Can ice reduce swelling and relieve pain?

If you like sports, applying ice can have a good improvement effect if you get injured. Moreover, ice application is the favorite method used by doctors and physical therapists in the West, and it can have a good analgesic effect on the injured area in a short period of time. Swelling is common when an injury occurs. So, can ice reduce swelling and relieve pain? Let’s take a look below.

Ice compress can reduce swelling. It is suitable for acute soft tissue injuries. If applied locally within 24 hours, it can reduce swelling, relieve pain, stop bleeding and relieve pain.

Why does ice reduce swelling?

The reason why ice compress can relieve pain and swelling is that the lower temperature can radiately stimulate local blood vessel contraction, reduce local congestion and swelling, and prevent further internal bleeding in time. Then, through secondary vascular stimulation, it will improve local blood circulation and reduce local swelling. In addition, ice compress can also help reduce inflammation and relieve pain through stress response.

Why can't you use ice?

1. When acupuncture is used to treat chronic inflammation that causes pain, local swelling, and increased skin temperature, it is not advisable to use ice compresses.

2. In case of large-area tissue damage or septic shock, ice compress should not be used to avoid tissue necrosis.

3. People with chronic inflammation or suppurative infection should not use ice compresses to avoid hindering the absorption of inflammation.

4. Do not use it behind the pillow, on the ears, or on the scrotum to avoid frostbite. Ice compresses should be applied to the abdomen to prevent diarrhea. Patients with coronary heart disease and high fever should avoid ice compresses on the soles of the feet.

Methods of reducing swelling after trauma

Reduced activity

Regardless of the cause of the limb injury and swelling, you should try to rest as much as possible during this period, and it is best to reduce activity on the injured part. During the recovery period, you should try to avoid weight bearing and raise the affected limb. This can promote venous return and effectively improve local blood circulation, thereby reducing edema. But be sure to note that if you have just been injured, you should try to avoid rubbing or massaging to prevent the redness and swelling from becoming more obvious.

At the same time, patients should also pay attention to their daily diet after being injured. They should try to eat less irritating foods and hair-raising foods, as these foods may cause the symptoms of redness and swelling to become more obvious.

Heat

24 hours after the injury, if there is no bleeding or other symptoms, hot compresses can be used. This can accelerate local blood circulation, thereby better reducing swelling and relieving pain. In addition, hot compress can also promote tissue repair, absorption of metabolic products and blood stasis. In addition to hot compresses, you can also use Chinese herbal decoctions that have the effects of promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, reducing swelling and relieving pain to hot compress or soak the affected area. This will make the treatment effect more obvious.

Because some sprains are difficult to distinguish from fractures and bone cracks, if the patient feels that the injury is serious, he should go to the hospital as soon as possible for timely treatment and swelling reduction to avoid delaying the best treatment time.

Skin cleansing

Regardless of the cause of the limb injury, in addition to taking measures to reduce swelling and relieve pain, it is also very important to clean the skin of the affected area. Especially in the hot summer, the large amount of sweat secretion at this time will lead to the growth of bacteria. If you do not pay attention to regular cleaning, it will induce infection.

There are many ways to reduce swelling and relieve pain. The above are the most effective and convenient physical pain relief methods in life. If these methods are not effective, you should take medications that have swelling and pain relief effects in time.