Why Cold Therapy?
Cold therapy is noted for killing pain, reducing swelling, and lowering metabolic activity. Cold' s pain-killing effect is caused by its 'deadening' of nerve-cell activity; hospital studies show that patients who use cold therapy on injuries tend to require much less pain medication.
Combined with compression, cold therapy can produce dramatic drops in tissue swelling, because cold initially constricts the walls of blood vessels and compression restricts the amount of blood which can reach an injured body part (another therapeutic intervention, elevation, helps to 'drain' a damaged body region of excess fluid).
Studies show that cold therapy produces large decreases in oedema (swelling) and better reduction in discomfort, compared to heating.
Cold decreases muscle spasms by making muscles less sensitive to being stretched, and, like heat, cold can be used to treat lower-back pain. Research suggests that cold therpey works better for individuals who have had back pain for more than 14 days, while heat may be more effective for those with more recent pain.
Combined with compression, cold therapy can produce dramatic drops in tissue swelling, because cold initially constricts the walls of blood vessels and compression restricts the amount of blood which can reach an injured body part (another therapeutic intervention, elevation, helps to 'drain' a damaged body region of excess fluid).
Studies show that cold therapy produces large decreases in oedema (swelling) and better reduction in discomfort, compared to heating.
Cold decreases muscle spasms by making muscles less sensitive to being stretched, and, like heat, cold can be used to treat lower-back pain. Research suggests that cold therpey works better for individuals who have had back pain for more than 14 days, while heat may be more effective for those with more recent pain.
