Ice massage is a useful technique to treat pain and swelling. The following technique is a simple, low-cost, but effective technique to use ice:
- Fill a small paper “Dixie” cup with water and place it in your freezer.
- Once frozen, remove the cup of ice and peel a small amount of paper off the top to expose the ice surface.
- Gently massage the surface against the area to be treated.
- As the ice melts, peel the paper as needed. You will be left with a small piece of ice after about 10-15 minutes, the recommended duration of icing.
- This can be repeated the next morning and evening, and then when desired if it was effective in relieving pain.