The use of ice and cold water has been a natural treatment for pain for many years. Commonly used for sports injuries, ice is known to ease swelling, inflammation, and muscle cramps. Cold water has also been used for its remarkable health benefits, such as increasing metabolism, and enhancing immunity.

In this post, we will take a look at the best simple treatments and remedies with ice and cold water.

Ice’s Benefit

Ice has been traditionally used to treat soft tissue injuries, like sprains, strains, and bruises. Most people find adding an ice pack to an injury helps them cope with the pain better as it numbs the affected area, and helps reduce swelling. During an ice-pack treatment, the cold temperature of the ice reduces bleeding into the tissue, and prevents the area from becoming stiff by reducing tissue fluid. This gathers as a result of an injury.

Ice is great for shrinking spots. Applying an ice cube (wrapped in a handkerchief or piece of cloth) gently to the inflamed area will reduce swelling and redness. Ice will also numb any pain and reduce the longevity of the blemish.

Using ice packs around the head and neck can help relieve the symptoms of migraines and headaches. Paula Dumas, who writes for Migraine Again explains, “Cold therapy works by extracting heat from the affected area. Ice packs have a numbing effect, which may dull the sensation of throbbing or piercing migraine pain.”

For heat rash, prickly heat and itchy skin, an ice pack will soothe and calm the skin as well as numb pain and discomfort.

Cold water comfort

A cold-water rinse on your hair has many beauty benefits. It will help slow down oil production, prevent frizz, create a healthy shine and may even slow down hair loss. If you can handle a cold-water rinse, go for it!

Iced water will dry your nail polish quicker. Get a small bowl of water and add a few ice cubes. When the water has chilled and you have applied your nail colour, dip your nails in, and they will dry instantly.

Get relief for itchy eyes by soaking a cloth in ice cold water and pressing it gently on the eyes for five minutes. It will soothe any inflammation. You can follow the treatment by applying cold camomile teabags, or cucumber slices.

Cold water is great for keeping your skin healthy. It brightens the skin’s appearance, tightens pores and will help reduce puffiness. Blogger Melodi Erdogan tried the cold-water dunk, saying: “Immediately after doing the ice water facial, my skin felt really nice. It was smooth, it felt tight, and I did actually feel and look more awake than I usually do with my typical morning routine of a quick cleanse with warm water. My pores looked relatively small, and the oil from my face that I usually wake up with was completely gone. But, I could still see quite a bit of puffiness around my eyes. By the time I applied my makeup about 40 minutes later, though, they had drastically de-puffed and looked quite normal.”

Cold cautions!

Never apply ice directly to the skin, you should always wrap it in cloth first. Prolonged use of ice packs can cause frostbite. Don’t leave ice packs on the skin for too long, especially if you suffer from vascular disease (such as Raynaud’s Syndrome, poor circulation and blood clots). Drinking a lot of ice cold water can interfere with your digestion and decrease your heart rate, so don’t overdo it.