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If you have ever been injured or if you suffer from chronic pain, there is a very big chance that you have used a gel pack. The majority of gel packs are used to provide a cooling sensation to painful, swollen areas. There are also some that instead provide heat. There are more yet that have the ability to be used for both. The question is, though, how do you know when to use heat and when to use cold. Also, how does a gel pack work and what exactly does it do? In this article we will discuss the various uses for gel packs, how they work, determining if you need heat or cold, and where to buy your very own gel packs.
First up, when is an ice pack the appropriate choice? Cold packs are often used to reduce swelling and ease pain, but how do you determine what injuries or painful areas are best to use cold packs on? The types of injuries that should have cold applied to them include knee and ankle sprains and muscle or joint sprains. You should also use cold packs on areas experiencing acute pain after an intense exercise session as well as a painful area that is swollen, hot, and/or red looking. You can also use cold packs to help treat insect bites and bruises.
So, why is it that ice packs are good for treating sprains? Well, when you sprain a part of your body, what happens is the blood vessels become damaged and that is ultimately the cause of swelling. This is because fluid leaks from the blood vessels, this fluid is the actual cause of the swelling. Cold packs help because the cold causes the blood vessels to constrict which stops or at least slows the fluid leaking from them. Therefore, the swelling reduces and once the swelling has gone done, some of the pain goes with it. With all of this being said, the sooner you can get ice onto an injury, the more likely an injury is to heal quickly. Ice is also a good tool to utilize if you have swelling due to arthritis.
Here are some tips to follow when you are using an ice pack. It is vital to keep icing sessions to no more than 20 minutes at a time. If you leave ice on your body for longer than that, damage will begin to occur.
It is also important to always wrap your gel pack in some kind of towel. This can be a hand towel, paper towel, or a washcloth. Anything as long as the cold is not coming in direct contact with your skin as this can cause nerve damage. After each icing session, wait approximately two hours before icing again. If you are treating an injury with cold gel packs, it is important to continue your icing sessions for 72 hours after the initial injury.
The opposite of cold is heat and there are times when the latter is what is needed to successfully treat an injury or chronic pain problem. Some examples of when heat is the best choice includes muscle pain or soreness, stiff joints, old or recurring injuries, and arthritis. Where cold packs cause blood vessels to constrict, heat packs cause just the opposite. Heat allows blood vessels to expand; it also helps muscles that are tense and tight to relax. It is often said that, applying heat gives a soothing sensation. This effect is created because the heat stimulates circulation and increases the elasticity of tissues, this in turn brings about pain relief.
Now, for some tips to keep in mind when applying heat. Just like with the cold treatments, heat sessions should be kept to a maximum of 20 minutes and when using gel packs, never apply them directly to the skin. If you do not exercise caution when using heat to treat an injury or chronic pain, it is entirely possible to cause burns, blisters, or at the very least irritation. Always resist the urge to apply to heat to a fresh injury. It will not help and it is probable that it will actually make the problem worse. Always ice a new injury first, then if needed, switch to heat.
It is often recommended to switch from ice to heat after the first 72 hours following the initial injury. Occasionally it is even recommended to switch throughout the day right after procuring the injury. For example, you may apply ice for 20 minutes, wait for a predetermined time and then apply heat for 20 minute and continue alternating over several days. If you are ever in doubt as to whether your personal situation requires heat or ice remember this, if there is swelling, ice it.
Now that you know how and when to use a gel pack, you may be wondering what exactly a gel pack is made of. Well, here is your answer. A gel pack is a plastic sack or bag that is filled with a refrigerant gel.
Other versions are filled with water or a refrigerant liquid. The chemicals used in a refrigerant gel include ammonium nitrate, which is the most commonly used chemical in gel packs. Urea is another chemical that can often be found in ice packs. This chemical is sometimes used in the place of ammonium nitrate because it is nontoxic whereas ammonium nitrate is quite harmful should it be swallowed, inhaled, or come into contact with skin. Under a certain set of circumstances, it is also possible for ammonium nitrate to explode, this is why some companies prefer to use the nontoxic urea instead. Urea is also used when it is desired for the cold pack to have a method for becoming cold without being placed in a freezer.
You now know when and how to use gel packs, you also have knowledge of what types of chemicals are inside of most gel packs. The only thing left to learn is where to buy them and how much they cost. I highly recommend visiting www.gelpax.com when you are looking to buy gel packs. This company has a guarantee that they will “beat any verified price quote on FDA registered promotional ice packs”, that is definitely a selling point for me. Keep in mind, however, that this site is only for those looking for bulk packages of ice packs and not individual ones. Their smallest pack contains 100-250 units.
If you are looking for individual packs, you should be able to find them at any pharmacy as well as places such as Walmart, Target, and even Bed Bath & Beyond. You can also buy them online from sites such as EBay and Amazon.
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This post made possible by site supporter Gregory Ortiz.
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Photo Credit: Pixabay