A thermal pack 1, primarily for therapeutic use, has a flexible, impervious outer container or pouch 2 that is sealed to retain a liquid 5 inside. The pack is capable of maintaining its sealed integrity when heated to at least 80°C in a microwave oven. A non-rigid, absorbent filling 4 is located within the pouch and is capable of absorbing at least eight times its own weight of the liquid. The pouch is a laminate of a stretch-resistant fabric (e.g. woven from nylon 6,6 fibres) and an impervious elastomeric polymer such as polyethylene. The compliant absorbent filling includes superabsorbent fibres 6 (such as sodium polyacrylate) adhered to a backing sheet 7. The liquid may be water, present in a quantity that is at least eight times the weight of the superabsorbent fibres, and containing an antimicrobial preservative. The absorbent filling may include woven or nonwoven textile material 8 such as cellulosic fbres. The pouch is preferably vacuum sealed.
