Relief from menstrual pains at last (Aromatherapy Gold AromaPillow)

Member Name: Munchkin2009

Product:	Aromatherapy Gold AromaPillow
Date:	28/05/09 (109 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Unscented option, relief from aches and pains, can be used warm or frozen, moulds to your body

Disadvantages: See review

***Please note my review is for the Aromatherapy AromaPillow Unscented version.***

I have suffered with menstrual pains ever since I started my periods when I was 14. I was laid up with the pain for 3-4 days, none of the talks at school or literature I was given told me the pain would be as bad as that. I was also suffering some other symptoms around the week before my period, I felt sick (sometimes I was physically sick), had headaches, felt bloated, irritable, couldn't concentrate and I felt so tired I could barely function which would last for around 10 days each month (about the week before my period and the first three or four days). I'd been looking forward to going back to school in September 1989 and starting my GCSEs and I was predicted to do well, I'd got good grades in my 3rd year exams (I think that is now year 9) and looked set to have good career prospects. To cut a long story short, I ended up losing most of the last two years of school and left with no qualifications. It was just terrifying, I mean I'd only started my periods and I couldn't understand what was wrong with me and why menstruation should be exhausting. My mum hadn't seen anything like it before though my doctor said that some girls do get the pains for 3-4 days. I was eventually diagnosed with Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) towards the end of 1990 after my mum saw a television programme about the illness, and she took me to see the doctor again. My doctor prescribed Evening Primrose Oil though it reduced the pain to two days at most, it did little else for the rest of my symptoms. I get long spells when I am okay, and relatively symptom free, but in recent years my symptoms came back with a vengeance as the result of a highly stressful situation and since then I have been going up and down with it.

Over the years I must have tried most of the painkillers on the market, but the majority of them didn't work, or the side effects made me feel worse. I concluded in the last couple of years that the best treatment for my pains was bed, a mug of hot chocolate, soothing music and a hot water bottle on my tummy. I found the heat very soothing and that eased the pain, but hot water bottles have many disadvantages. They can leak and scald, and I found that with the bloating I found the sensation of water in the bottle sometimes made me feel sick.

A couple of years ago a local shop started to sell wheatbags and soft toys which you could heat up in the microwave to relieve pain or as an alternative to a hot water bottle. I picked one up and thought about buying it - the problem was it smelt of lavender. I looked everywhere for an unscented wheatbag but they all seemed to smell of lavender. As I can suffer terribly with tiredness when my PMS is bad and as a result of my monthly pains, the last thing I need is anything that could potentially sedate me, and I am not comfortable with the idea of a plant making me sleepy either. I wasn't best pleased when I was given a whole host lavender scented stuff including a wheatbag and bottle of essential oil for Christmas, but I won't use any of it - for me it isn't worth the risk. I wanted the benefits of a hot compress, but in an unscented product so searched the internet to see if there was such thing as an unscented wheatbag and I was relieved to find the Aromatherapy Gold Aromapillow as an unfragranced product.

AVAILABILITY AND PRICE

I bought mine from The Wheatbag Store (http://www.thewheatbagstore.com) which is an online shop owned by CurioQuest. It cost £8.79 and delivery cost £3.95.

The Aromatherapy Gold AromaPillow comes in a few colours and in fleece or velvet fabrics it measures 17" x 5" according to The Wheatbag Store. Mine is the Pink Velvet one. They also make a lavender scented one as well, but it is good to have the choice.

PACKAGING

The wheatbag came folded in half with a cardboard sleeve, although the Wheatbag Store packed it in a plastic bag for hygiene reasons and to obviously prevent any unscented products being contaminated with lavender. It also contains an instruction leaflet which explains the benefits of wheatbags and how to use it.

WARNINGS

Aromatherapy Gold warns Asthma sufferers should be aware this product contains wheatgerm.

I would also imagine this product wouldn't be suitable for coeliacs or people with wheat/wheatgerm allergies or people who can't feel temperature properly such as diabetic neuropathy.

If you suffer with any serious illness or health condition, I strongly suggest seeking medical advice if you intend on getting one of these.

MY OPINION

So far, I have only used this wheatbag warmed up in the microwave. I heat it up for one minute in my 900 watt microwave as the instruction leaflet says. Different times apply for other microwaves (500-700 watt ovens the Aromapillow should be heated for two minutes, it is just one for 750 - 1000 watts). If you don't have a microwave, you can heat it in the oven at 150 degrees wrapped in foil. I don't fancy putting it in my oven as it is a fan assisted model, and it doesn't give any instructions for that. When it is heated it has a slight smell that reminds me of Weetabix with warm milk.

Now it has been heated up several times, I place a cup of water in the microwave with the wheatbag to create some steam every so often to re-moisten the bag. Just make sure you don't spill any liquid otherwise you might end up with a mini field of wheat growing out of your wheatbag! Likewise to clean it, I use a slightly damp cloth or sponge to give it a wipe and then heat it in the microwave.

My primary use is for menstrual pains as I explained, and I have had some relief with this product and it is more effective than painkillers without the nasty side effects in my experience. Once heated up I found the warmth lasted for just over an hour when I have just laid on the bed, but under the covers it does last longer. I just place this on my tummy and snuggle up in or on the bed with my iPod on. I imagine this would be ideal to warm the bed up on a cold night, but it hasn't been cold enough to try this out - I could have done with this when we had the snowfall in February. The leaflet says that you can use the Aromapillow to relieve a wide range of pains and ailments including headaches and stress. It certainly helped me to get rid of a headache by wrapping it around my neck and shoulders after warming it up. I've also found that the length of time it stays warm depends on the ambient temperature, and cools down quicker on a cold day.

You can also use this product cold. You can put the wheatbag in the freezer for 3-4 hours and use this on sprains and bruises and I am considering buying another one for that use as it is much nicer than using frozen peas.

Having used a wheatbag for a few months now I feel they are a much better option than a hot water bottle. Not only from a safety point of view, but the wheatbag can be moulded to your body where you want relief. In the past I have seldom had relief when I have experienced menstrual pains in my back, it is just impossible to use a hot water bottle in that way. I squished the wheatbag into a suitable shape and placed it under my lower back and laid on on it and allowed the warmth to penetrate my back - I just can't put into words how much it helped. I imagine that one of these would invaluable to anyone suffering with any kind of muscular or joint pains and that is based on my experience with this. The only disadvantage is you need access to a microwave, so you can't use this on the move very easily.

While I don't use any essential oils on this product, you could if you wish sprinkle a few drops of your chosen oil on the heated wheatbag, for example if you had a cold you could use Eucalyptus or Peppermint oils. I really wish that unscented products like this were more widely available.

All in all, I highly recommend one of these and I wouldn't be without one now.

Also on Ciao under the name Munchkin2009

Summary: Soothing pain relief