I use cold gel packs for my back problems. Wi8 it have any detrimental effect on my spinal cord?

Question

Regards Lybrate user. Use of heat or cold pack, does not penetrate beyond the deep layer of skin. To remember, we have a layer of fat that is an insulator. The effect of heat or cold, is primarily acting on the nerves of the skin to create a counter-irritant (it stimulates the nerves of the skin that makes the brain to forget the pain that is from the primary concern). Heat or cold pack is a temporary solution only in the management of back pain. One needs to find the cause of the back pain to effectively manage it. To answer the 2nd part of your question, it does not have any detrimental effect on spinal cord as such, since the effect does not penetrate that deep. But one may find the effect of icing or heat pack to become less effective if repeatedly used, as the body gets used to the stimulus and no longer gives the counter-irritant effect.

Dev Anand Ramanathan · Accepted Answer

Regards Lybrate user. Use of heat or cold pack, does not penetrate beyond the deep layer of skin. To remember, we have a layer of fat that is an insulator. The effect of heat or cold, is primarily acting on the nerves of the skin to create a counter-irritant (it stimulates the nerves of the skin that makes the brain to forget the pain that is from the primary concern). Heat or cold pack is a temporary solution only in the management of back pain. One needs to find the cause of the back pain to effectively manage it. To answer the 2nd part of your question, it does not have any detrimental effect on spinal cord as such, since the effect does not penetrate that deep. But one may find the effect of icing or heat pack to become less effective if repeatedly used, as the body gets used to the stimulus and no longer gives the counter-irritant effect.