How To Use Cold Therapy Machine

How to use Your Cold Therapy Device at Abode

The following information will help you know how to safely use your cold therapy device at dwelling after your surgery.

What is a cold therapy device and how does it work?

A cold therapy device uses a cooling pad placed on the surgical area to assist reduce hurting and swelling. This therapy may besides decrease your need for pain medicine. Decreasing the use of pain medicine may assistance avert side effects some people commonly have with opioids, such as nausea, constipation, and urinary memory (inability to urinate).

It is very important to follow the instructions for use included on the lid of the libation. If you have problems with the cold therapy device y'all tin can phone call the company with the telephone number listed on the top of the cooler or your provider'south office.

Using your cold therapy device

You should apply your cooling device as much as possible for the first calendar week after surgery, including at nighttime.

To set upwardly your cooling device:

Unlock the chapeau by moving the handle forwards. Remove hat.
Add cold water to the fill line. Exercise non run the machine without water.
Add water ice to the fill line inside the libation. Information technology is a good idea to keep actress ice ready, as you will have to refill your libation about every half-dozen hours.
- You may as well freeze plastic 12 oz. h2o bottles and identify several in the cooler sitting upright, as these often stay frozen longer. Exist certain to remove labels from the bottles earlier placing in libation.
- Water can also be frozen in a plastic food storage container that tin fit inside the device. Place the block of ice inside of the cooler. You can add additional water ice cubes if there is space.
With handle in forward position, identify chapeau on device. Press chapeau down while moving handle up and back to latch airtight.
Attach the hose from the libation to the connector on the cold pad. Brand sure y'all hear a "snap" or "click" when the hoses are placed together to make certain they are secured. Tug slightly on tubing to make sure the fit is tight and snug.
The white side of the cold pad should exist placed confronting the surgical area, over a barrier layer or dressing. The bluish side faces away from your skin. Use the elastic straps to hold the pad in place . If you are wearing a caryatid afterwards surgery, the cold pad goes inside the brace, not on superlative.
Be sure the pad does not touch your skin directly. Cover the area under the pad with a small towel, pillowcase, or t-shirt every bit needed. The pad will become very common cold and it could cause frostbite if it touches the peel. Audit skin every 1-2 hours.
To turn device on, insert cord into the connection port on the dorsum of the cooler and plug the power supply into the wall outlet.
Repeat steps to refill the cooler when the ice has melted.

You lot are allowed to disconnect yourself from the cooling device to apply the bath or go for short walks, just other than these times you should stay connected to receive the benefits of common cold therapy. After the commencement week or then, you

may not need the cold therapy device on all of the time. You may notice you only demand it if you have swelling or are

sore after walking or working with physical therapy. Talk to your provider about how oft you should use the

device.

Helpful tips when using your cold therapy device

If you cannot tolerate the temperature of the cold therapy device at all, then try to apply icepacks of whatever blazon to keep the surgical area common cold. If using icepacks, it is suggested that you use them for 30 minutes as often as every 2 hours as needed for pain relief.
If you lot cannot tolerate the common cold therapy by either method, information technology is ok to end icing, but your pain may be slightly increased.
Place some layer of protection between your pare/incision and the common cold pad or icepacks. This could exist a t-shirt or washcloth. This layer should not exist and so thick that the cold therapy cannot reach your surgical area, but should protect the skin. This layer may develop moisture and create colder temperatures at the skin. Always check for wet on the barrier between your skin and the cold pad. Change barrier equally needed so your bandage does not become wet.

At your showtime engagement after surgery, the provider will tell yous how oftentimes to continue to employ the common cold device. The corporeality y'all volition need to utilize information technology will depend on your hurting level and surgeon'due south examination.

When to call your provider

Hurting not controlled by your ice therapy and hurting medicine.
Injury to skin from cold therapy. If skin becomes discolored (deep purple) or broken/blistered, remove the cold therapy immediately and call your surgeon.
Surgical incision/dressing becomes soaked with cold therapy h2o.