Contraindications to Cryotherapy
A contraindication is a certain condition or injury which may make the use of a treatment method inadvisable. So in terms of cold therapy, the following conditions and circumstances should not be treated with cold:
- Raynauds Phenomenon - A condition affecting small blood vessels in the extremities. Exposure to cold may cause a return in symptoms.
- Cold Hypersensitivity - There are many forms of cold hypersensitivity, which include:
- Cold Urticaria - Also known as hives. A release of histamine during re-warming after a period of cooling, causing red, itchy welts on the skin.
- Cold Erythema - A rash, characterised by redness and itching, caused by exposure to cold. Can cause severe pain and muscular spasms.
- Cold Hemoglobinuria - When red blood cells break down so quickly that some haemoglobin cannot combine with blood proteins.
- Anesthesia - When there is an area of numbness or altered sensitivity, cold therapy should not be used as pain and the degree of cooling cannot be felt by the patient.
The following conditions can be treated with cryotherapy, although extra care may be needed:
- Cardiac Conditions - such as Arthymia, Angina or CHD
- High Blood Pressure - Vasoconstriction could serve to increase blood pressure
- Superficial Nerves - Cold therapy should not be used on an area where nerves pass close to the surface
- Healing Wounds - Cold therapy should not be used over a new wound
