How to Make a Cold Compress, Plus Uses and More

How to use a cold compress for injuries ; Ice, Put a cold compress on the area as soon as possible. This will help reduce inflammation, bleeding, and bruising ... HealthlineHealthConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectSubscribeFitnessGetMotivatedFindYourMovementLevelUpExercise+ConditionsRestandRecoverSupportYourJourneyExercisewithUsEverythingYouNeedtoKnowAboutUsingaColdCompressMedicallyreviewedbyCarissaStephens,R.N.,CCRN,CPN—WrittenbyJenniferPurdie—UpdatedonAugust7,2017InstructionsForinjuriesOtherusesCautionTakeawayBenefitsIcecandecreaseswellingandinflammationandhelpstopbleeding.Thecoldrestrictsbloodcirculation,whichinturncannumbthepain.Itcanalsohelplimitanybruising.Youcankeepinstantcoldpacksinyourhomefirst-aidkitorinyourcarincaseofemergencies.Instantcoldpackshavechemicalsthatactivatewhenyousqueezethepack.Youcanalsomakecoldcompresseswithmaterialsfoundrightyourownhome.Evenifyoudon’tlikeiceinyourdrinks,keepingextraiceinthefreezercanbeagoodidea.That’sbecauseicecanhelpyoumakeacoldcompressquickly,easily,andaffordably.Readontolearneverythingaboutwhentouseacoldcompress,howtomakeone,andforhowlongtouseit.HowtomakeanduseyourowncoldcompressTomakeyourowncoldcompress,you’llneed:ice(orfrozenvegetables)washclothwaterplasticbagtowelStep1:Placeicecubesinaplasticbag.Youcanalsosubstituteicewithabagoffrozenfood.It’sbesttousesmallervegetablessothebagwillsitwellonyourskin.Ifyoudoneedtouseabagoffrozenfood,fillupicecubetraysinthemeantime.Thatway,youhaveabackupwhenthebagoffrozenfoodthawsout.Youcanalsouseatoweltomakeacoldcompressifyoudon’thaveice:Dampenatowelwithcoldwaterandplaceitinasealableplasticbag.Putthebaginthefreezerfor15minutes.Coldcompressesmadefromwettowelsmaybemorecomfortableforsensitiveareas,suchastheeyes.Step2:Runawashclothundercoldwaterandthenwrapitaroundtheplasticbagofice.Youcanalsodipthewashclothintoanicebathifyoudon’tthinkit’stoocoldagainstyourskin.Step3:Placethehomemadecompressonyourskinforupto20minutes.Step4:Drytheareawithatowelafteryou’redone.Youcanalsodabtheskinasyouholdtheicepackonyourself.Theicemaystartmeltingprettyquickly.Reapply:Forswelling,reapplythecompressaftertwohours.Keepdoingthisuntiltheswellinggoesaway.HowtouseacoldcompressforinjuriesIthelpstoicetheinjurywithinthefirst48hours.Immediatetreatmentisbetter.Avoidusingcoldcompressesformorethan20minutesatatime.It’sbesttoalternatebetween20minutesonand20minutesoff.Youcankeepicingfordaysifneeded.Thereisnosetamountoftimeinwhichyouneedtostop.However,considermakinganappointmentwiththedoctorifyoudon’tseeimprovementwithin48to72hours.Also,besuretofollowtheotherstepsintheRICEsystemifyouhaveaninjury:RestAvoidusingtheinjuredarea.Onlydoactivitiesasyourbodyallows.IcePutacoldcompressontheareaassoonaspossible.Thiswillhelpreduceinflammation,bleeding,andbruisingrightaway.CompressWraptheareawithabandage.Keepanelasticbandageinyourfirst-aidkitforthis.ElevateKeeptheinjuryaboveyourhearttodecreaseswelling.Forexample,ifyouinjuryyourleg,laydownwithyourlegontopofastackofpillows.Youcandothesamewithanarminjury.Youcanalsotakeanonsteroidalanti-inflammatorydrug(NSAID)suchasibuprofenorTylenol.TakingNSAIDswhileusingcoldcompressescanhelptreatpainmoreeffectively.Readmore:Howtotreataswolleneyelid»Coldcompressforfever,eyes,andmoreYoucanplaceacoldcompressanywhereonyourbody,includingyoureyes,lowerback,forehead,andmore.Injuriesthataren’tlife-threateningcanoftenbenefitfromacoldcompress.Icecanhelprelievethepainfrom:headachemusclestrainsgoutpainmusclesprainstendonitisfevereyeallergieshemorrhoidsColdcompressescanbeusedonbothadultsandchildren.Becarefulwhenusingicepacksonbabies,though.Theymaynotbeabletotoleratesuchcoldtemperatures.Youmaywanttorunawashclothundercoldwaterandusethatinstead.Readmore:Sprainsvs.strains»RisksandwarningsUsingcoldcompressesisoneoftheeasiestwaystotreataninjury.Still,therecanbeunintendedsideeffectsifyoudon’tdousethecompressproperly.Forlong-terminjurieslikearthritis,chronicirritations,andconstantstiffnessofthejoints,it’sbesttouseheat.Keepthe“sixweekrule”inmind:Foranyinjurythathaslastedformorethansixweeks,stickwithheattoincreasebloodflow.ThebottomlineEveryonefacesinjuriesandmusclesachesfromtimetotime.Puttingtogetheracoldcompresstakesmereminutesandcanoftenprovideinstantrelief.Youcanmakeacompressfromhouseholditems,includingice,baggedfrozenvegetables,orevenafrozentowel.It’salsoagoodideatokeepcoldpacksinyourfirst-aidkitincaseofemergencies.Keepreading:Treatingpainwithheatandcold»LastmedicallyreviewedonFebruary22,2017MedicallyreviewedbyCarissaStephens,R.N.,CCRN,CPN—WrittenbyJenniferPurdie—UpdatedonAugust7,2017ReadthisnextHowtoMakeaDryorMoistWarmCompressMedicallyreviewedbyGerhardWhitworth,R.N.Awarmcompressisaneasywaytoincreasebloodflowtosoreareasofyourbody,whichcanreducepainandspeedupthehealingprocess.We'lltell…READMOREAllAboutOtoplasty(CosmeticEarSurgery)MedicallyreviewedbyCatherineHannan,M.D.Otoplastyisacosmeticsurgerythat'susedtoadjustthesize,shape,orpositionofyourears.It'stypicallyusedforearsthataretoobigortoo…READMOREIsItBadforYoutoEatIce?MedicallyreviewedbyDebraRoseWilson,Ph.D.,MSN,R.N.,IBCLC,AHN-BC,CHTEatingicecubesmaybeoneofyourdog'sfavoriteactivities,butforyouitcouldindicateamedicalproblem.READMORESalpingectomy:WhattoExpectMedicallyreviewedbyDebraRose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