Archive for the ‘Cryotherapy’ Category
Treat Sports Injuries With Different Types Of Cyrotherapy
July 23rd, 2011 | 
Author: Cryotherapy refers to a variety of cold applications that can be used in multiple ways to effectively treat sports injuries. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages with some applications for the treatment of acute injuries and some for chronic injuries. Cryotherapy can be used for a number of therapeutic purposes including the treatment of:
• Acute or chronic pain
• Acute inflammation or injury
• Postsurgical pain and swelling
Cold application can be used before or after exercise depending on the type of injury. Some types of cryotherapy are also very effective when used in combination with a rehabilitation program.
In general, cryotherapy affects the body in a number of ways including reducing blood flow to an injured area (thereby reducing swelling), acting as an analgesic (numbing agent), reducing muscle spasm, and reducing tissue metabolism. Because of its ability to reduce blood flow to an area and reduce pain, cryotherapy is the modality of choice for acute injuries.
Acute injuries are injuries that have a known mechanism of injury and usually result in immediate pain. These types of injuries include sprains, strains, subluxations, dislocations, contusions, and fractures.
The most common type of cryotherapy is an ice pack. The most effective ice to use in an ice pack is crushed ice because it conforms comfortably to the contours of the injured area. Crushed ice can also be packed into a thin layer (about one inch thick) placing less weight onto the injured area than a bag filled with cubed ice (can be heavy and result in some discomfort).
There is a technique to making an effective ice bag. Although several companies make custom ice bags for use in therapeutic settings, any plastic bag can be utilized to make an ice bag. Scoop the crushed ice into the plastic bag filling the bag about 1/3 of the way with ice.
The key to a good ice bag is to remove all of the air inside of the bag. This can be done by flattening the ice and pushing out the air or by sucking the air out creating a vacuum inside. Once the air is out of the bag, a knot can be quickly tied in the end of the bag.
The ice can then be redistributed into a thin layer throughout the bag creating a layer of ice with the largest amount of surface space. Once this is done, the ice bag can be applied to the injured area and secured by an ace bandage.
If crushed ice is not available, a bag of small frozen vegetables can be used (frozen peas work really well). Small frozen vegetables can be easily broken up and contoured to an injured area. The advantage of this method is that the frozen bag of vegetables can be returned to the freezer for future treatments.
For individuals sensitive to cold or for young athletes, a barrier can be used between the ice pack and the skin to make the ice pack more tolerable for the athlete. In most cases, a paper towel can be an effective barrier to reduce the impact of the cold on the skin.
For acute injuries, ice packs can be applied for twenty minutes at a time and then removed for 90 minutes to allow the tissue to return to normal body temperature. This can be repeated for the first two to three days to help reduce the amount of swelling.
For injuries to the extremities in which there is moderate to severe swelling around the joint, cold immersion may be a more effective type of cryotherapy. Cold immersion is the use of a bucket or whirlpool filled with water and ice.
The advantages of cold immersion include the ability to quickly reduce the temperature of the entire injured area plus the added advantage of compression through the hydrostatic pressure of the water. The natural pressure of the water exerts a light compression to the tissue assisting with reducing the amount of swelling to an injured area.
Cold immersion is commonly used for injuries to the foot, ankle, fingers, and hands. A number of containers may be used including a plastic bucket, large bowl, or large pan. A container can be filled with water and ice taking care to keep the temperature of the water between 50 and 60 degrees.
The injured body part should be submerged for 10 – 15 minutes at a time. In acute injuries, this can be repeated every two hours for the first 48 to 72 hours.
Cryotherapy for Chronic Injuries
One of the more effective cryotherapy methods to reduce pain and swelling in chronic injuries is ice massage. Ice massage is the use of a frozen cup of water to gentle massage the tissue while receiving the benefit of an analgesic. The injured area is gently massaged with the overlapping strokes moving from distal to proximal (towards the heart).
Ice cups can either be purchased (plastic reusable ice cups) or made at home using Styrofoam cups. To make an ice cup at home, fill a Styrofoam cup with water (leaving an inch at the top) and place the cup in the freezer. When the water has frozen, remove the cup, peel off the top of the Styrofoam cup, and melt any sharp edges of ice by rubbing the ice cup against the palm.
