[Clinical trial comparing three types of cryotherapy in nonpregnant women]

The objective of the present study was to compare three methods of cryotherapy in healthy non-pregnant women. This is a randomized controlled clinical trial that was conducted by 32 undergraduates of a private nursing college in the city of Sao Paulo, divided into three groups (iced water, soft ice, ice gel). The temperatures were verified (axillary, thigh, of the three ice packs) between zero and twenty minutes. The temperatures of the packs were the following: soft ice, from negative 9 degrees C to 2 degrees C; iced water, from 0 degrees C to 8 degrees C; and ice gel from negative 11 degrees C to 2 degrees C. There was a significant difference between the average thigh temperature values at 10 minutes (p = 0.007), 15 minutes (p = 0.003) and 20 minutes (p = 0.005). The gel was the most efficient cooling method. The three cryotherapy methods achieved the recommended temperature for analgesia and may be tested in women with perineal pain after childbirth.