What does cold therapy mean?
Cold therapy, i.e. cryotherapy, is the treatment of the body with cooling - this method reduces inflammation; It is effective in case of injury, pain.
During cold therapy, ice wrapped in fabric is placed on the damaged/traumatized area and in this way, it reduces pain and swelling. Due to the artificially lowered temperature, the process of blood flow decreases in a specific area.
This method is often used in the joint, tendon area.
Treatment methods with cold therapy are:
- Ice pack
- Cool liquid spray;
- Massage using ice;
- Ice bath and more.
Cold therapy is not suitable for people who have reduced sensations, for example, if you have difficulty in adequately perceiving the temperature, you will not understand how cold the fabric or water is for your body, which in itself will cause serious complications.
Cold therapy is not allowed for muscle or joint sprains.
This method should not be used if you have a history of poor blood circulation.
When treating at home, never apply ice or an ice pack directly to the skin - the ice should always be wrapped in a cloth. When ice comes into direct contact with the body, the skin structure and tissues are damaged.
However, cold therapy is recommended only for a certain period of time. Use it several times a day and each session should last 10-15 minutes at most. It is preferable to keep the injured area, for example, a limb, elevated parallel to it.
Source:
https://www.healthline.com/health/chronic-pain/treating-pain-with-heat-and-cold#takeaway
