by Michelle B. Bourgoin


Cold therapy basically entails the use of cold temperature on an injury such as a sprain or a strain to aid in relieving pain or swelling. The science behind it is that the cold temperature leads to the constriction of the blood vessels in the afflicted region thus preventing the swelling.

It has been clinically proven to work at preventing swelling and pain but all this is very reliant on how fast the ice is applied to the area after the injury takes place. The faster you do it the better.

If you are in a situation in which the ice pack is not available then the next best thing that can be used in such a situation is an instant cold compress.

Instant cold compresses are very advantageous because they can be carried around very easily in a state that is not cold. Unlike the ice packs which will have to be kept refrigerated, these will only be activated to be cold when needed. They are a big plus in first aid supplies.

Those who are always going out into the wild to camp or to hike will find these instant cold compress packs a very helpful item in case of an injury. In such places you will more often than not be in an area where you cannot get your hands on any ice.

The instant cold packs are not something new to hit the market. They are just not too popular because they have to rely on the ammonium nitrate within them to set of a cascade of reactions that will lead to the cold temperatures in the pack. Ammonium nitrate can be used to make explosives and thus there is a lot of regulation that goes around obtaining it.

The costs of manufacturing these packs is therefore very high due to the strict regulations and thus the cost of the packs becomes high as well. The first ammonium nitrate free instant compress pack was made available from Nortech labs. It is called the Instakool cold pack.

Never forget that the cold therapy is only the first thing to do to prevent too much pain and should not substitute the visit to a medical professional.




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