Yes, heat helps one to relax, that's muscular.  No, ice is not relaxing, it is
soothing because that which is causing the pain is being directly addressed by
the ice: edema!  One can use heat on the back and ice on the front.

I just got off pubmed having had to do some back-up research for a project.
Subject: cryotherapy.  Guess what?  There is tons of literature on the subject
addressing just this issue of ice for edema.  Consensus: That continuous
application works better than intermittent application.  Any mention of heat?
Not a word.  We need to come out of the dark ages here and get doing what the
evidence says is the best.

Every mother I have ever suggested ice to has cringed at the thought.  I tell
them don't believe just cause I tell you, try it and experience it for
yourself.  And they do and they always say, Wow, that was so soothing!!!  And
it works, too!

To address the constriction issue: Do the vessels constrict?  Yes, they do but
with long enough application they also start to dilate.  They do a dance of
alternating constriction and dilation.  This is a phenomenon dubbed Hunting's
Reaction and was coined when hunters who when out in the cold for prolonged
periods noticed that their exposed parts would redden but they didn't get
frostbite.  When studied it was found that the alternating vasoconstriction
and dilation was responsible for the protection of the body part.  This was
eventually applied as a therapy and Voila!  So we can have our increased blood
flow and reduction of edema all in one fell swoop.  So exactly why do we need
heat?

As to elevation and compression.  The elevation is obvious, the compression
works to increase lymph circulation thereby reducing edema.  Any lymphedema or
lymph stasis treatment uses gentle wrapping (compression) as part of the
protocol.

So treatment of engorgement truly follows the acronym RICE: rest, ice,
compression and elevation.

I guess we have a veritable blood bath going here.

Alison K. Hazelbaker