Ice vs. Heat

[Guest guest]

Hey all,

I've been having some conflicting issues. I am 2 days post op for

surgical pallate expansion and pretty swollen still. I'm using ice

packs to help control the swelling along with anti-inflamatory

pills. My mom says I should only use ice packs because heat packs

she says will make me swell up more and I won't heal as fast. Has

anyone who has had orthognathic surgery tried heat packs instead of

ice packs? Which one works best to control the swelling?

Thanks,

[Guest guest]

Hi , I was told that ice only works for the first 48

hours....then my Dr. told me to use heat. I'd be interested to hear

others' opinions too. Maybe I'll google it and see what the all-

knowing internet has to say about it.

Pam

>

> Hey all,

>

> I've been having some conflicting issues. I am 2 days post op for

> surgical pallate expansion and pretty swollen still. I'm using

ice

> packs to help control the swelling along with anti-inflamatory

> pills. My mom says I should only use ice packs because heat packs

> she says will make me swell up more and I won't heal as fast. Has

> anyone who has had orthognathic surgery tried heat packs instead

of

> ice packs? Which one works best to control the swelling?

>

> Thanks,

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi , I was told that ice only works for the first 48

hours....then my Dr. told me to use heat. I'd be interested to hear

others' opinions too. Maybe I'll google it and see what the all-

knowing internet has to say about it.

Pam

>

> Hey all,

>

> I've been having some conflicting issues. I am 2 days post op for

> surgical pallate expansion and pretty swollen still. I'm using

ice

> packs to help control the swelling along with anti-inflamatory

> pills. My mom says I should only use ice packs because heat packs

> she says will make me swell up more and I won't heal as fast. Has

> anyone who has had orthognathic surgery tried heat packs instead

of

> ice packs? Which one works best to control the swelling?

>

> Thanks,

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I am 3 weeks post op and was told that after 48 hours the ice packs

don't help much, you might use them for comfort and so do the heat

packs.

Your worst swelling day will be at 4-5 days, after that you will

start to see the inflammation coming down.

Good luck

>

> Hey all,

>

> I've been having some conflicting issues. I am 2 days post op for

> surgical pallate expansion and pretty swollen still. I'm using

ice

> packs to help control the swelling along with anti-inflamatory

> pills. My mom says I should only use ice packs because heat packs

> she says will make me swell up more and I won't heal as fast. Has

> anyone who has had orthognathic surgery tried heat packs instead

of

> ice packs? Which one works best to control the swelling?

>

> Thanks,

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I asked several people about heat. The resident surgeon and my

massage therapist both said no heat - it increases swelling as it

draws fluids to the area.

The resident also said that ice is only good at the initial injury

(surgery) and that it isn't effective after that.

I felt better when I applied ice to my face, so I used it a lot.

You'll find some whose surgeons did suggest heat (like Cammie), but

I don't agree with them.

I was also told that the swelling would peak on day 3 post-op (not

counting day of surgery), so you may have a bit more discomfort,

then things should start to settle down for you.

Hope that helps,

>

> Hey all,

>

> I've been having some conflicting issues. I am 2 days post op for

> surgical pallate expansion and pretty swollen still. I'm using

ice

> packs to help control the swelling along with anti-inflamatory

> pills. My mom says I should only use ice packs because heat packs

> she says will make me swell up more and I won't heal as fast. Has

> anyone who has had orthognathic surgery tried heat packs instead

of

> ice packs? Which one works best to control the swelling?

>

> Thanks,

>

>

[Guest guest]

:

I just had a SARPE like you. I had mine on 7 Sep. So I just went

through this. This is what my surgeon said to me and I stuck to it

to the tee. What he said was to use ice for the first 24 hours and

then use nothing for the next 24 hours then after that, don't use

any ice. He said to apply heat packs to your face for only 20

minutes every hour. It really worked well for me. This is the

reasoning.

The purpose of ice is to constrict the blood cells. This

constriction will control the initial swelling caused by the blood

and is really used for pain control. However, after 24 hours,

bleeding should be controlled and then the body will begin producing

tissue fluid around the surgery site around 36-48 hours. Thus, the

swelling you will see is actually fluid and not blood. Applying ice

to the swelling caused by fluid will have no effect on the

swelling. The heat applied after 48-hours will cause the fluid to

be reabsorbed into the body, subsequently causing swelling to go

down. Now it takes a while for the fluid to be reabsorbed, but with

ice, it will take even longer. What worked best for me was a hot

shower where I let it hit my head and ran down my face. Try this,

it works. Before you get in the shower, just push on your face

lightly and you will see how tight it feels. Then take a hot shower

as I said above (letting the hot water run down your face ... don't

let it hit it directly) for 20 minutes. When you get out of the

shower, touch your face again and feel how much fluid was flushed

out and see how much the swelling goes down.

