How Cold Therapy Soothes Pain and Inflammation
Most of us have used an ice pack or at least a bag of frozen vegetables at one point or another. Maybe you wanted to soothe that dull ache after a hard workout or you suffered a sprained ankle and want to relieve the swelling. If you’ve tried an ice pack, you’ve tried a version of old therapy. It seems to work like magic to help ease discomfort. But what is the science behind the relief?
Cold Therapy: Turning Down the Heat on Inflammation
When you damage tissues, your body triggers an inflammation response. The inflammation is a natural side-effect of your body sending blood and fluid to the injury. Inflammation can then trigger a cascading series of events like swelling and red-hot pain. Cold therapy acts as a kind of fire extinguisher, reducing your inflammation response in several ways:
- Vascular Constriction: Applying cold to an inflamed area causes blood vessels to narrow. That restricts the blood flow to the injured area. Cold temperatures cause blood vessels to narrow, restricting blood flow to the injured area. Less blood means less inflammatory cells and fluids reaching the injured area and that reduces swelling and pain.
- Numbing Effects: Cold therapy can have a numbing effect on the nerves surrounding your injury. In other words, it interrupts the pain path traveling from your injury to your brain. This provides some temporary relief.
- Muscle Relaxation: A published study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research investigated the effects of cryotherapy (a form of cold therapy using extreme cold temperatures) on muscle soreness after eccentric exercise. The study found that cold therapy applied immediately after exercise and repeated over several days helped reduce muscle soreness and improve muscle function compared to a placebo group.
- Reduction of Opioid Consumption: Over-prescription of opioids presents a challenge for healthcare providers: how to effectively manage pain after surgery or injury without relying on these risky medications. Cold therapy emerges as a promising solution. It’s a proven method to reduce reliance on opioids for pain control, offering comfort and relief during recovery from injury or surgery.
The Long-Term Benefits of Cold Therapy
Reducing pain, swelling and inflammation are immediately noticeable benefits of cold therapy, but cold has some longer-term advantages as well.
- Faster Healing: By minimizing inflammation, cold therapy may promote faster tissue healing and recovery.
- Improved Mobility: Reduced swelling and muscle relaxation can lead to improved range of motion and flexibility in the affected area.
- Pain Management: Cold therapy can be a valuable tool for managing chronic pain conditions like arthritis.
Cold Therapy is Not a One-Size-Fits-All Solution
That ice pack or bag of frozen peas is an inadequate solution for cold therapy. They are not the right size or shape for your body and they quickly come to room temperature. A cold therapy unit like the Sierra Cold Therapy System has customizable time and temperature settings to help your healthcare professional dial in a solution for a safe, positive outcome from your cold therapy. Sierra features specialized pads designed to mold comfortably to specific body parts. This targeted application ensures more effective and consistent cooling throughout the treatment.
Specialized pads fit your body and offer hands-free application and adjustable compression for added comfort. Additionally, by circulating cool water through the pads, Sierra eliminates the need for constant ice pack replacements. Temperature control is built right in so you get the best options for cold therapy:
- Targeted and controlled cooling experience
- Comfortable and convenient application
- Adjustable temperature and treatment duration
- Hygienic and environmentally friendly approach
Ready to Experience the Power of Cold Therapy?
Cold therapy can be a valuable addition to your pain management toolkit. For more information, contact us today or download our Sierra Cold Therapy Brochure. Remember, for the best results, it’s important to use cold therapy correctly and in conjunction with other treatment modalities as recommended by your healthcare professional.