Ice pack or cold pack
Follow these steps to make an ice pack:
- Put about 1 lb (0.5 kg) of ice in a plastic bag.
- Add enough water to barely cover the ice.
- Squeeze the air out of the bag, and seal it.
- Wrap the bag in a damp towel, and apply it to the painful area.
- Use the ice pack for up to 15 minutes at a time.
You can make cold packs from items found in your freezer, or you can buy commercial cold packs.
- Ice bags or bags of frozen peas are inexpensive, last 10 to 20 minutes, and mold well to your body.
- Cold packs (vinyl-coated silica gel) are lightweight, mold to your body, and last for 20 to 30 minutes. (If the chemical inside leaks out, you may get a chemical burn.)
| Author: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA | Last Updated: December 1, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine Steven K. Patterson, BSc, DDS, MPH - Dentist | |
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