Cold therapy is a treatment that uses cold temperatures and pressure to reduce swelling, pain, and inflammation, particularly after an injury or surgery. It works by constricting blood vessels, decreasing the amount of fluid that leaks into the tissue spaces (which reduces swelling), and numbing nerve endings, which can help alleviate pain.
Applying cold, like with ice packs or cold compression devices, helps to reduce blood flow to the injured area. This vasoconstriction can minimize bleeding and swelling, and also numb nerve endings, providing pain relief and promoting faster recovery.
