Relieve Pain and Swelling with PRICE
A joint bleed may result in swelling and pain. To relieve these symptoms and promote healing, use PRICE therapy:
- Protection: Prevent further injury by immobilizing the area or using crutches.
- Rest: Rest and protect the sore area. Take a break from any activity that may cause pain.
- Ice: Apply something cold to reduce pain and swelling.
- Compression: Wrap the area with an elastic bandage, such as an Ace bandage wrap, to reduce swelling.
- Elevation: Keep the area in pain at or above the level of your heart to reduce swelling.
Why Ice?
Treating injuries often requires applying either ice or heat. Why is ice recommended for a bleed? Ice shrinks the blood vessels, slows blood flow to the area, and helps the body to heal. Heat, on the other hand, increases blood flow. When treating a bleed, always use ice.
Ice can be much more than frozen water, however. Here are a few additional ways you can apply “ice” to a bleed:
- Use a bag of frozen peas
- Ice packs (instant and gel packs)
- Ice tape
Hemophilia of Georgia’s Pharmacy offers a product called “Instant Ice Wrap”, a compression wrap that cools by evaporation. It works great for bleeds because it can wrap around the entire joint, and it is reusable. Contact us at 770-518-8272 for the HoG pharmacy or 770-709-0124 for the Beacon Pharmacy to learn more.