Light vs. Ice: The Best Relief for Perineal Pain and Healing After Birth
The New Breakthrough in Postpartum Healing: Why Red Light Therapy Beats Padsicles for Perineal Recovery
Updated November 2025.
Postpartum recovery can be challenging no matter how your baby arrives. For moms who experience perineal injuries like a tear or an episiotomy, the healing process can be slow and uncomfortable and can make breastfeeding more difficult if you’ve only been taught how to nurse sitting up. That’s why effective treatments for pain and swelling after childbirth are a must.
For years, cryotherapy (think ice packs) has been the go-to solution for reducing swelling and pain in those first critical hours after delivery. But what if there’s something better? A new clinical study has compared cryotherapy with photobiomodulation (PBM), a cutting-edge therapy that uses light to promote healing - and the results are very exciting! I use it within the first hour or so after birth (for perineal or cesarean wound healing).
If you’re ready to learn how red light therapy can speed up postpartum recovery and reduce discomfort, keep reading.
Let’s Break It Down: What is Cryotherapy?
You’ve probably heard of cryotherapy or cold therapy, it’s a simple and popular method for reducing pain and swelling. In fact, it was the core of the RICE treatment (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) that many of us grew up using for sprains and other injuries. But recently, there’s been a shift away from using ice to heal injuries, and here’s why:
Cold therapy interrupts the body’s natural healing process by halting inflammation, which is actually a key part of recovery. When you get injured, your body kicks off the healing process with inflammation, signaling your immune system to repair the tissue. By applying ice, you temporarily stop inflammation, and while that might numb pain, it could also slow down recovery.
This is a big reason why experts are questioning the RICE method for muscular injuries, and even for postpartum recovery. Applying cold to reduce swelling may actually delay healing because it blocks the inflammation that your body needs to repair tissue.
Cryotherapy in the Study: How Was It Used?
In this study, 56 postpartum women who had experienced either grade I or II tears or an episiotomy during childbirth were divided into two groups, one receiving ice and the other receiving red and near infra red light.
Here’s how the cryotherapy treatment was applied:
Cold Application: A latex glove filled with crushed ice was placed directly on the perineal area for 20 minutes.
Timing: The treatment was administered within the first 12 hours postpartum, when pain and swelling are most intense.
Cryotherapy works by reducing blood flow to the area, which can decrease swelling and provide short-term pain relief. Sounds good, right? Well, while it did help reduce pain, the results of this study suggest there’s an even better option: red light therapy for postpartum.
Enter Photobiomodulation: A Game-Changer for Postpartum Healing
So, what is photobiomodulation (PBM)? Unlike cryotherapy, which cools the body to reduce inflammation, PBM uses red and infrared light to stimulate cellular repair, reduce inflammation, and promote faster healing. And guess what? It does all this without interrupting the body’s natural healing process.
Here’s how PBM was applied in the study:
Red light (660 nm) was applied with a dose of 3 J/cm² at the injury site for 30 seconds per point.
Infrared light (808 nm) was applied at a dose of 6 J/cm² for 60 seconds per point. The light was focused around the injury to promote deeper tissue healing.
PBM works by boosting cellular energy (ATP production), which speeds up the repair process, reduces inflammation, and encourages healthy blood flow, all of which help the body heal faster. It’s non-invasive, painless, non-thermal and doesn’t have the same drawbacks as ice or anti-inflammatory medications.
The Study’s Most Exciting Results: Red Light Therapy Outshines Cryotherapy
Now, here’s where things get exciting. The study found that red light therapy outperformed ice therapy in almost every way, offering better pain relief and faster healing. Here are the key findings:
Superior Pain Relief
In the PBM group, pain scores dropped from 5.1 to 2.0 immediately after treatment and to 0.7 after 24 hours. Yes, you read that right, almost no pain after just one day!
The cryotherapy group saw pain scores drop from 4.7 to 3.2 immediately after treatment, and to 2.5 after 24 hours. While this was still helpful, the results were nowhere near as dramatic as with red light therapy.
Better Healing
PBM not only reduced pain but also improved healing significantly. The REEDA scale (which measures redness, swelling, and wound healing) showed the PBM group’s score drop from 3.8 to 2.4 after 24 hours, while the cryotherapy group’s score only went from 3.2 to 2.9. PBM led to more effective healing with less swelling. This is caused by the release of nitric oxide which is an important vasodilator - it increases circulation significantly.
No Interruption of the Inflammatory Process
One of the most exciting things about PBM is that it supports the body’s natural healing process instead of halting inflammation like ice or NSAIDs. PBM promotes cellular regeneration and collagen production and increases blood flow, speeding up recovery without interfering with the inflammation needed for tissue repair.
Learn more about how I use the Solasta laser for postpartum healing with my clients almost immediately after birth.
Why This Matters for Postpartum Moms
For postpartum moms dealing with the discomfort of perineal injuries, PBM offers a new frontier in recovery. Here’s why this study is such a game-changer:
Faster Recovery: Moms can experience rapid pain relief and faster healing, which means getting back to feeling like yourself sooner.
Non-Invasive and Drug-Free: PBM is painless and doesn’t interfere with breastfeeding or come with the side effects of medications.
Long-Lasting Benefits: Unlike ice, which offers short-term relief, PBM promotes long-term healing by working with your body’s natural processes.
This study shows that red light therapy could be the new gold standard for postpartum care, helping moms recover more quickly and comfortably than ever before. I don’t go to a birth without my hand held laser. I’ll also use it at postpartum visits if mom doesn’t have her own laser to soothe any breastfeeding issues in those early days while we figure out why mom’s nipples are painful (they shouldn’t be).
Perineal injury, cesarean wound healing (scar minimization) safe pain management.
What Kind of Light Should I Get?
In the study, the DMC Therapy EC device was used for but it’s over $2000 - but the good news is you can find more affordable options that will provide similar wavelengths for a fraction of the cost with LEDs. When you purchase through my website - reach out and I’ll create a tailored protocol based on your unique health needs and plans for birth (cesarean or vaginal). Panels won’t help you in hospital.
So if you’re due your baby soon and are looking for ways to accelerate healing and reduce pain, photobiomodulation might be the solution you’ve been waiting for. While cryotherapy/padsicles has long been a standard treatment, red light therapy offers a faster, more effective option that works in harmony with your body’s natural healing process. Think of it like a powerful multivitamin. Another option is laser therapy for deeper tissues which works more quickly offering greater pain relief.
As this study shows, red light therapy out performs padsicles in reducing pain, swelling, and promoting faster recovery.
Questions? Reach out anytime!
Tracy
https://blog.tracydonegan.org/dont-put-ice-on-your-perineum