Ice massage is effective to reduce pain in small areas. One injury that is commonly treated with ice massage is shin splints. The painful area is gentle massaged with overlapping motions for 5 – 10 minutes prior to activity and 20 minutes after activity.
Cryotherapy Warta
If warts must be treated in pregnancy, cryotherapy appears to be the best choice. Cryotherapy involves application of nitrous oxide or liquid nitrogen (-196°C) to genital warts, inducing dermal and vascular damage and edema, and leading to both epidermal and dermal cellular necrosis.
Liquid nitrogen can be poured into a container with a applicator (cryoprobe) to form a cryostat unit. Liquid nitrogen is then sprayed onto wart until it turns white, indicating that it is frozen; the subsequent thaw produces cell lysis. Two freeze/thaw cycles are usually undertaken, but trials have not established the optimal number of applications.
Considering Cryotherapy For Genital Warts? Read On
If you have genital warts, medications and treatments are really not necessary, unless you are pregnant. You can also consider treatments if you have extremely big and widespread warts that feel and look irritating. Otherwise, you may opt to wait until your warts go away even without medication and treatment.
However, if you ever opt for a surgical operation, you have many choices. One of the most recent procedures offered as a treatment for genital warts is cryotherapy. Below are some facts about it.
a. Cryotherapy refers to the process of using extremely low temperatures to destroy abnormal growths in the body. The process is regarded by experts as one of the most effective method to treat genital warts. However, cryotherapy is not only used for warts. It is also used to in treating other skin disorders such as skin tags, solar keratoses, and moles.
b. Cryotherapy should not be done in the absence of a health service provider that is skilled in treating skin disorders. Even if you can obtain the equipment and materials needed in performing the procedure, you should not perform cryotherapy by yourself. Instead, it is highly recommended for the procedure to be performed within the confines of the hospital’s emergency room.
c. Liquid nitrogen is used in cryotherapy. This chemical ingredient will be used to freeze the cells and tissues of the genital warts. Because the warts are targeted at a cellular level, the process becomes more effective.
d. During the process of cryotherapy, liquid nitrogen is sprayed on the genital warts. As a result, a blister forms around the infected area. This blister heals after several days and as it heals, the wart eventually falls off. The process is usually done in several sessions.
e. Despite the fact that it is very expensive, many people opt to have cryotherapy because it is very effective. After the treatment, the warts are completely eliminated. In addition to that, the process is less invasive as compared to the other procedures used to treat extreme manifestations of genital warts. Based on clinical studies, the procedure also has lesser and milder side effects that most surgical treatments. This includes itching and scarring.
f. During the procedure and a few days after cryotherapy, patients may experience pain and redness in the treated area. The blisters can also be painful. As such, most doctors advise their patients to take oral pain-relieving medications and analgesics such as aspirin or ibuprofen. A topical steroid cream may also be applied.
g. If the genital warts reappear even after a successful treatment of cryotherapy, the doctor may use interferon instead of liquid nitrogen. Interferon also works by freezing the genital warts. This chemical is an anti viral agent that is injected to the warts directly. Since it is very expensive and complicated, interferon is used only in the most severe cases of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection.
h. No matter what medication and surgical procedure is used in treating genital warts, there is no assurance that genital warts will not reappear in the future. This is because genital warts are caused by a virus or the HPV. Since it is viral, the infection is considered incurable.
Cryotherapy will only eradicate the genital warts at the moment of the surgery. However, it cannot remove the virus. Fortunately, studies show that the HPV infection of about 70% of the population usually clears after a year.
For more information, kindly visit Genital Warts Support Team – a health resource dedicated to providing factual information about Genital Warts Treatment. Don’t miss out the useful topics: 1. “Causes of Genital Warts”, 2. “Diagnosis of Genital Warts” and more.
Duct Tape and Cryotherapy for Warts
The simple application of duct tape was more effective than cryotherapy in the treatment of the common wart. Cutaneous warts are a common diagnosis in the pediatric population, and many therapies exist for the treatment of these warts. Anecdotal reports have suggested the effectiveness of tape occlusion therapy.
The warts that ultimately responded to tape therapy typically showed at least partial resolution after 2 to 3 weeks of treatment. Warts that were unchanged in appearance by the 3-week mark were unlikely to respond. Several potential benefits exist for using duct tape over cryotherapy. Duct tape is more practical for parents and patients to use, especially when compared with the multiple clinic visits required for freezing of a wart.