RICE

RICE is a way to care for an injury. RICE helps relieve pain and swelling. It may also help with healing and flexibility. RICE stands for:

• Rest and protect the injured or sore area.
• Ice or a cold pack used as soon as possible.
• Compression, or wrapping the injured or sore area with an elastic bandage.
• Elevation (propping up) the injured or sore area.

You can use RICE for home treatment when you have general aches and pains or after an injury or surgery.

Rest

• Do not put weight on the injury for at least 24 to 48 hours.
• Use crutches for a badly sprained knee or ankle.
• Support a sprained wrist, elbow, or shoulder with a sling.

Ice

• Put ice or a cold pack on the injury right away to reduce pain and swelling. Frozen vegetables will also work as an ice pack. Put a thin cloth between the ice or cold pack and your skin. The cloth protects the injured area from getting too cold.
• Use ice for 10 to 15 minutes at a time for the first 48 to 72 hours.

Compression

• Use compression for sprains, strains, and surgeries of the arms and legs.
• Wrap the injured area with an elastic bandage or compression sleeve to reduce swelling.
• Don't wrap it too tightly. If the area below it feels numb, tingles, or feels cool, loosen the wrap.

Elevation

• Use elevation for areas of the body that can be propped up, such as arms and legs.
• Prop up the injured area on pillows whenever you use ice. Keep it propped up anytime you sit or lie down.
• Try to keep the injured area at or above the level of your heart. This will help reduce swelling and bruising.