![]() Allergic reactions: If you are allergic to the materials used in the gel pack, it is important to avoid using it to prevent an allergic reaction. Circulatory problems: If you have circulatory problems or conditions that affect blood flow, such as Raynaud’s disease or diabetes, it is important to be cautious when using a gel pack, as it can affect blood flow to the affected area. Sensitive skin: If you have sensitive skin, it is important to be careful when using a gel pack, as it can cause irritation or burns if left on the skin for too long. Some examples of these conditions include: There are certain health conditions for which it is not recommended to use a gel pack. Don’t allow children to use unsupervised.Don’t sit on or fall asleep on your gel pack.For comfort and safety use a protective sleeve, cover, or cloth between the skin and gel pack.Avoid applying the gel pack directly to skin as this can cause frostbite/burns.It is important to avoid applying gel pack for too long, as this can cause tissue damage.Place inside a freezer bag (provided) to keep separate from your food items.Sunlight will age and weaken the gel pack. Store the gel pack out of direct sunlight, in a cool dry place.Wipe the gel pack with a clean damp cloth after each use to ensure to remove grease or oils that can cause ‘hot spots’ resulting in your gel pack leaking during heating.Use heat for 15 to 20 minutes, then a few hours later use ice for 10 to 15 minutes. You may also want to try switching between heat and cold. And do not fall asleep with the ice on your skin. ![]() Do not apply ice for longer than 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Also ice after any prolonged activity or vigorous exercise.Īlways keep a damp cloth between your skin and the cold pack, and press firmly against all the curves of the affected area. After that, a good pattern is to ice for 10 to 15 minutes 3 times a day: in the morning, in the late afternoon after work or school, and about a half hour before bedtime. For the first 72 hours (3 days), ice for 10 minutes once an hour the first day, then every 2 to 3 hours. Rub the ice over the affected area for 3 to 5 minutes. Before use, peel back enough paper to expose some of the ice. Fill a paper cup two-thirds full with water, and freeze it until it is solid ice. Seal the bag, and place it in freezer until slush forms. Mix 3 cup (709.78 mL) water and 1 cup (236.59 mL) denatured alcohol in a freezer bag. Wrap the bag in a wet towel and apply it to the affected area. Squeeze the air out of the bag and seal it. ![]() Put about 1 lb (0.45 kg) of ice in a plastic bag. ![]() Remove the towel from the bag, and place it on the affected area. Fold the towel, place it in a plastic bag, and freeze it for 15 minutes. Wet a towel with cold water, and squeeze it until it is just damp. Ice and cold packs can relieve pain, swelling, and inflammation from injuries and other conditions such as arthritis. Use heating pads set on low or medium, never on high. If you think you might fall asleep, set an alarm clock to go off in 20 minutes. If you are using an electric heating pad, avoid falling asleep while the pad is on.Try an all-day heat wrap, available in pharmacies.Moist heat (hot packs, baths, showers) works better than dry heat. Apply heat for 15 to 20 minutes at a time.Follow these suggestions if you would like to try heat or cold for low back pain. footnote 1 But some people do find that heat or cold help them. There is little proof that cold will help. There is some evidence that heat will help decrease low back pain. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |