Cryotherapy is the most common and more useful therapeutic modality which is used often by the physiotherapists in treating the wide range of conditions. It is also very easy to apply and also if you care is actually taken over the contradictions and the cautions then it is very safe and the patients can also be instructed to self treat and also to manage the conditions independently. Cryotherapy is commonly used in sports and the acute injury treatment is very cheap and also very simple to use. Cold is applied in many different ways which includes crushed ice, cold packs, cold water devices or the cubed ice.
As warming the cold water or by melting the ices many occur heat is carried away from the body as the cold therapy proceeds. The most important biological effects on the body are local metabolic reduction, lowering of muscle efficiency, reduction of tissue bleeding, the reduction of pain due to some sedatory effect if cold on transmission of the nerves, and an increase in the local circulation once the blood vessel is constrictions phase has been passed and in the reduction in the amount of swelling and the tissue oedema which may occur. This cold therapy may also reduce spasm and the spasticity in the muscles as the secondary effect of reducing the pain of cold.
Cryotherapy is mainly used in large variety of conditions like decreasing swelling and oedema followed by trauma, which is to inhibit the spasticity although it can take some time to cool all the muscles effectively, the reduction in the muscle spasm, reduction of the acute inflammatory reaction, pain reduction such as due to after injury and also to produce the local circulatory increases. The physiotherapists also use the ice to facilitate the muscle contraction to re educate the muscles and also to cause the muscular contraction to increase in the joint range in the damaged limbs.
The tissue damage from the injury to area increases the blood supply locally, is very hotter and you may suffer from oedema, all the secondary to heighten the tissue metabolism as the area to react to damage. At the early stage these all response need to be damped down so cold and is preferred overheat which would increase them. The information is that the cold reduce the inflammation, prevent swelling, ease of pain, and also slows down the metabolic rate of the injured parts as close to the precipitating events as you able to do, with the compression if possible. The compression has been shown to be very effective and it may be more important than the cold. This link may help you to find more about the cryotherapy treatment http://www.advancedcryonyc.com/health-and-wellness-wbc-treatments.
It is also very important to understand about the risks for the skin integrity which is potentially come by use of cold therapy. Contraindications to cold are also understood by all physiotherapists and by that they will examine the skin for the normal sensibility and good color with the lack of broken or the abnormal areas. In order to protect the skin integrity, oil may be applied to the area before the cold application.