Using ice for pain relief is an old yet effective formula.
Whether it is a cut or bruise, inflammation or sore muscles, swelling or pain, applying ice over the area works as an excellent fast aid. Many fitness enthusiasts and sportsmen find it beneficial to apply an ice pack after their workout.
Ice pack helps in relieving swelling and reducing muscle spasms caused by overexertion. It is also helpful in reducing pain flare-ups and muscle strains. Furthermore, it is easy, inexpensive, and one of the most effective home remedies for pain management.
Studies also found ice therapy to be an effective remedy for treating acute soft-tissue injury. Evidence also suggests that it is effective in combating different types of pains but the application should be repetitive.
Ice for Pain Relief: How does it work?
Cold therapy, also known as cryotherapy, works by restricting the blood flow and numbing the area. Restricted blood flow helps in reducing inflammation or swelling that causes pain. It can also temporarily reduce nerve activity and aid in relieving pain. This acts as a local anesthetic that slows down the transmission of pain messages to the brain.
Clinical evidence and studies prove that ice is most effective when used immediately after the injury or as soon as the pain begins.
When to apply an ice pack?
Research suggests that an ice pack is an excellent remedy for treating acute injuries, pain, swelling, and inflammation.
Ice for Pulled muscles
An ice pack is an excellent fast aid for treating pulled muscles. It also works as an excellent remedy for inflammation and swelling. Cold therapy also works well in treating wounds from an injury or inflammation. Ice numbs the area and reduces pain and tenderness. It also helps in reducing swelling and inflammation.
Ice for Pain Relief
Applying an ice pack to the area of pain helps relieve swelling and pain. Since the coldness numbs the nerves, it can also reduce the sensitivity to pain. Cold therapy is particularly beneficial in managing pain with swelling around joints or tendons. It helps in treating conditions like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, back pain, fibromyalgia, and neck pain. A cold wrap around the forehead may help in combating migraine pain.
Ice Massage for athletes
Several studies have shown that professional athletes found that ice therapy is effective in reducing exercise-induced muscle damage and delayed onset muscle soreness. The same study reported that using ice massage, cold water immersion, or whole-body cold therapy worked equally well. Another study found that a cold bath after exercise can help in preventing DOMS(Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) and it is more effective than resting.
When not to use?
Though cold therapy helps in easing pain, it is not suitable for all.
- People with sensory disorders should avoid it.
- People with diabetes complications should avoid cold therapy as it can result in nerve damage and lessens sensitivity.
- Cold therapy is not recommended for stiff muscles or joints.
- People with heart disease should avoid ice therapy.
Cold is not suitable if:
- there is a risk of cramping, as cold can make this worse
- the person is already cold or the area is already numb
- there is an open wound or blistered skin
- the person has some kind of vascular disease or injury, or sympathetic dysfunction, in which a nerve disorder affects blood flow
- the person is hypersensitive to cold
Cold therapy may not help after 48 hours of injury.
It is also not a replacement for a doctor’s treatment. It is just a temporary relief from pain and swelling.
How to apply ice correctly?
Ice packs are simple and easy to apply.
- The first rule is you should apply cold treatment as soon as possible after an injury.
- You can simply apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel to the affected area. Do not apply the ice directly as it can cause damage to the skin and tissues.
- Do not keep the ice pack for more than 15 minutes. You can reapply it several times a day.
- Reapply the ice pack several times a day.
Caution!
Do not apply the ice pack for more than 15 minutes as it can cause skin, nerve, and tissue damage. Also, you should never apply ice to the bony portions of the spinal column.
Heat therapy promotes blood flow and relaxes muscle pain. It can help in relieving chronic pain. Experts also suggest that applying heat and cold therapy alternately can help in reducing exercise-induced muscle pain.
Your Takeaway!
Cold therapy is a thousand-year-old tested and proven remedy to combat pain. But it is important to know how and when to use it. Applying an ice pack is beneficial in relieving swelling and acute pain. It is also a smart remedy for acne, insect bite, bruise, and puffy eyes.
However, ice therapy shall never be used as a replacement for a doctor’s treatment. The effects of ice therapy are temporary, as it numbs the area temporarily and it is not a permanent solution.
Also Read:
Home Remedies for Morning Foot Pain
Memory Foam Pillows for neck pain
Home Remedies for Shoulder Pain
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