Best Heating Pad for Back (5 Heating Pads for Back Pain)

Heat therapy by the use of the Best Heating Pad for Back Pain is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to treat most instances of back, neck, and shoulder pain. Unlike pain medications, invasive surgical procedures, and dangerous workout programs, heat therapy does not pose any risk. It’s actually a highly recommended method of alleviating body pain while enhancing relaxation.

Cold therapy is usually preferred for trauma, fresh injuries, and even pain caused by inflammation. That’s why ice packs are commonly placed on fresh injuries to prevent swelling.

How Does Heat Therapy Work for your Back Pain?

Have you ever wondered why people place hot water bottles or hot towels on their bellies when having menstrual cramps or stomachaches?

Well, heat therapy has been used for decades to provide pain relief naturally. Its impact on pain is actually not imaginary as most people think.

But how does heat therapy work for your back pain?

Well, according to experts, heat therapy combats pain in a number of ways. They include;

• When heat is applied, the blood vessels in the affected area dilate, increasing blood flow and therefore speeding up pain relief

• During heat therapy, the heat receptors in the affected part block certain chemical messengers that cause your body to detect pain. This simply means that heat therapy combats pain even at the cellular level

• Due to pain, the soft tissue and muscle in the back stiffen. This not only causes pain, but also affects your mobility. The aim of heat therapy is to relax the soft tissue and muscle which provides relief and relaxation.

What are the Benefits of Heat Therapy for Back Pain?

Just like Inversion Therapy, heat therapy is one of the most effective ways to relieve body pain, promote comfort, and relaxation. It’s also a great natural remedy for providing fast relief from stiff, sore, and tight muscles and joints.

Here are the many benefits of heat therapy for back pain.

• Relieves Pain

If you’re suffering from back, neck or shoulder pain, use heat therapy as a natural and safe way to relieve it and eliminate discomfort as well.

Applying heat to the affected area for just 15 minutes is said to work effectively in alleviating pain.

• Promotes Great Comfort and Relaxation

Which one provides more comfort and relaxation; a hot or cold shower? Of course, a hot shower does the trick.
The same goes for heat therapy. Besides relieving pain and eliminating discomfort in the affected area, this form of therapy also provides great comfort and relaxation.

• Reduces Joint Stiffness

Joint stiffness is the feeling of limited or difficult motion of a joint. It can be caused by injury or disease of the joint. It’s also a common symptom of arthritis.

Applying heat to the affected area relaxes the muscles and helps lubricate the joints.

Heat therapy also does a great job warming up the joints before physical exercise such as athletics.

• Combats Muscle Spasms

Muscle spasms in your back or legs can cause a lot of pain and may even limit motion.

The condition is usually caused by muscle contraction caused by abnormal nerve stimulation or by abnormal muscle activity. Muscle spasms are known to cause severe muscle strains or tears in ligaments and tendons.

Because heat penetrates your skin and affects underlying tissue, you can use this type of therapy to reduce muscle spasms.

• Reduces Inflammation

Heat therapy reduces inflammation by increasing blood flow and relaxing muscles in the affected area.
It’s actually commonly used to relieve pain in people with arthritis.

Other benefits include;

• Reduction of muscle congestion

• Increasing muscle flexibility

• Helps in treatment of tendonitis

• Alleviates pain caused by arthritis

• Boosts blood circulation

• Useful in the treatment of sports-related musculoskeletal injuries

Heating Pads for Back Pain

If you suffer from chronic lower back pain, a heating pad could be the solution you’ve been missing all along.

Unlike other back pain treatments, a heating pad is non-pharmaceutical, non-invasive, ease to use at home, and inexpensive. Due to its portability, you can even take it to the office or car with you to relieve lower back pain, neck or shoulder pain.

Heat pads can either be electrical, moist, chemical, and wraps with aromatherapy.

Best Heating Pad for Back Pain Reviews

Finding a heating pad that suits your specific needs can be a daunting task. There are different types of heating pads, not to mention different models from different manufacturers.

Before you head out to the stores, it’s advisable that you go armed with information on what to look for in a good heating pad.

In this article, we are going to review the top 5 best heating pads for back pain.

PS: Don’t forget to check out the Best Back Support Belt for back pain. You can use it alongside one of our heating pads selections to alleviate lower back pain.

 Best Heating Pads for Back Pain Comparison Table: Our Top Picks

1. Sunbeam 002013-912-000 King Size Micro-Plush/Soft Touch Heating Pad

The Sunbeam comes with an ultra-fast heating technology that raises the pad’s temperature in just 30 seconds! It’s actually three times faster than standard heating pads.

This Microplush pad is soft and gentle on sensitive area for superior comfort.

For hassle-free control, the pad comes with adjustable heating settings and a digital LCD controller. Simply adjust the heat settings to get just the right amount of heat needed to relieve

Its extra large size is convenient and versatile to cover larger areas like the legs, spine, and across shoulders.

