| |
| |
|
Medicine Information brought to you by discount drugs and med4.com |
|
|
|
The Power of Ice
Using ice to treat injuries is one of the oldest methods of pain control. Proven to be safe and effective at reducing swelling, relieving pain and decreasing muscle spasms, ice therapy is an easy self-care technique that anyone can administer. Every mother knows to put ice on a bruised knee after a soccer game or on a teething toddler's tender gums. But do you really know how ice works? Cold therapy, also known as cryotherapy, works on the principle of heat exchange. This occurs when you place a cooler object in direct contact with an object of warmer temperature, such as ice against skin. The cooler object will absorb the heat of the warmer object. Why is this important when it comes to cold therapy? After an injury, blood vessels that deliver oxygen and nutrients to cells are damaged. The cells around the injury increase their metabolism in an effort to consume more oxygen. When all of the oxygen is used up, the cells die. Also, the damaged blood vessels cannot remove waste. Blood cells and fluid seep into spaces around the muscle, resulting in swelling and bruising. When ice is applied, it lowers the temperature of the damaged tissue through heat exchange and constricts local blood vessels. This slows metabolism and the consumption of oxygen, therefore reducing the rate of cell damage and decreasing fluid build-up. Ice can also numb nerve endings. This stops the transfer of impulses to the brain that register as pain. Most therapists and doctors advise not to use heat right after an injury, as this will have the opposite effect of ice. Heat increases blood flow and relaxes muscles. It's good for easing tight muscles, but will only increase the pain and swelling of an injury by accelerating metabolism. When it comes to cooling devices, different effects will result due to the device's ability to exchange heat. Crushed ice packs do a better job at cooling the body than chemical or gel packs, because they last longer and are able to draw four times the amount of heat out of tissue. The important difference is that ice packs undergo phase change, allowing them to last longer at an even temperature, creating a more effective treatment. Most chemical or one-time-use packs and gel packs do not undergo phase change. They quickly loose their ability to transfer heat, limiting their effectiveness to reduce swelling. Their short duration of cold is not long enough to produce numbness, also reducing their ability to relieve pain. Cold therapy should always be used as soon as possible after an injury occurs and continued for the following 48 hours at 15 to 20 minute intervals. Remember - if you hurt yourself, you need to ice! This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical treatment or consultation. Always consult with your physician in the event of a serious injury. About The Author Louise Roach is the editor of an on-line health and fitness newsletter. She has been instrumental in the research, testing and development of SnowPack, a patented cold therapy that exhibits the same qualities as ice. Her injury prevention and treatment articles have been published on running, walking and fitness websites. For more information visit: http://www.snowpackusa.com or NewsFlash*SnowPack at: http://home.netcom.com/~newsflash. Louise Roach can be reached at: info@snowpackusa.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Medicine - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Equine Cushings Cure Equine Cushings disease is caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland, which is responsible for the production and regulation of hormones. Symptoms include a long, shaggy coat that does not shed, excessive drinking and urination, laminitis, a tendency for recurring infections in the hoof (foot abscesses), and a loss of muscle mass, especially along the topline and rump. Sinusitis: Sinus Infection Deals a Corporate KO Sinusitis and Sinus Infection Starts with a Little SniffleYes, I hear it too. A simple sniffle in a distant cubical. Cetyl Myristoleate for Arthrtis: Science or Speculation There are a lot of fabulous stories about Cetyl Myristoleate (also known as CMO or CM) floating across the Internet. Mine is one of them. Drug Interactions: Five Common Dangerous Interactions You Should Know About Prescription drugs can save your life. But interactions between prescription drugs and other drugs or with illnesses or conditions you have can lead to significant consequences. Alzheimers Toxin May Be Key To Slowing Disease Australian scientists say they have identified a toxin which plays a key role in the onset of Alzheimer's, raising hope that a drug targeting the toxin could be developed to slow the degenerative brain disease.The toxin, called quinolinic acid, kills nerve cells in the brain, leading to dysfunction and death, the scientists said. Food for Thought Depression is a disorder marked by sadness, low energy, impaired concentration, and feelings of dejection. Some people believe that depression is normal. Warning! Flu Shots Can Be Dangerous To Your Health Every year about this time doctors around the world are recommending that people go in and get their annual flu shot. What most people don't know or understand is just how dangerous this could be, especially for children under the age of 12. Low Blood Pressure - Why is Your Blood Pressure Low? Why is your blood pressure low?As a doctor with an interest in the subject, I'm often asked if a low blood pressure is normal or if such a reading indicates some abnormal process in the body? In fact - it can be difficult to precisely define what we mean by low blood pressure. It all really depends on what's normal for you as an individual. Phentermine Diet Pills: When Diet and Exercise Arent Enough To Help You Lose Weight Have you been struggling to lose weight, but diet and exercise aren't giving you the results you need to be healthy? Are you sick of people telling you that you could lose weight if only you had the will-power? It may be time to ask a physician about a phentermine prescription.What is Phentermine?Remember those 50s movies in which women lost weight by taking amphetamines? We know now that amphetamines can be very dangerous, so they don't make safe weight-loss drugs. Robotic Future of Hospitals; Pandemic Prevention and Bio-Terrorist Attack There is a huge concern in the medical industry that if a biological weapon were released that those sick might come to the hospitals in such large numbers that before you realized an attack had occurred everyone in every nearby hospital would also be infected. Then of course the hospital itself would be rendered useless and all those already in the hospital no matter what the reason would literally condemned. Medical Tests: What Does a Normal Range Mean? We have a marvelous array of medical tests available to us. Many of them-typically blood-tests-even come with results expressed in numbers signifying the exact quantity of something that was measured. Generic Drugs: How They Cost You Less? If you are wondering why the chemist has charged much less than what you expected then it is not because he has developed sudden liking for you or the government decided to subsidized your medical bill.It is possible because you are getting cheaper generic alternative of some expensive brand name medication. Zicam Side Effects: Shortens Colds But Permanently Destroys Sense of Smell Zicam is a homeopathic intranasal zinc remedy that is intended to reduce the length of a cold. It is either taken in a spray or a swab. Christopher Reeve To Have Promoted Basement Lab Chrisopher Reeve has died. But his vision of a "Cure" has not. The Unique Benefits of Medical Adjustable Beds With more medical advantages, an adjustable bed finds more functions in a hospital or a nursing home. It provides relief to people who are bed-ridden or those who have to stay in bed for long hours and can be adjusted either manually or electrically. Chronic Headaches and Pain Often Can Be Eliminated By A Special Dentist DENVER - Sometimes as Freud once said a good cigar is just a smoke. A headache, on the other hand, occasionally can be a sign of something much more serious than just a headache. Ingrown Toe Nails Medical Treatment Medical Care:Treatment options depend on the stage of ingrown toenails, medically known as onychocryptosis.Stage 1 can be managed by recommending shoes with a comfortable wide toe box or open-toed shoes. Affordable Drugs: Saving Money by Splitting Pills One of the least appreciated cost-savers in medical treatment is the simple act of splitting pills. Suppose you're a U. Rebound Headache - Stop The Cycle You've been getting headaches. Finally, you find some medications that are making a difference. Doc, My Tummy Aches and My Joints Hurt! Is there a connection? Inflammatory disease of the bowel- regional enteritis (Crohn's disease) and ulcerative colitis- are often associated with arthritis. This occurs because inflammation in the bowel and the joints may share a common immunological abnormality.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
