Cryotherapy is defined as the use of cold temperature as a form of treatment for an injury. Although cryotherapy dates back to the ancient Greeks (Hippocrates), it is only recently (1940's) that cold has been used extensively for the treatment of acute and subacute injuries, and rehabilitation. There are many types of cold therapy pack on the market for swelling and bruising.

Cold therapy, also known as cryotherapy, works on the principle of heat exchange. This happens when a cooler object comes in direct contact with an object of warmer temperature, such the skin. The cooler object will absorb the heat of the warmer object. When ice is applied, it lowers the temperature. Ice can also numb your nerve endings. This stops the transfer of impulses to the brain that register as pain.

Crushed ice packs work at cooling the body as do chemical or gel packs. The packs 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.

There are many cold therapy packs on the market. Frozen vegetables have also been a source of relief for swelling and bruising. The issue with peas or vegetables is that that become mushy when thawed and can be known to leak and stain if not packaged properly. The advantages of peas are that they contour the injury, are light and offer the correct temperature relief. More info about the use of frozen peas for swelling can be found at www.peapodz101.com. This seems to be a new reusable cold therapy pack that encompasses the quality of frozen peas and much more.

Cold compression therapy is used to reduce pain and swelling from a sports or activity injury to soft tissues; including surgeries. The therapy is especially useful for sprains, strains, pulled muscles and pulled ligaments.

Cold compression wraps should be used for 20 minutes every two hours the first day a soft tissue injury occurs. Thereafter they should be used 2 to 3 times a day until pain and swelling diminishes.