All living well guides
Care at home
Cold Therapy
Cold reduces swelling and numbs pain in an acutely inflamed joint.
Video lesson
Why it matters
Cooling the tissue narrows blood vessels, reducing swelling and slowing pain signals.
What you can do
Wrap an ice pack or bag of frozen peas in a thin towel and apply for 10 to 15 minutes, several times a day. Avoid cold therapy if you have Raynaud’s phenomenon.
Call your care team if
Your skin turns white or numb for long periods, or swelling keeps getting worse.
At a glance
Topic
Care at home
Reviewed by Farhan Tahir, MD, FACR
Questions about your own care?
Book an in-person or telehealth consultation with Dr. Tahir.
For education only. Don’t start, stop or change a medicine without talking to your care team.