Heat Packs for Period Pain: What Actually Helps

Heat is the oldest trick there is for period cramps, and it's still the first thing most of us reach for. It costs nothing to use, there's nothing to take, and you can do it while you're doing something else.

What follows is the practical version. Where to put it, how warm, how long, and which of my shapes women with cramps actually keep coming back for. There's a bit at the end about when heat isn't the answer, and please do read that one.

Why heat helps

Cramping happens when the muscle of the uterus contracts. Warmth on the skin over that area brings more blood to it and helps tight muscle let go, which is the same reason a hot shower takes the edge off. It also does something less measurable but just as real. Warmth is comforting, and comfort changes how pain feels.

Heat won't fix the cause of period pain. What it reliably does is make an afternoon more bearable, which is usually the whole ask.

Where to put it

Most people go straight for the lower stomach, and that's the right instinct. But there are two spots worth knowing about.

• The lower abdomen, below the belly button and above the pubic bone. That's directly over the uterus and it's where most women get the most relief.
• The lower back, across the sacrum, that flat triangle of bone at the base of the spine. Period pain often refers into the lower back, and for some women this is the spot that actually works. If the front isn't doing much for you, try here before you give up on heat.

You can also swap. Twenty minutes on the front, twenty minutes on the back.

How warm, and how long

Warm and comfortable, not the hottest you can stand. Heat that feels almost too hot at the start is exactly how people end up with that mottled brown marking on the skin from the same hot patch, week after week.

So, practically:

• Keep a layer of clothing or a thin towel between the pack and bare skin. Always, even when it feels mild.
• Twenty minutes at a time is plenty, then give your skin a break before going again.
• Don't fall asleep on it. Heat you can't move away from is the risky kind.
• Don't use it under a doona, which traps the heat and pushes the surface temperature up.

In short: warm rather than hot, a layer in between, twenty minutes on then a break, and try your lower back if your stomach isn't helping.

Which shape works best

For cramps, the thing that matters is whether it stays where you put it while you move. Three of mine get bought for this more than anything else.

The Original is the one most people land on. At 40 by 17cm and 1.2kg it covers the lower stomach properly, and the inner bag is sewn in three sections so the filling can't all slide to one end while you're lying down. The cover comes off for washing, which matters more than you'd think when a pack lives on the couch for a week every month.

The Back Strap is the hands-free one. It ties around your waist, so it stays against your stomach or your lower back while you cook dinner, work, or walk about. If you can't spend the afternoon lying down, this is the one.

Frida is smaller and lighter at 28 by 19cm, and she's popular with women who find a full size pack too heavy on a tender stomach, and with teenagers. She has a removable cover too.

If you're buying for a first period, the Mini at 600g is gentle, quick to heat, and light enough that a twelve year old can manage it herself.

Cold sometimes works too

This surprises people. A few women get more relief from cold than heat, particularly when it's more heaviness and inflammation than cramping. Every one of my packs works both ways, so it costs nothing to test. Two hours in the freezer in a clean freezer bag, then twenty minutes on the lower stomach with a layer of fabric in between.

Give it one go. If it feels worse, go back to heat.

When to see a doctor rather than reach for the heat pack

Period pain that stops you going to work or school. Pain that has suddenly got much worse than your normal. Pain with very heavy bleeding. Pain that carries on outside your period. Or pain that nothing touches at all.

These can be signs of endometriosis, fibroids or other conditions that are worth investigating, and they're common. A heat pack is a comfort, not a diagnosis. Please go and see your GP.

A few practical extras

• Heat it before you need it. Mine are ready in about two and a half minutes. Full timings for each size are in how long to heat a heat pack.
• Two packs beat one. One in the microwave while the other is on you means there's no gap.
• Take it to work. Mine are filled with Australian lupin rather than wheat, so they're close to odourless heated. A wheat bag in an open plan office announces itself, and that's the whole reason I use lupin.
• An eye pillow is worth having alongside if you get period headaches. Cool from the freezer, over closed eyes.

All of these are sewn by hand here in Brisbane and made to order. Have a look at the back and body shapes, or ask me if you're not sure which size suits.