ICE, YOUR NEW HERO!

This is a quick one, but this topic has come up more times than expected in the last 2 weeks. Last week and this week I have had two new patients come in with the exact same response. "Doc, I woke up one morning and just like that I couldn't even get up out of bed. I can't think of anything that I did to injure myself, it was just instant pain." They usually go on to tell me that they then proceeded to use heat, a heating pack, hot bath or shower and the only thing that happened over the next few days is that their symptoms got worse.

As a rule of thumb, this is not always, but in my opinion should probably be a 95% rule. When you have an acute or sudden injury, sprain, strain, or pain, please try ice first. It is not always the most pleasant but can save you a world or further trouble and aggravation. Most injuries initially involve swelling and inflammation. Heat, does a great job at increasing blood flow to an area and INCREASING further swelling or inflammation. This equals more pain and suffering on your behalf and no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Instead try ice. Ice is great at DECREASING blood flow temporarily in that area, REDUCING swelling and inflammation and is also a natural analgesic or pain reliever. So lay off the aspirin or Motrin if possible, get an ice pack on there and see what miracles are possible.

Icing guidelines:
1. Use a proper ice pack or ice in a sealed zip-lock bag. (A bag of pees gets warm too fast).
2. Put a paper towel or thin T-Shirt between you and the ice pack. (Freezer burn is not fun and can leave permanent scarring).
3. Ice for 15-20 minutes depending on the area. Take ice off for a minimum of 40-60 minutes.
4. Repeat step 3, 3-4 times per day for maximum results.
5. Any questions, please do not assume and call our office.

Any injury that requires significant icing, pain medication or impairs your function should be properly evaluated by a health care professional sooner than later. Early action can drastically reduce downtime and improve complete healing.

Happy Icing!

~Dr. Cynowa