Ice application reduces tissue swelling by constricting blood vessels
the verdict
SUPPORTED
the evidence backs this
refutedsupported
the weight of evidence
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Peer-reviewed medical literature supports that local cryotherapy and ice application induce vasoconstriction, which helps reduce tissue swelling and inflammation.
Sports medicine physicians and physiotherapists commonly use cryotherapy (eg, ice application) postinjury to decrease tissue temperature with the objective of reducing pain, limiting secondary injury and inflammation, and supporting healing. However, besides the analgesic effect of cryotherapy, a literature search revealed no evidence from human studies that cryotherapy limits secondary injury or has positive effects on tissue regeneration. Thus, our current understanding of the potential mechanisms and applications of cryotherapy largely relies on the results from animal studies. Importantly, treatment should not aim at obliterating the inflammatory and regeneration processes but instead aim to restore an adapted/normal regulation of these processes to improve function and recovery. However, some animal studies suggest that cryotherapy may delay or impair tissue regeneration. With the translation of laboratory animal studies to human sport medicine being limited by different injury and muscle characteristics, the effect of cryotherapy in patients with musculoskeletal injuries is uncertain. Thus, pending the results of human studies, cryotherapy may be recommended in the first 6 hours following an injury to reduce pain (and possibly haematoma), but it should be used with caution beyond 12 hours postinjury as animal studies suggest it may interfere with tissue healing and regeneration.
<h4>Aim</h4>This study aims to investigate the effect and methods of cryotherapy in reducing swelling after total knee arthroplasty.<h4>Design</h4>Systematic review.<h4>Methods</h4>We searched PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, KoreaMed, KERIS and National Science Digital Library for randomized controlled trials on 19 August 2021. This systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA 2009 checklist.<h4>Results</h4>A total of eight randomized controlled trials were systematically reviewed to determine the effect and methods of cryotherapy on reducing postoperative swelling. The effects were not significantly different in six studies. Application time per cryotherapy session was 10-20 min when using an ice pack and up to 48 h when using an automated device. The duration ranged from 2 days to 1 week or until discharge, and the frequency varied from 2 to 72 times per day.
<h4>Purpose</h4>Swelling after total knee replacement surgery can hinder recovery, cryotherapy is one of the non-pharmacological interventions. However, the evidence of effectiveness is limited, possibly due to the heterogeneity of parameters. This scoping review aims to summarise existing evidence, clarify the mechanism and effect of cryotherapy on swelling after total knee arthroplasty, and analyze various parameters, providing evidence for clinical practice and future research.<h4>Methods</h4>A literature search was performed on PubMed to include articles which reported on the cryotherapy impacts postoperative swelling after total knee arthroplasty. Snowballing research was used to obtain more sources.<h4>Results</h4>A total of 69 studies were identified from the initial research, of which 40 articles were included for the full text analysis. Cryotherapy primarily acts on swelling by reducing haemorrhage and inflammatory responses. The level of evidence for the effectiveness of cryotherapy is low, and there is no standard in its parameters. The initiation of cryotherapy is increasingly recommended to start immediately after surgery. The selection of treatment temperature needs to balance efficacy and safety, but measuring intra-articular temperature presents obstacles, making skin temperature a more feasible option. However, it is unclear how to achieve the desired skin temperature by setting a combination of treatment temperature, pressure and duration. When determining the length of the interval, particular attention should be paid to the changes in blood perfusion levels during the rewarming phase, as evidence suggests that skin temperature during rewarming may not accurately reflect the actual level of blood perfusion. The location and duration of cryotherapy can be preliminarily determined through existing evidence and mechanism analysis.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Some cryotherapy parameters are supported by evidence and can be practiced in clinical practice. It should be noted that skin temperature has limitations as an observation indicator during the rewarming stage, and the frequency of cold therapy needs further research to determine.<h4>Level of evidence</h4>Level IV.
Worldwide, lymphedema can present as a significant health issue. Left untreated, it can have long-term medical and psychological consequences for patients. Cryotherapy is a new physical therapy modality used for many purposes including reduction of pain, inflammation, and edema. It is thought to decrease interstitial fluid volume through many mechanisms. Therefore, it is reasonable to think that cryotherapy might have a positive effect in treatment of lymphedema. The goal of this study was to investigate how local cryotherapy in combination with standard therapy affects patient outcomes. Forty post-mastectomy female patients aged 40-60 years old with lymphedema were referred to the outpatient clinics of the Faculty of Physical Therapy at South Valley University for medical treatment and follow-up by the vascular surgery department. Patients were randomly divided into two groups of equal size. Traditional physical therapy programs (manual lymphatic drainage, pneumatic compression, bandaging, breathing exercises, circulatory exercises, shoulder mobilizations, and ROM exercises) were combined with pulsed local cryotherapy three times per week for 12 weeks in Group (A). For 12 weeks, Group (B) received only traditional physical therapy three times per week. Patients were evaluated using circumferential measurement with tape at the wrist, below the elbow, and above the elbow level, as well as ultrasonography to assess skin thickness before the start of physical therapy, 6 weeks later, and at the end of the treatment (after 12 weeks). Results indicate that cryotherapy is an effective adjunct modality for the treatment of secondary lymphedema and should be added to physical therapy protocols for lymphedema rehabilitation.
