Icing is an important part of aftercare for most types of surgery. Cold therapy helps to minimize post-operative pain and swelling. It is more than a matter of comfort. It actually helps you heal faster. After orthopedic surgery, cold therapy plays an important role in your physical therapy and rehabilitation.

Swelling

Swelling is an inevitable result of surgery. Surgery is essentially an injury. Blood and fluids flow into the injured area and collect there. This damages the tissues and causes pressure and pain. Cold therapy constricts the blood vessels, slowing the flow of the fluids to the area.

Pain

Uncontrolled pain is more than an unpleasant experience. Pain control is associated with better outcomes and fewer complications after surgery. Effective pain control stays ahead of the pain. If you delay treating the pain until you are already in pain it is much more difficult to get it under control.

After surgery your doctor will normally give you pain medication and you should take it as directed. Cold therapy can reduce your need for pain killing drugs and help relieve the pain when the drugs are not enough.

Cold therapy reduces the inflammation and swelling and also acts as a local anesthesia. It minimizes the nerve impulses reducing the pain signals that are sent to the brain and preventing muscle spasms.

The application of ice stimulates the release of endorphins. Endorphins speed healing and help your body fight off infection.

Orthopedic Surgery

Orthopedic surgery is surgery on your muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, or joints. Knee surgery, hip replacement, and many common surgeries fall under orthopedic surgery. One thing that all of these surgeries have in common is the need for physical therapy during recovery. You have to get moving to get well, and the sooner you can do it the better.

Cold therapy can enable you to get moving sooner, and to do it without hurting yourself. Ice wraps can be worn before, during, and after exercise to prevent inflammation. Cold therapy reduces your pain, so you can tolerate the movement, but it does not blunt the pain in the way that medications can. Pain is an important warning that you are injuring yourself. With cold therapy those warning signals still get through.

I.C.E. DOWN ice wraps are designed to fit specific body parts. You can order your ice wraps in advance and have the gel packs frozen and ready to use as soon as you get home from surgery. Talk to your doctor about cold therapy before you go in for surgery. Be sure to follow your post-operative instructions to the letter.

To learn more about I.C.E. DOWN cold therapy ice wraps for post-surgical cold therapy, or to place an order, please visit our online store today.