Easyheats Heat Packs can be used hot or cold, depending on what your circumstance is.
Heat and Cold Therapy
Heat therapy works by improving circulation and blood flow to a particular area due to increased temperature. Increasing the temperature of the afflicted area even slightly can soothe discomfort and increase muscle flexibility. Heat therapy can relax and soothe muscles and heal damaged tissue. This is good for tight, tired muscles in your neck, back, upper and lower limbs
Cold therapy is also known as cryotherapy. It works by reducing blood flow to a particular area, which can significantly reduce inflammation and swelling that causes pain, especially around a joint or a tendon. It can temporarily reduce nerve activity, which can also relieve pain. This is best for inflamed painful joints and is often used to relieve pain from arthritis.
Heat Pack Filling
Our heat packs are filled with either 100% Australian wheat or Lupins. Each filling is good for retaining heat or cold depending on how you are using it.
We use food grade, organic wheat and lupins because they are clean, healthy and contain no added chemicals. The wheat and lupin grains are very good at holding on to heat and cold and releasing it very slowly giving comfort and warmth or a great cooling effect for a long time. The heating takes place in the microwave and the cold is achieved in the freezer. The lupins are larger round grains which helps to provide a massage effect.
Easyheats Neck and Shoulder use wheat because it is a smaller grain and therefore moulds more readily into the body’s contours around the neck and shoulder areas.
Easyheats Back and Posture use lupins as they are larger and round, giving a massage effect when leaning against the back of a chair.
Both fillings are great to bring the desired relief for tired, tight, sore muscles and joints.
Ergonomic Shape
Not all heat packs are created equally. Many heat packs are either long, square, oblong or curved. Some are even in the shape of an animal. While these heat packs can deliver heat, its often their shape that can lead to worsening your situation. For example, holding your shoulders up to keep an oblong or square heat pack in place can make the muscles even tighter.
Due to their unique design, our products have extra therapeutic features, as well as heat or cold.
Easyheats Neck, Back and Shoulder heat packs have all been ergonomically designed to fit the contours of your body thereby allowing supporting muscles to relax and stretch.
The Easyheats Neck has front counterweights to keep the heat pack in place and allow the neck muscles to gently stretch which provides relief.
Easyheats Back is made with unique stretch corduroy straps which provide support along with keep heat pack securely in place.
And the Easyheats Shoulder has a unique design with a wide, adjustable, elastic strap to secure the heat pack in place.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long do I heat my Easyheats?
Always begin with 60-90m seconds, depending which product you have. If your heat pack is not hot enough, use 30 second increments until the desired warmth is reached. Three minutes should be maximum. Each product has specific instructions which are included in the packaging. If you have misplaced those instructions, you can find them all here [link to instructions]
2. I singed my Easyheats but only had it in for 2 minutes?
Always determine the Wattage of your microwave oven first. Singeing only happens when the power is too high or if the product has been heated for way too long. If your microwave is higher that 800 Watts, you must heat on a medium power setting. For more information see [link to instructions]
3. When I pick up my Easyheats Neck, it feels quite heavy. Is that good for my neck?
The Easyheats Neck was designed by a physiotherapist to be perfectly weighted to give the upper shoulders (the upper Trapezius muscles) a gentle stretch. Once your Easyheats Neck is placed correctly over your neck and upper shoulders, the weight is evenly distributed, and you should feel a pleasant downward pressure.
If the weight feels uncomfortable, you should use the Small (if you are 30-50Kg), or a Light (If you just want the warmth, but not the stretch)
4. I often get headaches. Will the Easyheats Neck help me?
It does depend on the cause of your headaches, but if they are caused by tight neck muscles pulling on their attachments to the base of your skull, you may well benefit from the Regular Neck, as it heats right from the base of the skull and along the entire length of these muscles. This warmth combined with the gentle stretch will help relax these muscles.
5. Can I wash my Easyheats product?
As long as the grains do not get wet, you can sponge clean the fabric.
6. When would I use my Easyheats Neck cold?
Easyheats Neck should be used cold in the case of an acute injury (e.g., whiplash) within the first 48 hours, to help control bleeding and swelling of the soft tissues. Also, when inflammation, such as arthritis is present, some people find that cold gives them more relief than heat. Any of the Easyheats products should be used cold in this way.
7. Do I need a microwave to heat Easyheats products?
Yes, a microwave is the only safe way to heat your Easyheats products
8. Can I use my Easyheats Back whilst pregnant?
Definitely! The Easyheats Back not only delivers soothing heat to painful spine and pelvic muscles and joints, its elasticity also gives support as well. It is recommended that the Easyheats Back is fastened under your “bump.” It is also extremely useful for pain relief during labour, as it stays in place whilst you are free to move about.
9. I once had weevils in a wheatbag. Can I prevent this happening again?
All our grains have been treated cryogenically to prevent this from happening. By freezing the grains prior to filling, we utilise a natural and very effective way of preventing any infestations by killing any microscopic eggs which may have been present. For this reason, please do not store your Easyheats with any untreated grain products.
10. I’ve had my Easyheats for several years and it doesn’t seem to hold its heat for as long as it used to. Why is this?
This can happen when the wheat grains dry out. They can get very hot, more quickly but lose their heat very quickly. To prevent this, put a glass of water into the microwave with your Easyheats product, as directed in the instructions. It doesn’t have to be done every time, but at least once in every 5 uses.
11. Some of the Easyheats products use wheat and some lupins. What is the difference?
There is minimal difference in weight, heating times or how the heat is retained.
Easyheats Neck and Shoulder use wheat because it is a smaller grain and therefore moulds more readily into the body’s contours around the neck and shoulder areas.
Easyheats Back and Posture use lupins as they are larger and round, giving a massage effect when leaning against the back of a chair.
12. My Easyheats smells when I heat it up. Why is this?
An unpleasant smell, particularly with the wheat products, means that the grains have been overheated, either for too long or at too high a power. Unfortunately, once this happens it is difficult to get rid of the smell. The lupin products have a less unpleasant smell (a bit like popcorn), but any smell means that your Easyheats has been overheated.
Still have questions? Contact us and we will gladly answer your questions. We are here to help.