#255 – Ye Olde Towel and the Ice Pack

Anyone who lives with rheumatoid arthritis knows the value of an ice-pack or five. A flare-up can hit many joints at one time, so it's advisable to have several ice-packs stashed in your freezer.

You may have often heard it said that you can use a bag of frozen vegetable. My thinking is that if you're going to use the frozen veggies, you're going to throw them out afterwards. At least I think you would. Instead, spend that money on several ice-packs that you can keep on hand, ready for chillin'.

The best way to use an ice-pack is to wrap it in a lightly-moistened cloth to increase conductivity. Brrr! Be patient, soon you'll be singing a different tune. It's recommended that you keep it on for no longer than twenty minutes.

To make the whole icing process easier, I decided to take some old towels and make pillow cases for my ice-packs. Dependent upon the location of the hot joint, I might also use a tensor bandage to secure the ice-pack in place.

auntie stress ice packs

5 Replies to “#255 – Ye Olde Towel and the Ice Pack”

  1. funny how the question of heat or cold comes up with RA. in nearly every case, regardless of swelling, pain level, etc. I gravitate to heat in any form…hot tubs, heated wraps, heat generating ointments, etc. I can count on my hand the number of times I have used ice…so interesting how we are all so different in what works best. Nan

  2. Once again great tips!

    We use a tea towel or kitchen hand towel to wrap the ice pack/hot water bottle in.

    We got a reusable ice pack from the Chiro distributed by Chirotec (www.chirotec.ca Canadian eh!). It remains flexible when cold making it bendable when needed. Right on the pack it says:

    Leave pack on area for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove pack and wait at least one hour before reapplying.

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