Home — World self-care & traditional therapies — Heat & water
Local cold pack
ice pack / cryotherapy (local)
A listing is not a recommendation.
Origin: Worldwide (a basic method in physiotherapy) · Tradition: Physical therapy · Heat & water
What it is
A symptomatic method of cooling a local area after an acute bruise or swelling, or after exercise. It is distinct from whole-body cold exposure.
A short introduction (not a treatment instruction)
- Use ice in a bag and through a cloth, for about 15 to 20 minutes. Do not put ice directly on the skin.
- Do not cool until sensation is lost.
- Be especially cautious on an area with circulatory impairment.
Symptoms or aims often mentioned with this practice
- Ankle or foot pain
- Knee pain
- Low back pain
- Headache
Related symptom videos
Research notes (this is not a promise of effect)
B: Randomised trials or systematic reviews exist, but reports are modest, the group studied is limited, or study quality is limited
It is widely used as symptomatic care for acute soft-tissue injury. Research on how it works and on the best duration varies, but it is established as basic first aid at home. In long-standing pain, heat is sometimes more comfortable.
Sources
Safety notes
Frostbite and nerve injury.
If you are unsure, or if you have a health condition, are pregnant, or take medicine, consult a qualified professional.
Situations in which this is better avoided
- Long use on an area of reduced sensation
- When Raynaud’s phenomenon is strong
- Circulatory failure