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Did you bang yourself on the corner of a table or twist your ankle while you were playing football? You know what to do: the first thing is to get your hands on some ice. You have to get on with what's termed cold therapy, which can immediately alleviate the pain and help to reduce the forming of bruises and hematoma. When is it a good idea to use cold therapy? Keep these examples in mind: small bruises and severe injuries, pulled muscles, sprains, burns, headache or toothache, light bleeding and localized skin inflammation. And you can also add in insect bites: cold therapy will come to the rescue.
It's a tradition; the ice bag is the cure-all for pain caused by bruising, sprains and other small day-to-day accidents. To be able to apply it properly though, you need to be somewhere that you can sit down and relax. You'll have to apply the bag almost immediately and at about 10-minute intervals, so the ideal place for using one is at home.
Another product that uses the principle of cold therapy that can really spare you terrible pain is the gel pad, a soft pack that becomes like ice in no time in the freezer. You'll find it will be very useful if the bruise or sprain is on the knee or the shoulder, because like some products, it's specifically designed to wrap around the damaged area or joint. One piece of advice? Keep the gel pad in the freezer at home... for every circumstance - you never know - and it will already be frozen and ready to go!
If you hurt yourself in the middle of a football match and there are no substitutes to come on, the cold spray is just right for you. In this case, you won't be able to stop to apply an ice bag as that requires sitting still for at least 10 minutes, or be able to play with a gel pad in your hand. This way, all you'll need is a quick cool spray to the afflicted area. Keep in mind though that you mustn't use the cold spray on burns, as it will make them worse. As well as sprays, you can also buy instant ice packs - just give them a little squeeze and you've got a completely portable ice bag... cold therapy that's guaranteed to last up to half an hour!
