Cryotherapy (ice) is an excellent way to help with muscle spasms in the body. This therapy is well known to help numb painful areas as well as provide a cooling relief to affected soft tissues. The therapy consists of applying cold compresses on to the skin to effectively reduce the temperature of the skin as well as constrict the blood vessels in the area.
When using ice it is a good rule of thumb to use it if the injury is less than 2 weeks old. If it is greater than 2 weeks old you may alternate using heat then letting the skin go back to room temperature and following with ice. When icing depending on the area and individual it may take 15-20 minutes. A guideline to follow is using
C.B.A.N.
which stands for
Cold,
Burning,
Aching,
Numb. These are the stages that you should feel while icing. If you stop before the area gets numb you are not getting the full affects of icing.
If you are suffering from a muscle spasm or just recently had a soft tissue injury, cryotherapy is an excellent way to help reduce swelling and further injury in the early stages of your healing process. This therapy is rather inexpensive and is something that can be done at home as well as in the office.