Your natural reaction if you burn your hand is to hold it under a flow of cold water. If you trap your finger somewhere, you’ll likely blow on it. In both cases, you’ve experienced trauma and your brain is guiding you to cool down the affected area as much as possible. Applying this same principle to treating tissue injuries with ice packs can help with recovery.
The benefits of ice, particularly ice baths, have become more fashionable over recent years, thanks to an explosion of enthusiasts taking to social media to share their experiences. However, the idea of an ice bath dates right back to ancient Greece, where water at various temperatures was used to help ease muscle fatigue and other health ailments.
While an ice bath isn’t for everyone, using ice packs to target a particular area of injury is usually high up on our recommendation list here at Ashleigh Clinic.
The effects of ice
When we injure an area of tissue, the temperature of the local area increases to higher than normal body temperature (36.9°C). When trauma occurs, there is a sudden release of toxins and irritants acting as an early warning sign to the brain to say that we are injured.
By applying an ice pack to the local area, we reduce the local tissue temperature and slow down the over excited and damaged cells. For the first 5 minutes or so, your blood vessels will narrow (known as vasoconstriction), which reduces local blood flow to the injured area and therefore reduces bleeding from damaged capillaries. This slows down cellular activity, reducing the release of pro inflammatory agents so helping reduce local soft tissue swelling and acting as a natural pain killer.
A reflex reaction then starts after 10 minutes, known as the Lewis hunting reflex (named after Thomas Lewis who first described the effect in 1930). When applying the cold pack, blood vessels initially constrict and then start to open and close in a shunting action. This alternating vasoconstriction and vasodilation continues preserving blood flow to the injured area whilst reducing the tissue temperature and reducing pain.
When the ice pack is removed, there is a significant dilation of the blood vessels engorging the area with new blood, oxygen and nutrients. This initiates the process of cellular repair whilst removing damaged cells and irritants. A good example of this is when you are outside in the snow and your hands become frozen. When you return inside, your hands start to throb, turning red and feeling hot.
A word of caution
While ice packs are great for treating a whole host of injuries, they should be avoided if you have any of the following:
Deep vein thrombosis
Peripheral vascular disease
Open wounds
Hypersensitivity to cold
Sensory impairment or impaired circulation
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
Paroxysmal cold haemoglobinuria
Raynaud’s disease
Haemoglobinuria
Cryoglobulinemia
Urticaria
What to expect
When you apply a cold pack always use a cover to protect your skin. This could be a small hand towel or paper kitchen roll. The first thing you’ll feel is cold. This may be slightly uncomfortable but should not be painful. Ultimately, in a very short period of time, the area can start to feel numb and comforting.
When used safely, ice packs are an extremely cost-effective and easy way to:
Decrease swelling
Ease pain
Reduce inflammation
Decrease muscle spasm
Improve function
Improve circulation
Stimulate your immune system
Increase oxygen and nutrients for cellular repair
We recommend applying them multiple times a day for 10-20 minutes each time.
If you’re unsure of whether to use an ice pack, or have any questions, please give us a call on 0116 270 7948.
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