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Pain Relief & Self-Care
Should I Use Heat or Ice for My Pain?
What heat and ice can each help with, what to notice when you use them, and how to use them safely.
Pain Relief & Self-CareAlso in Pain & MovementAlso in Everyday Health
There isn’t always one right answer. This feature covers what ice and heat can each genuinely offer, how to decide based on what you’re trying to change, how to turn what you notice into useful information, how to use both safely, and when to have the pain assessed instead.
Inside this feature
- There Isn’t Always One Right Answer
- What Ice Can Help With
- What Heat Can Help With
- Start With What You’re Trying to Change
- Turn It Into Useful Information
- Using Heat or Ice Safely
- When to Get It Assessed
- What You’ve Noticed Is Part of the Picture
Read the special feature 9 pages · 12 September 2026
Opening feature…
General information, not a diagnosis. If anything here feels familiar, the next step is a conversation with your GP.
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