Cold Therapy Gel Pack for Pain Relief

Ice therapy or cold therapy is one of the simplest, safest and the most effective techniques to perform at the ease of one’s home if a person is suffering from an injury, pain or discomfort in muscles or joints. Cold gel pack will work by reducing blood flow to that particular area, decreasing muscle spasms, pain and inflammation, especially around a joint or a tendon. Usually cold therapy is used in the initial stage of an injury when the discomfort or pain is at its peak. Using a therapy gel pack can temporarily reduce the nerve activity, which can also relieve the overall pain and discomfort.

With all those ice bags and reusable ice substitutes available out there in the market you might be wondering what is the easiest and most effective method to use. Therapy gel packs are considered most effective because they are pliable like crushed ice and this product conforms to whatever body part you’re putting them on.

Cold therapy is generally most helpful during the first 24-72 hours following an injury that strains the muscles. After this initial period, heat therapy should be used to boost the healing process.

Some facts about cold therapy:

• Cold therapy can be used along with compression or support when you are treating acute injuries.
• Implementing cold therapy is a more reasonable option than anti-inflammatory drugs. However, unlike cold therapy they may delay healing with acute injuries like sprains, strains and fractures.
• The use of cold therapy is just one step in your treatment program. Even if symptoms are relieved, there is always a need for exercising to restore flexibility and joint motion to strengthen the muscles and for overall general fitness.

There are many types of cold therapy packs or ice packs available which are used for relief of pain and inflammation. All the options are equally effective and users can select whichever works best for them based on personal preference, budget and convenience. We recommend buying the reusable cold pack or ice pack. You can easily find reusable ice packs, those filled with gel, are available easily online or at general merchandise stores. These cold packs can be kept in the freezer ready for use when required, and can be re-frozen or heated according to what kind of injury you have. The reusable therapy packs are an economical and inexpensive alternative.

What precautions to take while applying a cold pack?

As with all pain relief treatments there are some cautions also when applying ice or using cold therapy. When applying ice or therapy packs to an injury, be sure to limit the application to no more than 20 minutes with a time interval of every two to four hours. Generally doctors recommend ice to treat acute injury over a period of 24 to 72 hours. When you are not feeling your skin or start getting a numb feeling it’s a sign that you should give a break to the injured part from a cold pack. Prolonged and direct contact can be harmful and cause damage to skin tissues and nerves so always be sure to use your therapy pack with a cover.

• Only use the gel pack application to no more than fifteen or twenty minutes at a time.
• Cold therapy should not be applied directly to the skin. Understand that there must always be a protective barrier between your skin and gel pack, you can use a towel or some of the gel packs also come with a cover.
• If you have any medical conditions like diabetes, poor circulation, arthritis, skin allergic conditions or any certain areas in your body with impaired sensation, we recommend you to avoid using cold therapy or talk with your physician or health professional before using it for an injury.