The common reasons to utilized an ice pack is to reduce pain and swelling as well as promote the healing process. Certain injuries such as ankle sprains, back pain, tendonitis, shoulder dislocations and other sports injuries require the application of an ice pack but usual daily accidents can greatly benefit as well such as head bumps, falls and stubbed toes.
When using an ice pack, proper care must be observed on how it is used such as the time span of the application. There are several mistakes when using cold therapy that you should avoid such as the following:
Applying an ice pack for a long period
If an ice pack is applied too long on an injured body part, it can result to permanent nerve damage. With this in mind, it is vital to carefully follow the instructions given by the doctor when using an ice pack.
Ice pack on unprotected skin
Even though exposure to cold can reduce the swelling and pain, an ice pack can also stop the flow of blood if left on the skin too long. Due to this, a bag of frozen vegetables must be covered with a clean cloth or towel if applied on the extremities particularly the toes.
In case an injury occurs in an area with minimal fat or muscle below the skin such as the fingers, the ice pack should be removed after 10 minutes and wait for 5 minutes and reapply the pack.
Not enough rest
The application of cold is not a cure-all remedy and even if the regular icing routine is followed after an injury, the individual should also rest to complete the healing process.
If cold therapy is used and the individual does not rest, the pain and swelling that was relieved by the cold might recur and even make the initial injury worse.
Lack of elevation
Since rest is a vital part of treatment, minimizing the swelling is also essential. Since this requires elevation of the injured part above the level of the heart, you have to apply an ice pack while it is raised.
If this is not done, you are simply minimizing the pain by numbing the affected area with cold but the swelling will not subside without elevation.
Lack of compression
Along with elevation of the affected body part, the muscles that are involved in the injury should be applied with cold to minimize the swelling. Make sure that the ice pack is evenly applied on the area and in a secure manner to ensure that it receives the full effect of the treatment.
If the compression provided is not enough, the swelling will subside but it will not last and the level of pain will not reduce.