Cryotherapy Treatments & Devices

Find a Lawyer in Your State

Need Help?

Contact Us Today

I agree that submitting this form and the information contained within does not establish an attorney client relationship.

ATTORNEY ADVERTISING -
Flood Law Group, LLP
1101 Pennsylvania Avenue
Suite 600
Washington, DC 20004
(888) 334-2084

Privacy protected. All information held in the strictest confidence.

Ice Pack Therapy

Using an ice pack to treat an injury is a common practice in homes, as well as in sport locker rooms. Many people know that applying ice bags or a cold pack to an injury, such as a sprain, tendonitis, or certain types of chronic injuries can help reduce pain while also decreasing swelling at the site of the injury. In fact, ice therapy is one of the major players in helping with sports injuries.

Many people are not aware of the fact that ice pack therapy is medically classified as a type of cryotherapy, which refers to the use of extremely cold liquids or devices in the treatment of cell or tissue abnormalities.

Like other methods of cryotherapy, ice packs or ice massages (rubbing ice over the afflicted area) will, physiologically speaking, cause:

The blood vessels to constrict (vasoconstriction), thereby reducing blood flow and the need for oxygen in the iced area
The muscle activity to decrease
The nerves to conduct and transmit physiological messages at a significantly slower rate

In general, physicians recommend that patients ice the injured area for about 15 to 20 minutes – and no longer, as extended periods of icing can cause further tissue damage, nerve damage or even frostbite.

Tips for Safely Practicing Ice Pack Therapy

To prevent ice “burns” or other damage that may occur as the result of not properly using an ice pack, patients should:

Add a little water to a bag of crushed ice
Consider using bags of frozen vegetables as an alternative
Place a layer of “protection,” such as a thin towel or piece of cloth, between the skin and the ice pack
Keep an eye on the clock and desist icing at the 20 minute mark
Allow their skin to rest for 45 to 60 minutes following a treatment before they reapply an ice pack (Before another round of ice pack treatment, patients should make sure that their skin is warm to the touch and that they have sensation in the affected area)
Consider freezing water in small paper cups so, that when frozen, they can peel off some of the paper and use the ice to massage injured areas

Cold Therapy Devices and Injuries

Today, doctors may send patients home with a device that circulates a continuous flow of cold water to a pad that can be placed on an injury. These devices are known as cold therapy devices. They usually come with minimal instructions and will be sent home with a patient following surgery.

There are three main cryotherapy devices:

EBIce Cold Therapy System ®
Breg Polar Care 500 ®
Donjoy Iceman ®

Because these devices come with few instructions, patients may not know exactly how to use them. It may sound like a simple process to apply the pad to the injured area; however, some patients are not sure how long they should use the device. When patients use the device for too long, they may be at risk of injury. Injuries that are associated with this type of ice therapy include:

Damaged nerves
Skin damage
Frostbite

While patients can sustain similar injuries from using an icepack, doctors have a responsibility to let patients know about the potential risks when they prescribe them devices to use. Patients who suffer serious injuries as a result of any medical device may be a candidate to seek and recover compensation from either the manufacturer or the prescribing doctor.

Talk to a Cryotherapy Lawyer

If you’ve suffered nerve damage, skin damage or frostbite while using a cryotherapy device, contact a cryotherapy lawyer for more information about your legal rights and entitlements. We may be able to help you get the compensation you deserve.

Online Lawyer Source

Lawyers & Legal News Near You

Need Legal Help?

Start Here for a Free Case Review!