Pros

• Fast heating technology- Get relief in just a few seconds

• Easy heat adjustment

• Super gentle on sensitive areas

• Easy to use

• Extra large for maximum coverage

• Continuous on function

• Easy to wash and dry

Cons

• Doesn’t come with a removable cover so it gets dirty quickly

• Not large enough for big-sized people

2. Sunbeam 732-500 King Size Heating Pad with Ultra Heat Technology

The Sunbeam 732-500 heating pad offers the ultimate relief while providing you with great comfort.

With its Ultraheat Technology, this heating pad achieves the highest temperature and continuously maintains heat for maximum relief.

Its heats up pretty fast and with the 3 heat settings, you can easily and quickly achieve your desired temperature. The slide controller with a large switch is easy to operate and is perfect for arthritis sufferers.

As a moist heating pad, its lets you enjoy the many benefits of moist heat therapy which is deep, penetrating pain relief.

For easy cleaning and care, the Sunbeam 732-500 comes with a soft machine washable cover.

It’s also large for maximum coverage and the long power cord allows you to use it in different positions.

Pros

• Heats up fast and maintains heat for maximum relief

• Easy-to-adjust heat settings

• Provides moist heat therapy for maximum relief

• Offers maximum coverage

• Ability to use in different positions

• Easy to clean and care

Cons

• Customer complaints about incomplete coverage

• Pad cover is a bit scratchy

• The plastic underneath is stiff and uncomfortable to lay on

3. PureRelief XL King Size Heating Pad with Fast-Heating Technology

The PureRelief heating pad offers excellent coverage for the large muscle groups in your back, arms, shoulders, legs, and more, which makes it ideal for full body relief.

The heating pad provides superior comfort during every use, thanks to its super-soft microplush.

With its super ultra heating technology, this heating pad heats up in seconds, which is great for fast relief.

Instead of purchasing a separate moist heating pad, the PureRelief also gives a moist heat therapy option which provides deeper penetration for pain relief.

With its 2-hour auto shut-off, you will never have to worry about getting burnt due to excessive heating or energy loss- it turns off after 2 hours of continuous use. Its 6 adjustable heat settings provide easy heat control.

With the extra-long cord, it’s easy to place yourself in different positions on the bed or chair.

The pad is machine-washable and easy to care for and even comes with a convenient storage bag that keeps it well protected between uses.

Pros

• Heats up in seconds

• Comfortable to use

• Deep penetration for fast muscle relief

• Provides continuous heating for maximum relief

• Conserves energy

• Does not overheat

• Easy to clean and maintain

• Backed by a 5-year warranty

Cons

• Incomplete coverage

4. BodyMed White Digital Electric Moist Heating Pad

The BodyMed Moist Heating Pad delivers the right amount of heat to provide great relief from muscle strains and sprains, inflammation, and joint pain.

This electric moist heating pad does not use water. Instead, it produces its own moisture to provide you with deep penetration for fast pain relief.

This unique heating pad comes with easy to read Digital LCD controls that allow you to set, monitor, and easily and quickly adjust the temperature and time.

Unlike most heating pads, the BodyMed heating pad is equipped with a locking feature that guards it against unintended touching of controls. It’s auto shut-off function allows automatic shut-off after 15 minutes and can be set in 1-minute increments up to 1 hour.

The heating pad is covered with a soft fleece cover that is easy to clean and dries up quickly.

Pros

• Provides deep penetration for fast pain relief

• Allows for easy and quick temperature and time adjustment

• Auto shut-off function

• Comfortable to use

• Flexible

• Long enough to wrap around your body

• Pad cover is easy to clean and maintain

Cons

• Cord is too short

5. Chattanooga Theratherm Digital Moist Heating Pad

For intense moist heat therapy, the Chattanooga Theratherm Digital Moist Heating Pad is your go-to heating pad.

This moist heating pad heats up in seconds and will provide temporary relief from pain associated with muscle spasm, arthritis, and inflammation caused by tension and strain.

It’s perfect for use on the back, shoulders, stomach, wrist, knee, or foot.

For easy control, this moist heating pad comes with an easy-to-use digital control that lets you easily and quickly program and monitor temperature and time. This feature basically lets you set the temperature to a comfortable level and select the duration ranging from 1-60 minutes depending on your needs.

It also comes with a lockout mode that prevents inconsistent changing of the control settings during the treatment.

This digital moist heating pad comes with a highly absorbent flannel cover that draws moisture from the air as the temperature on the pad rises. This moisture is then released onto your skin to provide deep, penetrating relief.

So whether your back, shoulder, wrist, stomach or knee is preventing you from working or relaxing due to pain, the Chattanooga heating pad is the perfect solution.

Pros

• Provides deep, penetrating relief for body pain

• Digitally controlled for hassle-free treatment

• Provides ultrafast relief- pad heats up in just seconds

• Moist heat which feels comfortable

• Provides maximum coverage (large size)

Cons

• Power cord is not long enough