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Chill or Melt Away Inflammation

July 28, 2013

Inflammation occurs when your body attempts to protect itself against damaged cells, germs, irritants, or tissue injury so it can begin to heal. If you have inflammation, you may experience heat, pain, redness, swelling, and tenderness of the affected area. Numerous things can cause inflamed skin, including allergens, burns, poison ivy, sprains, strains, and sunburn.

Thermotherapy, also called heat therapy, can help if you experience skin that is inflamed due to injuries, including sprains, strains, and whiplash. Using a hot pack will increase blood flow and flexibility of connective tissue.

Cryotherapy, also called cold therapy, has the power to rapidly numb pain, and reduces bruising, heat, and swelling as it decreases blood flow. If you have sudden onset inflammation, you should apply a cold pack as soon as possible to relieve the pain and reduce the swelling. However, it is best to simply apply a cold pack after physical activity when the problem is ongoing.

THERA°PEARL hot/cold packs are filled with pliable gel-filled pearls, so they never feel hard against your sensitive skin. The THERA°PEARL Sports Packs, Contour Packs, and Oval Packs can easily be placed on affected areas. If you have aches or tension in your neck or shoulders, the contoured THERA°PEARL Neck Wrap will chill or melt away your symptoms. To specifically target those nasty shin splints, choose the THERA°PEARL Shin Wrap. The THERA°PEARL Knee Wrap is made especially for your knees, and has VELCRO® BRAND straps to secure the wrap in place. All THERA°PEARL products can be frozen and heated, depending on your specific needs.

Sources:
Inflammation http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/248423.php and http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/inflammation and http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/inflammation
Types of inflammation to the skin (dermatitis) http://nyp.org/health/derm-rash.html and http://nyp.org/health/allergy-contderm.html
Soft Tissue Injury http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00304
Inflammation and cold therapy: http://www.therapearl.com/world/
Heat therapy and inflammation http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/fundamentals/rehabilitation/treatment_of_pain_and_inflammation.html