Will A Heating Pad Help Back Pain

Heating Pads Are Good For People With Arthritis

Certainly, for people suffering from arthritis the daily pain is a real challenge. Of course, there are many products available which may be able to provide a measure of relief for the pain associated with arthritis. However, using a heating pad is an inexpensive, often very effective, and enjoyable possibility for easing pain.

In addition, when used correctly, a heating pad does not come with any nasty side effects. If you, or someone you know, suffers from arthritis, why not see for yourself whether a heating pad could really make a difference in daily life? It may turn out to be the best thing you ever did!

Does A Heating Pad Help With Constipation

Does a heating pad help constipation?

This question might be surprising for you because heating pads are known to help relieve back pain and menstrual cramps. Is it really possible? That is what we are going to find out in this article.

Here, we are going to discuss the probable causes of your constipation as well as the different treatments that you can do to relieve yourself of this burden . More than that, we are also going to talk about how using a heating pad can help with this problem and the science behind it.

Are you tired of the bloat and your unsettled stomach? Then keep on reading to find out the easy remedy!

Is Ice Or Heat Better For Back Pain

Back pain is a prevalent experience for most people at some point in their adult lives. Applying heat or ice is one of the tried-and-true methods of at-home treatment for back pain, but how do you know which method to use and when? Get to know how to use ice or heat for back pain and when to use both.

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Thermotex Far Infrared Heating Pad Best Carbon Fiber

Thermotex infrared heating pad view

• Type carbon fiber heating pad
• Size 15.25 x 7.25 x 5.5 inches
• Temperatures 108~ 116°F

The Thermotex pad is another high-quality infrared pad and is less expensive than the smallest UTK FIR heat pad, but more expensive than the medium UTK one.

Thermotex vs. Jade Heating Pads

• The Thermotex pad cannot be folded. The internal elements are rigid and should never be bent. This means you cant use it in your car or wrap it around other aching parts of your body.

Its almost impossible for the whole surface of the element to completely touch a curvy human body part.

• The Thermotex Platinum pad, is larger and has 3 sections that allow it to bend around your body. Problem solved .
• The Thermotex pad doesnt feature negative ions. Whether this is important or not is up to you.
• No Jade stones. Thermotex delivers the infrared rays through carbon fibers, which is just as effective, but carbon fibers emit some levels of EMF radiation.

What You Get

1. The Thermotex is made up of multiple 3 x 8-inch pieces sewn together , although there can also be larger size elements as in the Gold, Professional, and Large Shoulder models.

2. Both the electrical cord and the heat selection switch are heavy-duty and sturdy. The manual heat control Switch shows Off,Low,High, and Off.

3. Comes in 2 sizes for back pain Goldand Platinum. The Gold model is smaller and cant be bent, and platinum is a bit larger and more flexible.

Thermotex Price check price

Briteleafs Best Cordless Heating Pad

BriteLeafs Cordless Heating Belt view

The BriteLeafs battery operated wearable heating pad gets our highest rating for a portable heating pad for back pain, and heres why:

This wearable heating pad for back pain is rechargeable, the heat lasts for 2-4 hours , and it uses carbon fiber to deliver far-infrared heat which penetrates deep into your muscles and tissues.

Related: Electric vs. Infrared Heating Pads

BriteLeafs Pros

• Far infrared heat penetrates deep into your back and does not only temporarily relieve pain but speeds up healing from any injury you may have.
• Heat lasts for 2-3 hours per charge!
• The Velcro strap makes it very comfortable to use and stays put on your back no matter how active you are.
• This battery-heated back warmer has 2 temperature settings, and the heat can get intense you can wear over clothes and still feel the heat very well.
• Fit for travel you can charge in both 110 220V outlets or you can also plug into a computer to charge. Also, Lithium batteries are allowed on planes if you take them with you to your cabin.

See how this FIR heat pad doubled painless sleep hours for a back pain sufferer HERE.

Cons

• It doesnt come with an extra battery. You can order another one HERE.
• Charging the battery fully may take up to 8 hours.

Bottom Line

Check todays price on Amazon

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Does A Heating Pad Help Ease Back Pain

Yes, a heating pad can help ease your back pain. This is the case as it is a product that can distribute the heat properly. Before we discuss how the heating pad is effective on back pain, let us first talk about the two types of heat therapy that you can do depending on the heating pad that you have.

Should You Use Dry Heat Or Moist Heat For Muscle Pain In Your Back

The answer to this question really comes down to your preference and whats most convenient. Dry heat tend to draw moisture out of the skin, leaving it dehydrated. But some prefer the sensation of dry heat and it is often the easier version to apply.

Moist heat, such as a hot bath, steamed towel or moist heating packs, can help heat to penetrate into muscles, bringing better results for some. But this can also be less convenient to apply and some do not like the mix of moisture and heat.

