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Brrr…Ice Massage for your Pain in the Back
Picture this; despite your best efforts you’ve hurt your back. Maybe this is a chronic problem; you’ve hurt it again but this time you need to find something to help get you back into action quickly. Back injuries, and so pain, are often caused by muscle strains. Lifting an object that is too heavy or lifted wrong can cause strained muscles. They can also occur during athlete competitions, a fall or simply a sneeze that caused a sudden awkward movement. While it may not be the first thing that comes to mind one alternative is massage therapy with ice. This is considered one of the easiest, safest and most successful methods that can be used in the home.
One of the reasons to try ice is that is has a completely different affect than when you use heat. Ice not only helps lessen the pain of a back injury but it also reduces the blood flow. This helps to lessen the swelling and potentially minimize any internal bruising. The goal of ice therapy is quite simply to promote healing of the injured area. But, if you are going to go this route the ice must be applied as soon as possible once the pain begins.
There are many different forms the ice may take. You can pour a bunch of ice cubes into a towel and after folding it so that they don’t fall out use that. Or you can use store prepared cold packs. These are very useful land can be kept in the freezer so they are available to use whenever you need them. With these you want to be careful that they don’t split and leak the gel inside them, as this can be harmful to the skin. If you have neither of these options available to you, use a package of frozen vegetables; the best would be corn or peas, as the smaller vegetables will allow the package to more easily mold to the area.
Another useful idea to make ice massage easier is to take a paper cup, made from heavier material like Styrofoam, fill it with water and freeze it. Then you peel the Styrofoam back enough to expose the ice and use it to massage the area. This method is so straightforward that you if you suffer from recurring back pain you can make sure you have a few in the freezer should you ever have the need for them.
Ice massage is usually preformed over a brief period of time. Some professionals suggest limiting it to five to seven minutes while others allow from ten to twenty minutes. But all agree that if the area becomes numb its time to stop. The area is gently massaged with whatever from of ice pack you’ve chosen in a circular motion. Make sure that areas where the bone is nearer the skin are avoided. This includes the spine when dealing solely with back pain, but would also take in the knees, elbows and shoulders. At first the massaged area will begin to feel cold. Don’t be surprised that when it starts to hurt. Then it will turn a pinkish color before it becomes numb. Remember, that’s when you should stop. After that repeat the ice massage several times throughout the day but never before the area has warmed and become room temperature again.
Ice massage is such a popular method of back pain treatment that there are many specialized packs that you can buy. These often come in leak proof containers, which can be thrown into a gym bag, as they can remain frozen for eight to ten hours. Some are even weighted to increase the feeling of pressure during massage. These are easily available but often costly.
Although ice massage is a useful treatment for back pain or back injuries certain precautions must still be taken. Do not leave the cold pack directly on the skin. It should be wrapped in a wet cloth even if the pack is in constant motion. Stop the ice massage once the skin begins to feel numb. As well, if the treatment does not begin to show significant results after seventy-two hours, see your physician or other healthcare provider.
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