Michael Greger: Cold Water Immersion for Gout Flares

Key Takeaways

• Cold water immersion (70°F) for 20 minutes daily reduces gout flare pain and improves joint mobility (though it may not reduce inflammation).
• Covered ice packs applied for 30 minutes, 4x/day significantly reduce gout pain (never apply ice directly to skin).
• For burns, use 20 minutes of cool running water – avoid ice/ice water as it worsens tissue damage.
• Heat therapy (e.g., hot packs) works better than cold for delayed-onset muscle soreness, providing longer-lasting relief (>24 hours).
• Avoid NSAIDs for acute muscle/tendon pain – they may impair healing and increase chronic pain risk.

Notable Quotes

“20 minutes of cool running water has been proven to be the most effective first aid intervention in improving burn outcomes.”

Bottom Line

Use cold therapy (immersion or ice packs) for gout flares and cool running water for burns, but choose heat therapy for post-workout muscle soreness. Avoid NSAIDs for acute injuries.

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