Heal From Swelling Faster than Ever - with Mobile IV Therapy
Here at Integrated Mobile Health, we are not just Houston’s supplier of mobile vitamin IV therapy, but Houston’s go-to for providing mobile health and total wellness. As such, we wanted to talk today about a commonly occurring issue for many of our clients: Swelling!
Yes swelling, also known as inflammation can be the result of a lot that life throws our way. Whether you’ve recently suffered an injury playing sports, during work, or even just doing household chores, you’ve likely noticed swelling afterward.
Though this is often seen as a bad sign, did you know that inflammation after an injury is a normal and healthy reaction? It’s a sign your body is doing its job, as swelling is your body’s way of sending vitamin-rich blood to the area you need it most!
However, while swelling is a good sign, it can also lead to pain, stiffness, and general discomfort. The good news? There are several simple yet effective ways to find relief until the swelling goes down on its own. In this post, we’ll go over some dos and don’ts for managing swelling after an injury.
In this blog, we'll discuss the following suggestions:
Using Cold Therapy for Swelling
One of the most effective and long standing remedies for swelling is ice. Applying something cold to the injury site constricts nearby blood vessels, slowing blood flow. This minimizes excessive fluids from building up and causing pain.
There are a few way to chill out:
- Ice packs – Makeshift bags of ice or frozen goods wrapped in a towel make easy cold compresses.
- Cold gel packs – Soft gel packs contour nicely to body parts and tend to stay cold longer without the mess of a traditional ice pack
- Cold water immersion – Soaking an inflamed area in cold water can be effective. Always exercise caution and to avoid over-chilling.
Other Cold Therapy Tips:
- Never place ice directly on skin as it can cause damage! Always wrap packs first!
- Try gentle massage while icing to help drain fluid out of injury site.
- Use caution with cold therapy if you have circulation issues or certain conditions.
- Cold works best for acute swelling within the first 48 hours post-injury.
The aim is to reduce swelling while avoiding further tissue damage. Be careful not to over-ice injured areas. A good rule of thumb is apply cold therapy to swollen areas for 10-15 minutes at a time, repeating every couple hours as needed. If numbness, skin discoloration, or increased pain occurs, take a break from the ice!
If you have a scheduled appointment with Integrated Mobile Health for an IV infusion treatment, we recommend not icing the area of your preferred IV placement (typically your wrist) prior to your appointment.
Healing with Warm Therapy
While ice is great for early swelling, heat applications can be helpful once swelling has stabilized after a couple days. Applying gentle heat promotes blood flow to the injured area, delivering fresh nutrients and oxygen to help repair any damage.
Some heat therapy options include:
- Heating pads – Heating pads provide dry heat and most allow you to customize temperature settings. Avoid direct skin contact.
- Hot towels – Soak towels in warm (but not hot!) water, wring out excess and apply over swollen areas for up to 15 minutes.
- Warm baths – For swelling in limbs or joints, soaking in warm bath water loosens stiffness while stimulating blood flow. Try it with epsom salts for increased effect!
More Heat Tips:
- Avoid using heat on any swelling that has not gone down after the first 48 hours
- Start with 10 minute heat sessions a few times daily, working up as comfortable
- Hydrate well while doing heat therapy to help circulate nutrients and replenish anything lost in sweat
The key to a good heat therapy regimen is stimulating blood flow without overly aggravating the injury site. Stop heat therapy if you notice any increased swelling or discomfort.
Relief through Rest and Elevation
We all know rest is crucial for recovery after getting injured. But we see many clients who push on due to their demanding jobs, families to care for, or athletic pursuits. Yet attempting to push through swelling and pain only makes matters worse.
We suggest getting the most out of your rest time combining with other treat modalities like aforementioned ice or heat, but also elevation! By properly elevating a swollen area, you get the best of both worlds: resting the body while gravity drains inflammation causing fluid buildup!
Tips for Rest and Elevation
- Prop up injured limbs using pillows or folded towels
- Recline the whole body (incline upper body if your face or torso is injured)
- Find angles that don’t cause discomfort or hinder blood flow
- Maintain elevated positions in 30 minutes intervals
- Use relaxation techniques rest your mind as well
Here at Integrated Mobile Health, we specialize in dealing with on the go Houstonians looking to heal quickly. But here’s our message to you: Give your body the break it’s begging for! Without appropriate rest, the rest of the treatment methods (including intravenous vitamin therapy) are less effective!
Fighting Swelling with Food and Supplements
As we’ve mentioned about swelling, it provides your injury site the nutrients your body needs. This said, your nutrition and supplement choices can drastically impact how your body’s inflammatory response plays out. Use these tips to get a dietary leg up on your swelling:
Eat More Anti-Inflammatory Foods
- Leafy greens, berries, and citrus fruits provide swelling-reducing compounds.
- Naturally boost good Omega fatty acids with fish, nuts, olive oil, and seeds
- Try cooking with anti-inflammatory spices like rosemary, ginger, turmeric, garlic
- Tart cherry juice contains antioxidant enzymes that help lower inflammation
Stay Hyrdated!
- Drink broth heavy soups and lots of water
- Avoid excess salt, saturated fats, processed foods, and sugary drinks
- Try ginger green tea for its anti-inflammatory benefits
Strategic Supplementation
- Magnesium assists in draining excess fluid while supporting muscle and nerve health.
- Immunity-boosting Vitamin C promotes collagen production which aids recovery
- Curcumin (found in turmeric) has highly effective swelling reduction benefits
- Fish oil supplements provide swelling-fighting omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA
If any of the above rings true, then consider this: Do you want to be a strong asset to your work team? Then protecting your most valuable asset, your health, will allow you to show up as your best self and give 100 percent. Intravenous infusion therapy offers a great way for working professionals like you to recharge their mental and physical vitality through targeted nutrition.
Delivered directly into your bloodstream, IV drips containing energizing nutrients, antioxidants, and amino acids help optimize your productivity and clarity. With restored focus and vibrancy from an IV hydration session, you’ll have the drive to achieve your most challenging career goals and be the envy of your coworkers!
Filling your plate with fresh nutrient-packed foods, staying hydrated, and taking key supplements sets your body up for success. Give it the tools needed to heal swelling quickly and efficiently.
IV Vitamin Therapy For Inflammation Recovery
Speaking of staying hydrated and getting key nutrients, you can receive many of the same healing benefits and more to supercharge your inflammation healing. Integrated Mobile Health offers intravenous (IV) vitamin therapies.
Delivered directly into the bloodstream through an IV drip, these specially formulated IV cocktails provide an efficient dose of vitamins, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatories to accelerate healing.
IV benefits include:
- Reduced pain
- Increased hydration
- Improved energy
- Enhanced immunity
- Faster recovery time
- Mood elevation.
We at Integrated Mobile Health understand that many don’t enjoy the thought of going to an IV lounge with their already busy schedules, especially when they’re experiencing pain and swelling! Thankfully, IMH brings the IV lounge to you with convenient at-home service. Have a look at our packages to learn more!
When to See A Doctor
persists beyond a few days or if you experience more serious symptoms like extreme fatigue, migraines, or fever, this could indicate an underlying issue.
Thankfully, if you’re unsure about scheduling your next doctor appointment, Integrated Mobile Health also offers tele-doc services to your door with every standard visit by our team. This gives you the opportunity, with a simple snap of your smartphone, to get quick physician insight on your condition and even receive prescriptions! Contact us today to learn more!
Reduce Your Swelling, with an IV Boost
Contact us now to get started with an IV therapy session and recover from pesky swelling with our mobile health solutions. Find out why we’re Houston’s #1 source for your IV and wellness needs.