Icing after GCS?

[Kasumi63]

It’s been three weeks since my surgery, and I still have a lot of swelling. My surgeon didn’t recommend icing, but I’ve read about people icing the area after surgery. Did you do this? Did it help? If so, what’s a good routine (i.e. How long? How many times a day?) Thanks for your help.

[VickySGV]

The icing is to control the swelling, and you do not seem to be bothered by the swelling, whereas I had one heckuva a darn lot of swelling that really bothered me heavily, and made sitting extremely uncomfortable. I only did it for a couple of weeks once I got home, which was one week after my surgery.  I really cannot say icing the area did me any good but it gave me an hour or so lying down while Tylenol kicked in to help with the general comfort.  I was given a couple of ice bag in my going home kit which were basically Freezer Bags inside a cloth cover.  At home, I used actual Baggies freezer bags that I wrapped in a hand towel when I kicked back for a rest.  Rest alone will help with post op swelling if get your legs higher than your heart, just like a sprained ankle will be helped that way.  You have had no less of a real surgical experience if you do not do the icing, I doubt if it would hurt you but as I said I do not see where it did much for me to have bothered with it, but I tried it and got the benefit of a nap.

[Kasumi63]

Thanks, Vicky. Sorry for the delayed response, but this was helpful.