What Does RICE Stand for in First Aid?

If someone you know suffers from an injury it is important to apply the right type of treatment. By utilizing the appropriate form of treatment you can relieve them from discomfort, reduce swelling and help speed up their recovery time. Remembering four important acronyms such as RICE in first aid will help you.

Rest

• Rest the injured area as quickly as possible.




• If there is pain this is a message that use of the injured area should be avoided.

Ice

• Apply ice quickly to the injured area. Applying ice helps reduce the swelling.




• Use cold packs or crushed ice in zip-lock bags. Always use a thin cloth between the injured area and cold pack to avoid frost bite.




• Apply ice for 10-20 minutes every 2-4 hours. Stop if the area becomes numb.

Compression

• Immediately after an injury, use an ace bandage to wrap over an ice pack to reduce swelling to the area.




• Wrap the ace bandage firmly and evenly, but not too tightly.

Elevation

• After applying ice and wrapping the injured area, elevate the injured area to a height above the waist if possible.