Ice is your friend! Also known as cold therapy or cryotherapy, ice is an incredibly effective self care tool and part of the acute injury RICE recipe: Rest Ice Compression Elevation. It helps reduce pain, swelling, and inflammation. I prefer these reusable, cloth gel packs (I have a small one that comes with a velcro wrap for fingers, a standard size, and an extra large one). You can apply them directly to the skin, and the gel is soft and pliable when frozen so you can shape it around whatever hurts. I got them at drug stores and on Amazon. You can also use a frozen bag of peas or other small veggies, ice cubes, or whatever you have that’s frozen.

If you don’t have a cloth ice pack, make sure you wrap your ice in a towel so the direct contact doesn’t damage your skin and tissues, and only apply it for 10-15 minutes (20min max) to avoid tissue damage. Don’t use it on areas where you have sensory problems (like numbness from nerve damage or diabetes) because you might not be able to feel if damage is being done. Used safely, ice can really improve healing time and make the healing process more comfortable!