I get why you'd stick with heat—it's definitely easier—but honestly, timing made a noticeable difference for me. I found shorter intervals (like 10-15 mins each) of alternating hot and cold worked better than longer sessions of just one type. The cold seemed to help reduce swelling faster, while the heat eased stiffness. Yeah, it's a bit of a hassle switching packs, but once I got into a rhythm, it wasn't too bad... and the relief was worth the extra effort.
Totally agree about alternating hot and cold—it made a big difference when my daughter had her graft done. I was skeptical at first (and honestly, a bit nervous about the cold making things worse), but the swelling went down noticeably quicker. Worth the extra hassle for sure...
"I was skeptical at first (and honestly, a bit nervous about the cold making things worse), but the swelling went down noticeably quicker."
Same here—I wasn't convinced either, especially since I didn't want to spend extra on ice packs and heating pads. But honestly, alternating hot and cold was one of the few things that genuinely helped with my graft pain. I just used frozen peas wrapped in a towel (cheap hack!) and a basic heating pad. Definitely sped up recovery without breaking the bank...
Frozen peas are the real MVP, haha. I remember my wife accidentally cooked my "ice pack" for dinner once... awkward meal. Did anyone else find sleeping positions tricky after their graft? Could barely get comfy without waking up sore.
Frozen peas definitely saved me a few times too, though fortunately mine never ended up as dinner! Sleeping was tricky for sure—I found propping myself up slightly with extra pillows helped ease the soreness a bit. Also, switching to a softer pillow made things less uncomfortable. It does get better after a couple of weeks, hang in there... you'll soon forget how awkward sleeping felt initially.
