How many times to put ice (pain, cold, infected, skin)
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What is the most amount of times I should be putting ice on my foot in a day? It's the balls of my foot that hurt for weeks now. I know I am supposed to leave it for 10 minutes at a time the most and have to wait for at least 1 hour to put it again. I am going to start putting ice on it again today and for an entire week because it still hurts.
Was this a doctor’s recommendation? Then they should have specified how long you should be icing. If you haven’t seen a doctor, perhaps you should. What ails you may not be improved with icing.
Was this a doctor’s recommendation? Then they should have specified how long you should be icing. If you haven’t seen a doctor, perhaps you should. What ails you may not be improved with icing.
I can't. It costs $300 per appointment and that's the cheapest in my area. I don't have health insurance. It's not painful as it was when it started but this is the 3rd week it's been this way.
For an acute injury, ice supposedly reduces blood flow to the area to limit swelling, but I've never known it to make much difference in the end. An old wive's (or old trainer's?) tale.
For chronic arthritic pains, it may make it worse by "stiffening" the tendons & ligaments--the real source of the pain. For muscle spasms, same thing- it makes the muscles tighter.
HOWEVER-- if you just put the ice on the affected part for a couple seconds, it may cool off the pain nerves and slow down their messages temporarily before it cool off the muscles & tendons.. Apply the ice for the count of three and remove. Repeat it every few seconds until the skin gets cold to the touch or you get no more relief. Wait a little while and try it again, if needed.
Of course, we assume you've first had proper diagnosis to eliminate broken bones, bone metastases, infected joins or inflammatory arthritis, etc that should be dealt with directly.
Was this a doctor’s recommendation? Then they should have specified how long you should be icing. If you haven’t seen a doctor, perhaps you should. What ails you may not be improved with icing.
This. Icing can help with inflammation and swelling temporarily, but if the problem with your foot isn't either of these you won't get much benefit from it. You'll just waste a lot of time and ice. Torn muscle, ligament, tendon, bone fracture...all need diagnosis in order to treat in the most effective manner. You spend a lifetime on your feet. Take care of them.
Aren't there any public health resources in your area that could direct you to low cost care at least to get this diagnosed? You could do a lot more damage by NOT finding out what's going on, and it could end up costing you even more in terms of pain and money. It might be worth some time with Dr Google searching about "common causes for foot pain". At least eliminate what it ISN'T.
Its possible that you might get more relief by wearing different shoes or putting cushions in the shoes you have. One common reason for ball of the foot pain is a Morton's neuroma. There are shoe cushions designed to take pressure off the ball of the foot that can really help.
If it is an inflamed tendon ice alone won't solve that problem. Stretching your foot carefully before getting out and walking will help.
My physical therapist sister says ice on day 1 and heat afterwards.
For what? It matters! A traumatic injury like a sprain or tear? This would do nothing for arthritis, a fracture, bone spur, tumor, or chronic tendonitis.
For what? It matters! A traumatic injury like a sprain or tear? This would do nothing for arthritis, a fracture, bone spur, tumor, or chronic tendonitis.
It's not a sprain or tear or none of the rest. It's not very painful. It was the first week and a half, but I still get pain.
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