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How Does Ice Help With Swelling?

The first thing most people do when they get a bruise or sprain is to "ice it" -- apply an ice pack to the injury. Applying cold packs on an injury is a centuries-old practice that is a standard medical treatment today in hospitals worldwide. Applying ice can help you recover quickly from minor injuries if it's done correctly. Applying ice incorrectly or too much can do more harm than good.

  1. How Swelling Occurs

    • Any trauma to the body -- a bruise, sprain or muscle pull, or bone fracture -- can cause swelling. When you injure a part of your body, the soft tissues surrounding the injured area also are injured, and the fibers of the affected muscle or tendon are disrupted. Capillaries, the tiny blood vessels that supply oxygenated blood to the affected tissues, break and leak blood and serum into the adjacent tissues, which results in localized swelling.

    How Ice Helps Swelling

    • Applying ice to an injury forces the broken capillaries to constrict, stopping the leakage of blood and serum. When the leakage stops, the swelling is minimized and pain is relieved. Ice can prevent swelling if you apply it immediately after the injury occurs.

    Ice Versus Heat

    • Applying heat to an injury has the opposite effect of applying ice. Heat causes the broken, leaking capillaries to widen, increasing the leakage of blood and serum into the affected tissues. This can cause inflammation and slow healing. Heat applications are more appropriate for chronic injuries like repetitive strain or overuse injuries, because increased blood flow to the injured area accelerates healing.

    Proper Application

    • The proper way to apply ice is to crush it, place it in a plastic bag and cover the bag with a wet towel. The crushed ice conforms readily to the shape of the injured body part. You could also use a bag of frozen vegetables. Apply the ice pack to the injured area for 20 minutes, then remove it for 20 to 40 minutes to avoid injury to the skin from the ice. You may need to do this a few times during the day.

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