Shoulder ice packs
May 29, 2020 10:16 AM   Subscribe

I have a definitley-torn rotator cuff plus damage to my bicep and neck, and am looking for icing solutions. Awaiting results of MRI to see if tear necessitates surgery but I have a lot of icing in my future regardless, and there are an overwhelming number of products available. Which do you like? Also any tips for finding a way to sleep with this miserable pain would be great.
posted by HotToddy to Health & Fitness (9 answers total) 5 users marked this as a favorite
 
Can't help with the icing products but when my mother tore her rotator cuff, she found sleeping easier if she was propped up quite a bit, with the affected arm in a soft sling. She ended up sleeping most nights in the recliner in the family room.
posted by cooker girl at 10:24 AM on May 29, 2020 [1 favorite]


As a competitive swimmer, I have had shoulder problems pretty much my entire life.

Out of all the icing solutions I have tried, the absolute best are the ones you make yourself. Mix water with anything that will bring the freezing point down, like alcohol, corn syrup, or even salt. Put that in a gallon size ziploc and then double bag with a second ziploc. Put in the freezer and voila - a nice slushy pack that you can conform to your shoulder. Pretty good instructions here.

As for sleeping, I have found that sleeping on my side with my bad arm on top, while placing a pillow under the bad arm to stabilize it, works fairly well.
posted by susiswimmer at 10:31 AM on May 29, 2020 [2 favorites]


we just ordered some frozen meat and they came with a bunch of different sized ice packs. we just store them in the freezer and wrap them in a towel for injuries and insanely hot afternoons. bonus , you get to eat a lot of tasty sausages.
posted by zsh2v1 at 10:39 AM on May 29, 2020


I rarely post AskMe answers but this one I know. The product you want is available on amazon by the name of "FlexiKold". That brand name is a series of flexible gel ice packs, available in a variety of sizes. I was gifted one years ago and it's awesome. So awesome, in fact, that I've gifted them to family members. I've only received positive feedback. The are indeed flexible/comfortable, stay cold, have sizes to fit the application, dont leak after years of use, and are fairly priced. There may be others that are comparable but I'll only buy these. Oh - and they even have a model contoured for the neck. If you're making an order though, as cheap as they are, you'll want to get at least another for general use.
posted by whatisish at 10:59 AM on May 29, 2020 [2 favorites]


When my ex had shoulder replacement surgery, his surgeon suggested getting a circulating cold pack like this. After a few weeks of using basic freezer bags, it was a godsend. There are many models available online.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 11:14 AM on May 29, 2020


I broke my arm right near the shoulder. I slept in a sling on my back. Not ideal, but it worked for the time I needed it to.

I bought a huge icepack from Amazon. It came with a holder to use on the shoulder, but I never figured out how it worked.
posted by kathrynm at 1:16 PM on May 29, 2020


The circulating cold pack + machine is absolutely the way to go for serious icing needs. While I own several beefy ice packs similar to the FlexiCold ones linked above, they take a decent amount of time to freeze up, and were not sufficient to manage pain after knee surgery. Bonus: many medical supply places will rent out the base unit for those ice machines monthly (you'll usually have to purchase the cool pack attachment for yourself, for sanitary reasons).
posted by Vervain at 3:06 PM on May 29, 2020


I have something like the flexicold - don't know brand but it has two inserts so one is always in the freezer. Big, shoulder specific pad with two velcro straps to keep it on. In terms of sleep multiple pillows to put under head, under bad arm (sleep on good side) and a knee pillow were essential. Squishy, maleable pillows so you can wedge them for perfect support. Sleeping on the couch or a recliner may work better to help cradle you in position. If it's legal where you are thc tincture helps with sleep - or cbd if necessary.
posted by leslies at 4:59 PM on May 29, 2020


(Oh! Following on to what leslies said, if you're in the PNW, Ceres' Dragon Balm, a 1:1 THC/CBD topical with menthol and camphor, is quite effective for pain control.)
posted by Vervain at 7:50 PM on May 29, 2020


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