How Does Ice Reduce Swelling
You always here the phrase "Put Ice on it" after an injury, but you don't realize how ice actually helps to reduce the swelling or how ice helps an injury. Here is how ice reduces swelling in your muscles and helps an injury.
Ice could actually help an injuries duration go from weeks to days. When you injure yourself the tissues in your muscles have internal bleeding and the cold compressed against that area stops it. Swelling is the natural reaction from the body after an injury which occurs in a persons muscles. When damage is inflicted upon the small blood vessels in your muscles is causes the swelling reaction. The reason you feel pain during swelling is because upon injury your blood vessels release harmful chemicals that make you feel pain.
How does ice reduce swelling?
When ice is applied to the swollen muscles it makes the blood vessels in that muscles smaller in diameter. The ice will limit the actual amount of blood that is exposed to the injured area of the muscle that will result in less fluid that will leak into the injured muscles or tissues. It basically will make the healing process faster by exceeding the process. Ice doesn't only reduce swelling, but it reduces the amount of pain if not all of it.
How long should I put Ice on my injury?
You should apply ice to your injury immediately after impact or as soon as you can. The longer you wait the less effective the ice will be. Apply ice for 15-20 minutes at a time taking an equal break of 15-20 minutes in between sessions. You should never apply ice for longer than 20 minutes at a time because that could have a negative impact on your muscles. If you're are still confused or use a different type of cooling material than please see a doctor.
How does ice help an injury?
This is basically the same concept as I mentioned earlier with the swelling. The cold will constrict blood vessels and reduce the pain by stopping the inflammation in your muscles.
How is icing an injury different from heating in injury?
From what I know heat is meant to relax the muscles and loosen the muscles up. Heat Is better used before you are going to use the injured muscle. Ice makes muscles more stiff and it isn't good a good idea to use ice before sports because it makes it easier for injury.
Published by Bradley McClain
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