What to do for soft tissue injuries (Part 2 of 2)

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.