Contrast baths are used for ankle, foot, or hand problems to
help decrease inflammation and pain. They involve dipping the
injured limb alternately into cold and warm (not hot) water. It
is important to end a contrast bath with a soak in cold water to
help reduce swelling. These baths can be continued at least
daily for up to 2 weeks. But if swelling and bruising last this
long, a doctor should be consulted. There is not much evidence
that contrast baths work better than ice, but the theory is that
changing the temperature back and forth between cold and warm
creates a kind of pump. Heat causes blood vessels to get bigger
and cold causes them to get smaller. Alternating between heat
and cold means the blood vessels alternate between bigger and
smaller. This change in blood movement could help reduce
inflammation and swelling, and that could improve range of
motion in the joint. November 15, 2011 Adam Husney, MD - Family
Medicine & William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
How this information was