You may need to experiment to see what works best for relieving your back pain.

Read Also: Advil Or Tylenol For Back Pain

How To Use A Heating Pad

You can use a heating pad for different types of body pains.

For example, if you have pain in your upper or lower back, you can lie down flat, on any firm surface such that the back makes complete contact with your heating pad so that it covers the region where the pain originates. Always place a piece of fabric or clothing between the heating pad and your skin to prevent burns.

Lie down slowly on the heating pad so that your body can get accustomed to the change in temperature. Then sit up and maintain this position for 5 seconds every time during the initial 2 minutes of this treatment this will allow your back muscles to absorb the heat effectively.

Do not use a heating pad for over an hour at a time irrespective of the nature of your injury.

How Heat Therapy Relieves Pain

The use of heat on the affected area can provide relief in a lot of ways. First, it can dilate the blood vessels in the muscles that are around your lumbar spine. This helps in increasing the oxygen flow, and the nutrients can easily get to your muscles so the damaged tissues will heal faster.

Another thing that it can do is that it can stimulate your skin sensory receptors. Therefore, the pain signals that are sent to your brain are decreased, which helps in relieving your discomfort. Furthermore, it can aid in stretching the soft tissue surrounding your spine. This also includes the connective tissues, adhesions, and muscles.

In this way, the stiffness that you are feeling is decreased. At the same time, it can help with your flexibility, and of course, your comfort. A good thing to note is that heat therapy is extremely effective when paired with other treatments, such as exercise and physical therapy.

This type of therapy is also the one that is favored by most people because you do not need any pharmaceutical forms, and it is non-invasive. You can simply just take a hot bath or apply a heat source on the area. This is the reason why using a heating pad is ideal as it was designed to be used for this specific purpose.

Also Check: Is Aleve Good For Lower Back Pain

Use Cold First And Then Apply Heat For Acute Back Pain

When your back pain is acute and/or occurs due to a direct injury, use cold therapy first.2 Lowering the body temperature will help constrict the blood vessels, reduce swelling, decrease inflammation, and cause a numbing effect.1,3

See Ice Packs for Back Pain Relief

Once the inflammation has subsided, use heat therapy. When you apply heat, it improves the flexibility of soft tissues, movement of muscles, and overall functioning of the back. The local warmth stimulates blood circulation in your lower back, which in turn brings healing nutrients to the injured tissues.

It is also advised to continue using heat therapy intermittently for several hours or days in order to improve tissue healing and prevent recurrence of pain.2

Utk Infrared Heating Pads Best Value

The most popular model UTK Small Pro

• Type jade/tourmaline heating pad
• Size 23.5 x 16
• Temperatures 103°F-159°F by 1°F increments

The UTK Infrared Healing Pad features far-infrared heat and negative ions which increase vitality and relieve stress.

The UTK jade & tourmaline heating pads heat up in less than 5 minutes, are offered in 3 sizes, have a simple digital controller , they are flexible and can be wrapped around different body areas, and come with a strap .

They offer at least 5000 hours of continuous work, the cord is extra-long, and they are very easy to use.

The UTK brand is established, experienced, and offers great customer service. We know this from personal experience in the last 5 years.

Price check price on !

UTK Infrared Heating Pads Pros & Cons

According to hundreds of consumer reviews, the UTK infrared heating pad is well made, long-lasting, easy to use, and safe. Customer service is excellent. My personal experience with my medium-size jade & tourmaline model is amazing Ive been using it for more than 5 years now with no problems.

The only con is the weight of the pad, which is quite heavy due to the gemstones inside. This is why I dont move it around much, and I have a permanent place for it in the living room.

Also Check: Back Pain Advil

Techlove Extra Large Electric Heating Pad With Fixation Strap

The TechLove heating pad is another extra-large neck and shoulder selection for ease pain relief. The pad features 10 percent polyester for comfort when in use. It comes in a large practical size for a whole body therapy. The heating pad can effectively be used to relieve pain on the neck, shoulders, lower back abdomen, waist, legs, and knees. It heats pretty fast in 30 seconds and features six different heat settings to suit different body needs. The operation is quite easy with an LCD controller and two hours automatic shut off. You can simply set it on and sleep without any worries as it will automatically shut off after the set period. It also comes with a long 9- feet cord for easy use everywhere. Overall, this is a pretty versatile heating pad ideal for dry and moist therapy. It is machine washable and comes with five years warranty and 60 days money back guarantee.

Pros

• Easy operation with a large LCD
• Extra-large size for full body therapy
• Fast heating in 30 seconds

Cons

• Temperature control is not so effective

Having Someone Walk On Your Back

Maybe some of you have asked a friend or family member to walk on your back in those desperate moments where you feel throbbing pain in the middle of your spine. Warning this move is extremely dangerous. That much pressure on your back can cause a sprain, strain, rib fracture, disc herniation or other back injury. It may feel good for a few moments but its not worth the risk of seriously damaging your spine.

