Use a bag of ice or frozen vegetables wrapped in a dry cloth.
Hold against injury.
Cool the injury for no more than 10 minutes.
What is a cold compress?
Cooling an injury like a sprain or bruise can help to reduce the swelling and pain. There are two types of compress: ice packs, and cold pads, which can be made from dampening a cloth with cold water.
What to do
Cold pad
Soak a clean cloth or flannel in cold water. Then wring it out lightly and fold into a pad.
Hold it firmly against the injured area
Re-soak the cloth every couple of minutes to keep it cool.
Do not cool the injury for more than 20 minutes
Ice pack
Use a pack of frozen vegetables or partly fill a plastic bag using small ice cubes or crushed ice. Wrap the bag in a dry cloth.
Hold the pack on the injury and top up with ice to keep it cool.