Longer-lasting heat therapy “on the go”

I enjoyed Dr D. Brady Pregerson's Practical Pointer, "Heat Therapy 'On the Go'". In my experience, however, the improvised heat source he suggests-a hand towel soaked in hot water and inserted in a zip-lock bag-cools too quickly. A strategy I have found that provides heat for 10 to 20 minutes is to fill a sock with dry rice that has been microwaved. The hot rice can also be put in a zip-lock bag, but this must then be covered with a hand towel to protect the skin. This is a solution that anyone can afford; it helps abscesses to point and drain and provides relief for back or neck pain.

-- Shannon Steward, ARNP-C

Thank you for your suggestion and your improvement on my original concept.