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Range Of Lower Back Problems That Can Benefit From Heat And Cold Therapy

Heat and /or cold therapy is beneficial either as a primary or adjunctive therapy, but people often overlook this treatment because its simple, inexpensive, and readily available. The following common lower back conditions may benefit from heat or cold therapy:

• Lower back pain from common conditions, such as herniated or degenerated discs, spinal stenosis , or spondylolisthesis

  Read more about Causes of Lower Back Pain

• Direct lower back injury from falls, sprains, sports injuries , or collisions1
• Pulled back muscle due to excessive strain or force leading to overstretching of the muscle fibers, such as from lifting weights1

  See Pulled Back Muscle Treatment

• Exercise-induced muscle soreness, such as a from trying a new exercise, exercising without an initial period of warming up, or overdoing a specific exercise1

Always use heat and cold therapy intermittently, for 15 to 20 minutes, with a 2-hour break in between to avoid skin and nerve damage.

How To Apply Heat

Like cold therapy, heat therapy is a versatile treatment that lends itself to several options.

• An electric heating pad: Heating pads plug into the wall and provide a consistent heat source to help ease your back pain. Many heating pads allow you to control the temperature and set a timer, ensuring you do not leave the heat on your back for too long.
• A hot water bottle: Hot water bottles can provide heat. Remember to wrap a light washcloth around the surface if it is too hot to touch with your bare hands.
• A bath: A hot bath can help to ease your back pain and any other muscle soreness you may be experiencing.
• Adhesive heat wraps: Wear over-the-counter adhesive heat wraps underneath your clothing for a safe, low-level amount of heat lasting several hours.

If you use heat for lower back pain, it is vital to protect your skin. Make sure whatever heat source you use is warm rather than hot, and do not leave it on your body for too long.

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Thermotex Platinum Far Infrared Heating Pad All Purpose

Thermotex offers several varieties of infrared heating pads, including the Platinum Far Infrared Heating Pad. The company states that this product will penetrate up to 2.36 inches into the affected area within 20 minutes. The pad contains three 3 x 8-in inserts to provide heat.

The company claims it can help benefit pain in several body areas, including the back, shoulders, neck, and hips. Thermotex provides instructional videos to show people how to use the heating pad on different parts of the body.

Are Infrared Heating Pads Better Than Regular Heating Pads

Infrared light therapy is the wave of the future in the natural health and wellness world.

Unfortunately, some people are still not aware of the superior benefits of infrared deep penetrating heat, compared to regular electric heating pads .

Electric heating pads use electric heating coils, which not only emit high levels of electromagnetic radiation but only heat the top layers of your skin .

In comparison, most far infrared heating pads use natural stones , to deliver deep penetrating heat that can penetrate all the way to your bones and create a uniform warming effect without any side effects.

Also Check: Aleve Lower Back Pain

When To Apply Heat Therapy

A heating pad is extremely effective, especially if you are just suffering from mild constipation. The heat can help in promoting bowel movements. It is highly effective also if you have taken an oral medication or laxative. The heat from the heating pad will help the medication to reach your digestive system faster.

Again, it is all about proper circulation. The faster that the circulation happens, the faster the negative effects of constipation will dissipate. The same goes if you are suffering from mild cramps due to constipation. All you have to do is to apply heat on that area, and the constricting of your muscles will be lessened.

It is also recommended to use a heating pad on the left side. This is because the elimination tract is there. That is the part of your colon, which needs movement as the tissues are somehow swollen or have a lot of tension.

On the other hand, if you are extremely bloated, you can wrap the heating pad around your bodymay it be at the back or at the front of your bellyto warm it up so that the muscles and tissues can relax.

Benefits Of Cordless Heating Pads

You can use a cordless, battery-operated, or USB-powered heating pad to quickly relieve your aching back on the go and anytime you need it.

And:

Wireless heating pads are compact and lightweight, and you can use them for neck pain, stomach aches, joint pain or just to warm your feet and hands in the cold weather.

Below youll find the best cordless heating pad, the best rechargeable hot water, the best USB heating pad, the best heating pad for flights, and the best back heating wraps.

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The 6 Best Far Infrared Heating Pads

A far infrared heating pad delivers deep penetrating infrared rays via carbon fiber and jade/amethyst stones with little to no EMF radiation for long-lasting and natural back pain relief.

Since they are superior to regular heating pads, and usually contain semi-precious stones they are more expensive and require more research before you find the best one.

My UTK jade & tourmaline heating pad

This post contains affiliate links.

Weve done all the research for you, and in this post, youll find the best far infrared heating pads for back pain relief reviewed and compared, and how to choose the best one for you.

In a hurry?

See our top 4 choices below .