DEFINITION/DESCRIPTION:
The therapeutic use of local body cooling to transfer heat energy away from the tissues, thereby lowering local tissue temperature and provoking a thermoregulatory response.
Application may be by: local immersion
cold packs
ice towels
ice massage
Application is restricted to a maximum of 9% of body area at any one time and a minimum temperature of 4° Centigrade and ceases when hyperemia is visible.
CONTRAINDICATIONS:
- cold sensitivity – vasospasm, cold urticaria, cryoglobinaemia
- coronary thrombosis
- angina
- hypertension or labile blood pressure
- sensory deficiency
- emotional and psychological factors
- hypersensitive areas
HAZARDS/COMPLICATIONS/PRECAUTIONS:
- excessive local cold – tissue injury
- pathological conditions which predispose to cold injury, e.g. lower motor neuron lesions, Reynard’s disease
INFECTION CONTROL:
- appropriate hygiene/cleanliness of ice towels
- appropriate skin care of subject
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