ThermaCare is a line of self-heating wraps and cold packs to treat muscle pain, inflammation, and other ailments.
Here’s our ThermaCare review.
What Is ThermaCare?
ThermaCare products come in many different varieties of self-adhesive wraps targeting different areas of the body such as the lower back and hip, knee and elbow, neck, wrist and shoulder, as well as multi-purpose joint and muscle wraps and heat wraps designed to relieve the pain of muscle cramps.
These products provide gentle, even heat to soothe away aches and pains effectively. ThermaCare also offers cold packs for muscle therapy and joint therapy, ideal for situations where muscle or joint pain is caused by inflammation, especially swelling caused by sprains and strains and inflammation caused by conditions such as arthritis.
ThermaCare Features: How Does It Work?
ThermaCare products feature patented heat cell technology that generates safe levels of therapeutic heat through chemical reactions within them. Steady levels of heat provide 8 hours of effective pain relief that also stimulates healing by increasing blood flow to the affected area yet still make it possible for individuals to go about their day instead of being stuck in one place at home with an electric heating pad, hot water bottle, or other form of traditional heat therapy.
Conversely, ThermaCare’s reusable cold packs are designed to be placed in the freezer prior to use and can then provide consistent cooling for up to an hour at a time.
These cold packs can be re-frozen up to 10 times before losing their effectiveness; cold therapy is ideal for sports injuries, as this constricts blood vessels, leading to less swelling as not as much fluid can accumulate in the injured muscle or joint. Cold therapy has also been shown to be an effective way to soothe the pain from strains or sprains, as the cold lowers the speed of pain impulses being sent from the injured area to the brain.
Who Makes ThermaCare?
ThermaCare is a brand name owned by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, a division of the pharmaceutical giant with the same name. Headquartered in New York City and with research centers in Connecticut, Pfizer is a publicly-traded company and one of the largest such pharmaceutical corporations in the world.
Prescription medications made by Pfizer run almost literally from A to Z (or more precisely from Ativan to Xanax), and its over-the-counter personal care products include Advil, Centrum, ChapStic, Robitussin, and Preparation H.
ThermaCare Materials
ThermaCare wraps contain components that, when combined, create and generate heat through chemical reactions. These components include iron, oxygen, water and salt, and are safely self-contained within each wrap.
Depending on which style heat wrap purchased, they’re designed to self-adhere or wrap around specifically shaped body parts such as the knee or the back of the neck. Meanwhile, ThermaCare’s cold packs are designed with a proprietary insulation technology that makes use of non-toxic materials to remain cold, but not too cold, for long periods of time.
ThermaCare Product Pricing
ThermaCare products are available in supermarkets and pharmacies, and can also be ordered online through websites like Amazon.
Prices vary according to which specific type of heat wrap or cold pack you buy; typically, these prices can range from as low as $5 to as high as $25, dependent on retailer and the number of heat wraps included per package.
ThermaCare Reviews: What Do Customers Have to Say?
ThermaCare’s line of heat wraps routinely rate anywhere from 3.5 to 4.5 stars on sites like Amazon, though this largely depends on the particular product.
Two of its most popular – and most-reviewed – products, its lower back & hip heat wraps and neck, wrist, & shoulder pain heat wraps, are rated at 4.5 and 4.2 stars respectively. The lower back product has 265 reviews, with 72% of reviewers leaving 5-star feedback. Meanwhile, the neck and wrist product has 196 reviews, 68% of which are 5-star reviews.
If we look at both these products as overall indicators of the entirety of ThermaCare’s product line, these heat wraps are rather well-regarded indeed.
Pros:
- Portable Heat Therapy – Heat therapy simply works, but having to sit down and apply a heating pad certainly crimps the style of most people.
- However, nearly everyone who’s used these ThermaCare products say that being able to simply apply an adhesive wrap and go about your day provides effective heat therapy on the go without having to stop or slow down.
Cons:
- Adhesive Problems – The most numerous complaints about ThermaCare relate to the adhesive used to keep the wraps in place.
- Some customers have complained it’s not strong enough, which can require extra wrapping with traditional bandages – but on the other hand, some have claimed that the adhesive is actually too strong, resulting in pain and even injured skin when removing the wraps.
Should You Buy ThermaCare Products?
While there are some complaints about the adhesive used in these products, for the most part ThermaCare seems to be a solid solution for anyone with minor to moderate aches and pains that need soothing. The fact that ThermaCare makes heat therapy portable is a major selling point.
Additionally, with the product line including reusable cold packs as well, ThermaCare has you covered for whatever type of temperature therapy you might need. Combined with a relatively inexpensive price point and the ubiquitous nature of the product, ThermaCare seems to be an excellent choice for anyone with minor or chronic injuries that need soothing.
