| How Do Ice Packs Reduce Swelling?Thursday, 22 April 2021 | Paul If you've ever had an operation or have suffered from a serious injury, you'll know that even as your body heals the pain can be unbearable. By applying an ice pack to the affected area, you can simultaneously relieve the pain and discomfort while increasing the rate of healing. For something as straightforward as ice or a cold compress, it's fair to wonder how it can bring so much relief. We've created this guide on How Ice Packs Reduce Swelling so that, the next time you're in discomfort, you'll know exactly how the ice pack works in tandem with your body to help alleviate the pain.
How Do Ice Packs Work?Ice therapy, also known as cryotherapy or cold therapy, is the process during which pain is alleviated by applying ice or a similar cold object. By icing the injured limb for a set amount of time, it provides the following benefits:
Simply put, ice packs reduce swelling by numbing the pain and reducing blood flow to decrease the inflammation. Together this helps to relieve the discomfort and encourage healing. What Pain Can I Treat with Ice Packs?Ice packs are a reliable choice for treating a wide range of injuries and conditions, but is most effective for newer injuries, where swelling is usually at its most prominent. Ice packs work best for acute injuries, which occur suddenly. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
Can I Just Use a Bag of Ice from the Freezer?Using ice from your freezer and wrapping it in a tea towel is a traditional method of icing an injury. However, this can get messy as the ice starts to melt, and there's an increased risk of the ice coming into direct contact with your skin – which will only worsen the pain! Instead, ice packs, cold packs, cryo units, and cooling bandages are all becoming increasingly popular as mess-free and reusable approaches to ice therapy at home. To see our top picks for reusable ice packs, please see further down the page. How Long Should I Apply the Ice For?Ice should not be applied to the injured area for more than 20 minutes at a time. It is advised that this is done either once an hour for 20 minutes, or to apply it for 20 minutes and then rest for 20 minutes. Is Icing Better Than Heat Therapy?Icing is better for some injuries than heat therapy. Ice packs are useful for the indications mentioned further up the page, where acute injuries have caused swelling and inflammation. Conversely, heat therapy is better for chronic and non-inflammatory pain, such as arthritis or stiff joints. Our Top Picks for Ice PacksKeeping an ice pack to hand at all times is a great way of ensuring you don't need to suffer in pain for too long before you can begin applying the cold therapy. Below is a small selection of some of our top picks for cold packs. You can find more of these in our Rehab Cold Therapy and Reusable Ice Packs categories. Ice Packs for Specific AreasIce packs that are designed to conform to specific parts of your body are going to target the cold therapy more effectively. Dura Soft Ice Packs include a range of ice wraps and packs specifically designed for your foot, ankle, shoulder, and more.
Versatile Hot and Cold PacksIf you suffer from a condition that would benefit from heat therapy, then opting for a hot and cold pack allows you to apply cold therapy to acute injuries, and heat therapy to non-inflammatory injuries. This way, you can be prepared for virtually any pain. We recommend the TheraPearl Hot and Cold Packs and the Relief Hot and Cold Pack for a reliable and versatile hot and cold therapy pack.
Ice Packs for ChildrenNobody likes to be injured, but the experience can be more traumatic for children. By providing an ice pack with a cute and fun design, such as the TheraPearl Hot and Cold Children's Pal, it can help to cheer them up while working to relieve their pain and discomfort.
Cryo Cuff TherapyWhen it comes to more controlled icing, the Aircast Cryo Cuff range is our top choice for cold compression therapy. The Cryo Cuffs are designed to conform to specific parts of your body for optimal benefit, and operate similarly to a blood pressure monitor as the motorised unit adjusts the compression. You can view the full Cryo Cuff compression therapy range here.
Hopefully you won't need to use an ice pack any time soon, but if you do then we hope you've found this useful. If you have any questions about our ice packs, please don't hesitate to let us know in the comments, or find us on Facebook and Twitter. Tags: Ankle Pain, Cold Therapy, Health and Care Expert Series, Rehabilitation Shop Our Ice Packs
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