INTRODUCTION
Local cryotherapy induces vasoconstriction, which leads to a reduction in the inflammatory process. However, the effectiveness of local cryotherapy as a coadjuvant in the treatment of snakebite with F(ab')2 antivenom is unknown.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the clinical effectiveness of local cryotherapy as a coadjuvant in patients with snakebite treated with F(ab')2 antivenom therapy at the Hospital Juárez de Mexico.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Patients with grade II snakebite envenomation according to the Christopher-Rodning classification system were enrolled from the Clinical Toxicology Service of the Hospital Juárez de México. One group of patients received F(ab')2 antivenom therapy (Antivipmyn®) plus local cryotherapy, and the other group received only F(ab')2 antivenom therapy.
RESULTS
Thirty-eight patients were included, of whom 86.8 % were male (n = 33). Approximately 81.5 % of the subjects were injured in an upper extremity, while 18.5 % were injured in a lower extremities; 47.3 % of the subjects reported treatment of the snakebite prior to hospitalization (suction, the application of a tourniquet, incision of the bite site, or the application of traditional medicine). No differences were found concerning edema, swelling, and pain between the groups. The group that received local cryotherapy as a coadjuvant to F(ab')2 antivenom therapy had a shorter hospital stay (Cohen's d = 1.33; 95 % confidence interval [95 % CI] = 0.74-1.62; p < 0.01) and received fewer doses of F(ab')2 antivenom therapy (Cohen's d = 0.69; 95 % CI = 0.19-3.80; p = 0.03).
CONCLUSIONS
The use of adequate local cryotherapy as a coadjuvant to F(ab')2 antivenom therapy reduces the length of hospital stay and the number of doses of F(ab')2 antivenom therapy used.
Background: Cryotherapy is a low-cost treatment option recommended by clinical practice guidelines in acute ankle sprain. However, the current quality of the evidence that supports cryotherapy is still unclear. New high-quality randomised controlled trials are needed. The aim of the Freeze On Sprain Trial (FROST) is to investigate the effectiveness of cryotherapy on function, pain intensity, swelling and dorsiflexion range of motion in people with an acute episode of ankle sprain. Methods: This is a protocol of a two-arm randomised controlled trial. Eighty-two participants over 18 years old pr
[Benefit of the ice pack in the treatment of nosebleed].
Cooling the nape of the neck is said to induce reflex constriction of the mucosal vessels of the nose, but there is no general agreement in the literature on the benefit of an ice pack as an adjuvant treatment of epistaxis. We investigated this effect by rhinomanometry, and the results provided theoretical support for this well tried therapy.
Published in HNO (1992)
The role of prostaglandins in inflammation.
Our work suggests that aspirin-like drugs suppress inflammatory oedema not by reducing vessel wall permeability but by inhibiting the production of vasodilator mediators (prostaglandins), which results in a reduction in plasma exudation. Thus aspirin-like drugs appear to inhibit inflammatory swelling in the same manner as the traditional method of cooling with an ice-pack--by constricting the dilated blood vessels.
Published in Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (1978)
Irreversible pulpitis is characterized by persistent inflammation and moderate to severe pain, often requiring pharmacological or adjunctive strategies for postoperative management. Intracanal cryotherapy has emerged as a simple, cost-effective technique to mitigate this pain by utilizing cold-induced physiological responses. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the clinical evidence regarding the effectiveness of intracanal cryotherapy in reducing postoperative pain in teeth with irreversible pulpitis. Electronic searches were conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Scopus up to October 2025. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing intracanal cryotherapy to conventional endodontic treatment. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias using RoB 2. Random-effects meta-analysis was performed using SMD for pain levels at 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h. Twelve RCTs were included; nine were meta-analyzed. Cryotherapy significantly reduced pain at 6 and 12 h but not later time points. Intracanal cryotherapy appears to be a safe and inexpensive adjunct that is associated with reduced early postoperative pain, with the most consistent effect observed within the first 6-12 h. Heterogeneity and short follow-up periods. Cryotherapy reduces early postoperative pain only.Registration: PROSPERO CRD420261295239.
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