... passing on the info....
BUT, if the ice helps you, than do it.... so much of lyme is a personal thing, you know... what works for one, doesn't for someone else....
Posted by 5dana8 (Member # 7935) on :
Hi Andrew
I was having really horrible neck spams & was icing my neck. I went to a LLMD a while back & she told me "thats the worst thing I could be doing"...I was told lyme florish's in a cold environment. So now I do moist heat.
I would ask your LLMD what he/she thinks though, everyone is so different here.
Hope this helps Dana
Posted by tailz (Member # 10014) on :
I know my Lyme tends to flare in cold weather, whereas something else flares in the summertime.
I'd stay away from heating pads though. Not only are the EMFs bad, but I actually cooked my skin this past winter, falling asleep with it on my back. It is now just starting to heal up.
It did help with the pain though.
Posted by JimBoB (Member # 8454) on :
By all means use the ice pack.
I have used heat for my back pain all my life, and found out with my new chiropractor heat is the worst thing to use, because it causes the muscles to inflame.
I could not walk, sit or stand, OR lay down without being in pain for weeks. The Sciatica was just killing me. Very depressing.
I finally went to the chiropractor after a few weeks of this suffering.
I took her suggestion and used the ice packs even though I know it is stated that heat is better when you have Lyme. The ice packs, the chiropractor and a Homemedics vibrating pad, has worked wonders for me. NO more sciatic nerve unbearable pain. I have some pain in between the shoulder blades now, because I was laying under the car, Friday, putting up the driveshaft and wrenching with all I had. BUT it will do away. And I CAN handle this pain.
So go with the ice packs if they are helping you too. Better to help the pain then to worry about a few Ketes for now. They will still be there when you are done with this. You can take care of them then.
Take care, Jim. ###
Posted by AndrewInCA (Member # 2010) on :
I think I will have to continue with the ice. Heat makes it worse. The problem is inflammation around my disc/spine and it causes terrible nerve pain down my leg.
Lately it has changed location and been traveling all the way to my left foot. Unless that can have something to do with my current Bart treatment with Factive? (close relative of Levaquin) I'm also having terrible muscle aches all over.
Posted by Marnie (Member # 773) on :
Cold constricts blood vessels, but...
after 20 minutes there is a rebound effect.
Alternating hot and cold are supposedly a way to stimulate the immune system.
When blood vesels are constricted, it takes more PRESSURE to get the blood moving to its intended destination.
When someone falls thru the ice (and can't breathe), the extremely cold water constricts the smaller arteries and sends whatever available oxygen and other nutrients i.e., glucose, to the vital organs to help one survive in exteme cold, low oxygen times. This is why some people can live longer and be successfully resuscitated after being trapped under ice for a few "extra" minutes that would normally kill us.
If rebound rewarming is too fast, that isn't good either. (Transporting hearts for transplants...packed in ice.)
Posted by lymednva (Member # 9098) on :
I have found that ice causes my muscles to contract more, thereby increasing my pain. Moist heat is what I have found to be much more helpful. Even my former chiro recognized that cold does not work for all people.
Posted by JimBoB (Member # 8454) on :
quote:Originally posted by lymednva: I have found that ice causes my muscles to contract more, thereby increasing my pain. Moist heat is what I have found to be much more helpful. Even my former chiro recognized that cold does not work for all people.
Interesting. I always used heat and vibration before; but it was not working for my last bout with pain from my lower back all the way down my left leg to my calf. Couldn't stand the pain.
But treatment AND the ice packs she recommended worked. My back got really decent again. However, I was laying under a car putting up a driveshaft and wrenching in close quarters and pulled my upper back out now. I used an ice pack last night and it is much better today.
So who can say. WHATEVER works for you.
I would not blame the Sciatica nerve problem on Lyme though. It can happen to anyone, at anytime.
Jim. Posted by siggy (Member # 8654) on :
Just a thought... IF the pain is caused by Lyme, then logically one shouldn't cool down the area with pain. (because the ketes thrive in cold bodytemp) BUT IF the pain is caused by something else, then one should cool it down if it helps.
I have always used heat on my backpain, which I am 100% sure is Lyme-related pain. The pain just comes and goes whenever it desides.
In past times I have had "proper" backpain and that sure was different than what is going on now. (One leg shorter than the other, causing terrible pain not relieved by anything but lying in bed.)
But as several others have stated; if it helps you, then do it. With Lyme there are so many things to handle, ie pain, neurosympt, lack of money, lack of social life etc - that one has to make things as bearable as possible. It is a matter of getting through this, and one can't always deal with everything the right way at the same time. Painrelief is important!
sig
Posted by DolphinLady (Member # 6275) on :
Natural anti inflammatories instead?
Posted by Marnie (Member # 773) on :
The keets thrive in a range of temperatures. Your body temp. drops as a protective measure during times of less oxygen availability.
This is why organs to be transplanted are put on ice.
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