There are many things you may want to consider when buying an ice pack for your head. Getting the best ice pack for your head specifically, rather than a general ice pack, could make a huge difference in alleviating headache or migraine pain. Here are some common and helpful tips to assist you when you go to the store that could make the process easier for you.
Size
The size of the ice pack you choose should be able to cover the area of pain you may be enduring. When it comes to head pain, you may need one that covers only your eyes, neck, forehead, or one that covers an entire side of your head. Since ice packs come in many sizes, make sure you are getting the one that is right for your specific head pain and that is flexible enough to conform to your head and possibly avoid it from slipping or making your head pain worse with annoyance.
Shape
The shape can be another major factor to take into consideration. If you need an ice pack that covers your forehead, you will likely want a rectangularly shaped ice pack. If you need one for your eyes, then you may want to get two round shaped ones so you can cover both eyes better than those mask-type spa cool packs that can’t quite reach your eyelids to soothe the pain. If you have bad migraines, then you may need one that wraps around your head and neck to give the most relief or you could get a thinner rectangular shaped one for your forehead and a square shaped one for your neck.
Durability
Durability is one of the most important things to factor into your ice pack purchase. If you have frequent headaches or migraines, you most likely need an ice pack you can use multiple times a week or even multiple times a day. Finding one with a stitched cover made of cotton or something soft could give added comfort along with durability. Try to avoid ice packs that are made of cheap plastic because those could burst after a few uses or after being in the freezer a few times and that could be very messy.
Effectiveness
Finding an ice pack that is the most effective is likely your main goal when shopping for a new one. This is possibly the hardest to achieve by looking at a package or website and you may have to try more than one to find the one that is most effective for you. If you get frequent migraines, you may need two durable ice packs so you can have one in the freezer ready for use and then when the one you are using loses its coolness, you can swap them quickly so that you can achieve the most effective pain relief for you.
Price
The price of a durable ice pack may not be as bad as you imagine. Most long-term use ice packs are anywhere from ten to forty dollars. The size of the ice pack is usually what determines the price, along with the inner materials. A ten to forty dollar ice pack isn’t very much money if you consider the continuous relief you could achieve from it. Try to stay away from the one to five dollar ice packs, because they may be the ones that don’t last very long and then you could be back at the store to buy another ice pack instead of getting the relief you may desperately need.
Material
When you think about the material, it’s the inside that generally matters most with ice packs. You will likely want a gel or flax type of inner material so that it is very pliable and hugs the areas of your head, neck, and eyes the most without leaving any portion of pain untouched. You may want to get an ice pack with adjustable straps if you will be laying in bed from your headache or a migraine. The outer material can be very important too though if you want to be able to wash the cover or use essential oils like peppermint or lavender to assist with pain relief.
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