Realize that the fluid will come back in about 45 minutes, but apply

heat again. The fluid build up makes your face feel tight, but the

heat makes it go away. This will be a cycle you do for about 5

days, but you will see it go down quickly. If you have any

questions about the SARPE recovery, just ask. I just went through

it. I hope this helps and note that these are my thoughts and

experiences.

> >

> > Hey all,

> >

> > I've been having some conflicting issues. I am 2 days post op

for

> > surgical pallate expansion and pretty swollen still. I'm using

> ice

> > packs to help control the swelling along with anti-inflamatory

> > pills. My mom says I should only use ice packs because heat

packs

> > she says will make me swell up more and I won't heal as fast.

Has

> > anyone who has had orthognathic surgery tried heat packs instead

> of

> > ice packs? Which one works best to control the swelling?

> >

> > Thanks,

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

, thank you so much for posting that information. Maybe this

site should have a 'reference' section where we could put such great

posts like yours! I had upper/lower jaw surgery 3 weeks ago and my

swelling just does not want to go away. I will try your method.

I've been using heat, but just not 'accurately' the way you

describe.

Thanks again,

Pam

> > >

> > > Hey all,

> > >

> > > I've been having some conflicting issues. I am 2 days post op

> for

> > > surgical pallate expansion and pretty swollen still. I'm

using

> > ice

> > > packs to help control the swelling along with anti-inflamatory

> > > pills. My mom says I should only use ice packs because heat

> packs

> > > she says will make me swell up more and I won't heal as fast.

> Has

> > > anyone who has had orthognathic surgery tried heat packs

instead

> > of

> > > ice packs? Which one works best to control the swelling?

> > >

> > > Thanks,

> > >

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Thanks for the posting, I have been trying it all day today and I

almost feel human. Its great thank you thank you thank you.....I am

nearly 4 weeks post op.

> > > >

> > > > Hey all,

> > > >

> > > > I've been having some conflicting issues. I am 2 days post

op

> > for

> > > > surgical pallate expansion and pretty swollen still. I'm

> using

> > > ice

> > > > packs to help control the swelling along with anti-

inflamatory

> > > > pills. My mom says I should only use ice packs because heat

> > packs

> > > > she says will make me swell up more and I won't heal as

fast.

> > Has

> > > > anyone who has had orthognathic surgery tried heat packs

> instead

> > > of

> > > > ice packs? Which one works best to control the swelling?

> > > >

> > > > Thanks,

> > > >

> > > >

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

That is great and Pam. I did apply heat by using some pads

that I could heat up and I cover my entire face at the 20 minute

every hour interval method I stated. I looked kind of funny,

because I had a little hole to breath from. The heat felt so good

that I didn't care. Nothing felt as good though as the shower. I

must have taken 3 a day for the first five days. I just put a chair

in the shower and sat there. It was nice. Let me know how it is

going.

One other note is that what will happen is that you will flush the

tissue fluid out of your face, but it will come back. Just a little

let each time. Try and stay upright as well so gravity can work on

your side as well. Laying down lets the fluid come right back with

ease so avoid that until you think the swelling is under control.

Just trying to help and let you know what worked for me. Please

keep me posted.

Take Care and God Bless!

> > > > >

> > > > > Hey all,

> > > > >

> > > > > I've been having some conflicting issues. I am 2 days

post

> op

> > > for

> > > > > surgical pallate expansion and pretty swollen still. I'm

> > using

> > > > ice

> > > > > packs to help control the swelling along with anti-

> inflamatory

> > > > > pills. My mom says I should only use ice packs because

heat

> > > packs

> > > > > she says will make me swell up more and I won't heal as

> fast.

> > > Has

> > > > > anyone who has had orthognathic surgery tried heat packs

> > instead

> > > > of

> > > > > ice packs? Which one works best to control the swelling?

> > > > >

> > > > > Thanks,

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > >

> > >

> >

>