So, if you're not supposed to slap ice on an acute soft tissue injury because it slows the metabolic rate and impedes the turnover of the initial, painful stage of inflammation into the cleanup and rebuilding stages, then what should
you do?
In Chinese medicine, when an acute
traumatic injury occurs there are four results: heat, blood stasis,
fluid accumulation, and qi stagnation. The heat you can obviously
feel with your hand and see from the reddened tissue; the blood
stasis is evident in the bruising; the fluid accumulation is
obviously seen with the swelling; the only thing not obvious to a lay
person is qi stagnation, which to a practitioner of Chinese medicine
is evidenced in this case by the experience of pain.
In Chinese medicine, lack of movement
or impediment to the pathway of movement is the root of pain. In the
case of a traumatic injury, the stagnation of qi and blood allows the
fluids to accumulate and produces incredible heat, which is not only
itself a source of pain, but further damages the blood and increases
stasis. To treat this in Chinese medicine, we use herbs that clear
heat, cool the blood, move blood stasis, and reduce fluid
accumulation. These herbs are prepared in a way so they can be
externally applied to the site of the injury, their medicinal
properties absorbed through the skin, penetrating directly into the
traumatized tissue.
A
classical formula for this purpose is called San Huang San (“Three
Yellows Powder”), and it primarily clears heat, cools the blood,
and reduces fluid accumulation. The formula is often modified to
include herbs that more strongly clear heat and invigorate the blood
to hasten the process of turning the initial painful stage of an
acute injury into healing. Such a modified version of San Huang San,
called Ice-No-More is prepared in a natural alternative to petroleum
jelly and ready to apply the moment after an injury occurs. Put on a
layer 1/8”-1/4” thick, cover with plastic wrap (to prevent the
staining of fabric), and leave in place for 24 hours. Look for
Ice-No-More on the shelves at The Pin Cushion and keep it at home in
your medicine cabinet or first aid kit. Stop putting ice on your
injuries, start healing faster, and ensure an overall stronger tissue
by using an acute-stage, heat clearing, qi and blood moving soft
plaster like Ice-No-More, or any other Chinese medicine trauma
liniment designed with the same intention.
