|
Facial Swelling After Surgery
|
Question: Why first cold and then hot to help with the facial swelling after surgery?
I had my wisdom teeth pulled out and he made several adjustments in my jaw... it was kind of a big operation...
at first the doctor told me to put ice (the first 2 days) to help with the swelling... but now he told me to put hot gel packs.. why the change from cold to hot? and what other ways to unswell faster? its been 5 days and i look like a balloon
Answer: Cold to reduce swelling. Hot to ease pain. Hot will also help draw the liquid out of your tissues that are making you look like a balloon. He should have also told you to gargle with salt water. As hot as you can stand it and make sure that you create a real strong tide going over the area where your wisdom teeth were. (Push it around with your tongue and cheeks, so that it swishes around strongly.) This will also help draw the swelling out. The salt water washes can be done four or five times a day, and ESPECIALLY after eating
Cold tends to decrease circulation. Heat tends to increase circulation. You use the cold first to prevent excess blood flow to the area that could cause swelling and bruising. There will still be some swelling so after the initial time period, you use the heat later to increase flow to draw excess fluids away and decrease swelling.
Comment:
|
|
|
|
|
