How To Make A Cold Compress, Plus Uses And More - Healthline

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Everything You Need to Know About Using a Cold Compress

Medically reviewed by Angela M. Bell, MD, FACP — Written by The Healthline Editorial Team — Updated on September 30, 2024

Instructions
For injuries
Other uses
Caution
Takeaway

Using ice or a cold compress to treat pain and swelling is a long-held practice. Many find it effective for quick pain relief, but it may not have long-term use and overall health benefits.

The idea of icing an injury to help reduce pain has been around for a long time and is often seen as a key first-aid treatment.

Many people keep ice packs in their first-aid kits and home freezers, turning to them to help ease pain, swelling, and inflammation and even to stop bleeding. The cold restricts blood circulation, which many people find helps to numb pain and possibly help limit bruising.

However, not all research supports the notion that cold compresses and ice treatment are better, and some researchers believe it actually slows down the physical processes that go toward your healing.

Read on to learn everything about when to use a cold compress, how to make one, and for how long to use it.

How to make and use your own cold compress

You can also make cold compresses with materials found right in your own home. That’s because ice can help you make a cold compress quickly, easily, and affordably.

To make your own cold compress, you can use the following:

ice (or frozen vegetables)
washcloth
water
plastic bag
towel

The process

Here is how you can make a cold compress:

Step 1: Place ice cubes in a plastic bag. You can also substitute ice with a bag of frozen food, like peas. It’s best to use smaller vegetables so the bag will sit well on your skin. If you do need to use a bag of frozen food, fill up ice cube trays in the meantime. That way, you have a backup when the bag of frozen food thaws out.

You can also use a towel to make a cold compress if you don’t have ice:

Dampen a towel with cold water and place it in a sealable plastic bag.
Place the bag in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Cold compresses made from wet towels may be more comfortable for sensitive areas, such as the eyes.

Step 2: Run a washcloth under cold water and wrap it around the plastic bag of ice. If you don’t think it’s too cold against your skin, you can also dip the washcloth into an ice bath.

Step 3: Place the homemade compress on your skin for up to 20 minutes.

Step 4: After you’re done, pat the area dry with a towel. You can also dab the skin as you hold the ice pack on yourself. The ice may start melting quickly.

Reapply: For swelling, reapply the compress after 2 hours. Keep doing this until the swelling goes away.

How to use a cold compress for injuries

You can find mentions of cold compresses and ice treatments in many first-aid resources.

Immediately using a cold compress to treat your pain is often recommended, and many healthcare professionals advise icing your injury within the first 48 hours.

A common recommendation is to avoid using cold compresses for more than 20 minutes at a time, though others also point to the benefits of 10-minute or varying increments of time.

While most agree that icing and cold compresses may help ease pain in the short term, that’s not a long-term solution, and the benefits of using this type of treatment are largely unstudied.

Your healthcare team can help discuss options if you continue experiencing pain for more than 48 or 72 hours, depending on your injury or situation and any possible post-care instructions they’ve given you for specific procedures where you might turn to cold compresses afterward.

You may also follow these steps in the RICE method:

Rest: Avoid using the injured area. Only do activities as your body allows.
Ice: Put a cold compress on the area as soon as possible. This will help reduce inflammation, bleeding, and bruising.
Compress: Wrap the area with a bandage. Keep an elastic bandage in your first-aid for this.
Elevate: Keep the injury above your heart to reduce swelling. For example, if you’ve injured your arm or leg, lay down with your leg or arm on top of pillows.

You can also take a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen or Tylenol. Taking NSAIDs while using cold compresses can help treat pain more effectively.

Read more: How to treat a swollen eyelid »

Cold compress for fever, eyes, and more

You can place a cold compress anywhere on your body, including your eyes, lower back, forehead, and more. Injuries that aren’t life threatening may benefit from a cold compress.

Ice is often seen as helping to relieve pain from:

headache
muscle strains
gout pain
muscle sprains
tendonitis
fever
eye allergies
hemorrhoids

Cold compresses can be used on both adults and children. Be careful when using ice packs on babies, as they may not be able to tolerate such cold temperatures.

Read more: Sprains vs. strains »

Risks and warnings

Using cold compresses is often seen as one of the easiest and most immediate ways to treat an injury.

However, there may be risks and unintended side effects if you don’t use the compress properly.

Don’ts

Don’t apply ice directly to the skin. It can stick to you and burn, causing further injury.
Don’t ice one area for too long. This can lead to frostbite.
Don’t use a cold compress for serious injuries. Your body may undergo too many changes for ice to serve any benefit.
Don’t put ice on areas with decreased sensation, such as from diabetes or Raynaud’s syndrome.

The bottom line

Using ice and cold compresses to treat injuries and help reduce pain or swelling is a long-time practice that is commonly advised in sports medicine and by many healthcare professionals.

While research doesn’t fully support using cold compresses or ice treatment for long-term relief, the immediate effects are tough to overlook.

You can make a compress from household items, including ice, bagged frozen vegetables, or even a frozen towel. It’s also a good idea to keep cold packs in your first-aid kit in case of emergencies.

Make sure to consult your healthcare team about any pain or symptoms you’re experiencing, whether from an injury or after a procedure. They can best guide you on any pain treatments or other options to help relieve pain, swelling, inflammation, and bruising.

Keep reading: Treating pain with heat and cold »

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Cold compresses. (n.d.) https://www.randeye.com/cold-compresses/
First aid tips. (2022). https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/nei-for-kids/first-aid-tips
Horschig A, et al. (2024). The efficacy of icing for injuries and recovery - a clinical commentary. https://journal.parker.edu/article/120141-the-efficacy-of-icing-for-injuries-and-recovery-a-clinical-commentary
Kwiecien SY. (2023). Is it the end of the ice age? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10324284/
Mutlu S, et al. (2020). The effect of soft tissue injury cold application duration on symptoms, edema, joint mobility, and patient satisfaction: A randomized controlled trial. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S009917672030060X
Wang Y, et al. (2022). Effect of cold and heat therapies on pain relief in patients with delayed onset multiple soreness: A network meta-analysis. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8862647/
Wang Z-R, et al. (2021). Is it time to put traditional cold therapy in rehabilitation of soft-tissue injuries out to pasture?https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8173427/

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Medically reviewed by Angela M. Bell, MD, FACP — Written by The Healthline Editorial Team — Updated on September 30, 2024

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