How Cold Compression Therapy Improves Patient Recovery

Athletes, workout enthusiasts, and surgery patients are raving about cold therapy. Why? Because it relieves muscle soreness and pain and leads to faster recovery times. The therapy is based on the medical prescription called RICE. 

RICE represents a recuperation method that includes Rest, Ice (cold therapy), Compression, and Elevation. When you combine these measures into a recovery plan, wounds heal faster, swelling goes down, and you experience pain relief.

Compression and Cold Therapy: How they Work Together

When compression is used with cold treatments, it reduces swelling. Swelling after surgery affects the nerves at the surgical site, thereby increasing discomfort and pain. Because compression minimizes swelling, the resulting pain is reduced as well.

Therefore, cold therapy, including compression, revitalizes and restores when used for treating sprains, a muscular injury, or after-surgery pain and discomfort. Cold treatments differ from heat treatments as a cold application constricts blood flow, which, again, reduces swelling and pain. That is why the treatment is advised for new injuries or post-surgical care. If you need further information.

When Heat Therapy Is Used

To treat joint discomfort or muscular spasms, doctors recommend heat therapy. Unlike a cold treatment, the application of heat increases blood flow, which alleviates joint soreness and calms stress-related discomfort or stiffness. If swelling is not present, heat supports revitalization and recovery.

If you’ve recently had surgery, you can treat any discomfort with a cold treatment unit that offers portability and consistent cooling. It does this by using the same type of motor found in fridges and air conditioners. However, this motor is much smaller.

Consistent Cooling and Pain Relief

Select a magnet-driven system with a brushless motor that makes barely a whisper of a sound. Doing so will also give you the rest you need to make a quicker recovery. When you use a cold treatment unit that provides ongoing cooling at the same temperature, you’ll also enjoy optimum cooling for a longer time. 

The key to cold therapy is to numb the pain, reduce blood flow to lessen discomfort and swelling, and prevent or lessen blood coagulation and bruising. Because the blood flow is slowed, any bruising starts to fade fairly fast.

The secret is a high ice-to-water ratio, reducing the heat transfer from the unit to the iced water supply. Because the motor sits on the outside of the unit’s chamber, heat conduction  slows substantially. An insulated interior and a lockable lid ensures ongoing cooling and better treatment results.

What a Cold Therapy and Compression Device Includes

This type of cold therapy unit comes with a hose, power supply, and instructions. Pads are provided for applying the cold to the surgery site. In turn, the patient receives continuous cooling to areas such as the shoulder, back, hand, ankle, hip, or knee. 

Patients can also use pads with after-care bracing. The ergonomic pads mimic the natural contours of the body for enhanced patient care.

Recuperate Faster with a Cold Therapy and Compression Device

By using the right cold therapy device, your after-surgery therapy will be both successful and quick. Review the benefits of cold therapy if you’re planning on having surgery anytime soon.