Ice packs

davebird2003

Newbie
Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
rain ,cold weather
I was wondering if anyone could answer my question;-
Why can't diabetics use ice packs to sooth injuries?
I ask this because i have recently had a total knee replacement & a couple of days after my op i asked the nurse if she could give me something to ease my discomfort & she said she would go get me a ice pack but when she came back a little while later she said i couldn't have a ice pack because i am a diabetic but she did not explain why this is so i thought i'd ask on here!!
 

AMBrennan

Well-Known Member
Messages
826
Probably due to possible loss of sensation in diabetics - pain from incorrect use/malfunction (e.g. I don't think the ice pack is supposed to be in direct contact with your skin) might go unnoticed, leading to injury that would otherwise be avoided as people would, presumably, stop when it starts to hurt.
 

bystander

Member
Messages
17
Quite right AM. Although there would be no reason for a diabetic with no sign of any neuropathy not to have an ice pack. It's just that they always err on the side of caution by lumping all diabetics together as automatically having some sort of neuropathy! :cry: