Athletes have become ice's best friends. Injuries happen all the time when you play sports. We are taught that the first step in treating an injury is to apply ice to the pain. The only problem is that you don't always have direct access to the ice. We solved this problem by creating instant ice blocks. These are made of a mixture of chemicals and water. My question is: what brand of ice pack works best? Do those containing ammonium nitrate work better than those containing urea, or vice versa? Is just keeping a cooler full of ice a better option? Icing a small injury can be a very effective short-term treatment. Cold treatments reduce swelling, numb pain and can limit internal bleeding. Icing does not have to last a specific amount of time, and depending on the injury and person, the length of your icing should vary. One way to know when to make the frosting is CBAN. C means cooling. You should feel the coolness first. Then come the burning and pain. Eventually, you should feel numb. Numbing is the key to removing coolant. Even after the frosting is finished, you continue to benefit from it. “Intramuscular temperature continues to drop after removal of the modality. The results of various studies are consistent regarding the effects on the neuromuscular and pain process” (Meeusen R, Livens P, 1986). When an injury occurs, you should also always remember RICE. Rice means rest, ice, compression and elevation. Rest helps prevent the injured body part from overworking and becoming even more tired. Ice, as previously stated, has many benefits and can even help the injury heal faster. Compression will reduce most swelling and support the injury. Finally, elevation is another way to continue swelling downward...... middle of paper ......rporation, C. (n.d.). What are the different uses of urea? On Wisegeek.org. Retrieved March 18, 2014, from http://www.wisegeek.org/what-are-the-different-uses-of-urea.htmFormaldehyde's Many Applications (nd). In Formacare. Accessed March 18, 2014 from http://www.formacare.org/index.php?page=applicationsPhysical Properties of Urea (nd). In Mineral Data on Urea. Retrieved March 19, 2014, from http://webmineral.com/data/Urea.shtmlPhysical and Chemical Properties (January 16, 2001). In the safety data sheet. Retrieved March 19, 2014, from http://avogadro.chem.iastate.edu/msds/nh4no3.htmChemicals Used in a Cold Pack (nd). At Livestrong. Accessed March 19, 2014, from http://www.livestrong.com/article/150747-chemicals-used-in-a-cold-pack/Ammonium Chloride (nd). In the state. Accessed March 19, 2014, from http://avogadro.chem.iastate.edu/msds/nh4cl.htm