Discretion in a shared household

Taking a sock and filling it with rice raises a lot of questions about what you’re doing with it. I live with some family members who are understanding folks, but trust no one, as both are in law enforcement and have seen too much. So I know I’d get verbally reamed if I said what I was using a rice sock for. So I tried regular hot wraps- with a washcloth, but it’s a royal pain keeping the cloth warm.

But heating pads sound like they could work pretty well, since I could stay in my bathroom (which is in my bedroom ) for every step. What’s the general consensus on them? Using the search gave me a lot of results but not a lot that could directly answer this question.

I have a heating pad, but I don’t like it much: It takes time to get hot, it’s cumbersome, etc.

I went out and bought one of those hot/cold gel pads at the drugstore. They work great. Pop it in the microwave for a couple of minutes, and you’re ready to go. If anyone asks, just say your knee is sore.

Let them all see you putting on your neck, tell them you heard this trick on the net and it works great for sore muscles.

You just have to be careful because they will all be borrowing it!

It does work well on sore or strained muscles. Its like a hot water bottle and really there isnt that much for them to be concerned about. Do you do any excercise that might warrant its use?

I’ve used a rice sock for years on my shoulders & neck, so that’s not my problem. But I’m wondering when the kids will be asking why I have an IR lamp. This is a rural area; most people have them out in the chicken coop.
“Uh… well, it’s for tight muscles—kinda like my rice sock!”

I’m still trying to explain that one to my wife. I have a bag of Flax seeds in the cupboard and every once in a while she asks what is it for. Since I cook, ” Hun, it’s a ingredient for dinner” or ” I love you” and all is forgotten until next time.

I swim a lot.

There you go, use it in the living room on your neck or shoulder where others can see it…and they will never ask again what its for.