4 Best Infrared Heating Pads for Back Pain in 2024

4 Best Infrared Heating Pads for Back Pain

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If you suffer from any type of back pain, you will know that it is unpleasant, discomforting, and stressful.

If it is an ongoing condition that you are experiencing, then you might be at a point where you are prepared to try anything to help alleviate the pain and discomfort.

The great news is that there are plenty of alternative, non-invasive methods to help abate your back pain these days, you’ve just got to know where to look for them, and how to choose the right one.

The great thing about infrared heating pads for back pain is that they won’t burn your skin as traditional electric heat pads might.

They could also provide long-lasting pain relief over conventional heating pads, and penetrate the skin on a deeper level so that the pain is targeted specifically.

Best Far Infrared Heating Pads for Back Pain in 2024

An infrared heating pad for back pain might be your best way forward.

However, the market for them is big, which means that you’ve got a lot of different options out there to choose from. If you don’t know the first thing about infrared heating pads, then you are going to struggle to decide which is the best option for your needs.

Luckily, we’ve done the research so that you don’t have to. Below as a list of what are the best far infrared heating pads for back pain, so that you can get the relief you need without compromising on quality and having to pay to much. With this in mind, let’s check them out.

1. TherMedic Multi-Function Far-Infrared Heating Pad

TherMedic Multi-Function Far-Infrared Heating Pad

If you experience aches and pains in your forearms, wrists, elbows, knees, thighs, ankles, or feet, this TherMedic Multi-Function Far-Infrared Heating Pad will conform to these areas.

This pad is specifically designed to cover the curvy parts of your joints with far infrared technology benefits for fast pain relief.

You get the benefits of a support brace along with infrared heat therapy in an ergonomic, breathable design.

This comes with an all-body wrap, a hot pack, charger, and the user manual. No natural stones are used with this far infrared heating pad, but it’s effective for joint pain and other targeted limbs.

Pros
  • Specifically for joints
  • Ergonomic design
  • Inexpensive
Cons
  • No natural stones

2. UTK® Far-Infrared Natural Jade Heating Pad

UTK® Far-Infrared Natural Jade Heating Pad

The UTK® Far-Infrared Natural Jade Heating Pad is the best one I’ve personally tried, earning it the number one spot in this review.

This mat provides healthy negative ions and superior far-infrared heat emitted via natural jade stones.

Features

  • 5,000 hours of continuous operation
  • Electronic time and temperature control
  • Heats up in under 10 minutes
  • Digital timer with automatic shut off
  • 3 sizes – Small (15” x 19”), Medium (21” x 31”), Large (24” x 70”)
  • Portable
  • Compatible with AC110-120 and ACC220-240 volts
  • Flexible
  • For use at home, in your office chair, on the floor, in your car, or anywhere
  • 5-foot extra-long electrical cord
  • One-year warranty
  • Velcro strap to secure the pad

If you only have pain in your lower back or in a specific area, the small size is ideal. If you experience pain that extends above or below the low back, the medium or large infrared heating mat is a better choice.

The Stones and Negative Ions

The natural jade stones heat up and emit far infrared heat designed to penetrate deeply to relieve aches and pains, alleviate tension, improve flexibility, and improve blood circulation. Jade is a healing stone known to improve your positive energy flow.

Negative ions are easily absorbed into your body. They are molecules that have an extra electron. These negative ions are also found in nature in the mountains, at waterfalls, at beaches, and in the air just after a rainstorm.

These ions are believed to have a calming effect that relieves stress, increases your daytime energy, boosts your immune system, and alleviates depression.

You can use this UTK pad under, or, on top of your body.

Pros
  • Quickly heats up
  • Natural jade stones and negative ions
  • Time and temperature control
  • Flexible
  • Extra-long electrical cord
Cons
  • While this mat isn’t heavy, it could be too heavy for someone who is elderly, lacks strength, or has severe back problems. In these cases, assistance will be required.

How fast does it work?

For most people, this far infrared pad provides almost immediate results or within 30 minutes. Some people report it took a few days to reap the benefits of the mat. The results vary according to the severity of the back pain and how often you use the mat.

Bonus Tips

  • You can use the UTK as often as you need, or you can create a routine that fits into your regular schedule.
  • Since it’s portable, you can easily work it into your work commute in the car, use it at the office as you work, take it to the couch or recliner and enjoy a movie as you enjoy its benefits, and use it before you go to sleep to prevent nighttime back pain.

3. Thermotex Universal Infrared Heating Pad

Thermotex

Thermotex is another high-quality infrared heat pad brand.

It costs less than the smallest of the UTK pads, but the medium-sized Thermotex Universal Infrared Heating Pad costs more than the UTK medium-sized mat.

Primary Differences Between UTK and Thermotex Far Infrared Pads

  • The Gold model of the Thermotex pad isn’t flexible enough to be folded. It features rigid internal elements that should not be bent. Therefore, you cannot use wrap it around your body, use it in your car, or expect it to work on the curvy parts of the body.
  • The Platinum pad by Thermotex is larger than the Gold model and is designed with three sections to allow for bending around the body.
  • Thermotex pads don’t use jade stones or negative ions. Thermotex uses carbon fibers to deliver the far infrared rays, which is as effective as the stones, but this does emit some level of EMF radiation.
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Thermotex Gold Features

  • 14” x 16”
  • Uses a single element device for deep pain-relieving warmth
  • It weighs 2.6 pounds for portability
  • It is designed for the larger muscles of the back.
  • It has Velcro fasteners
  • Nylon top cover and 50/50 nylon-cotton blend back cover
  • Hi-Low power settings
  • Deep penetrating warmth

Thermotex Platinum Features

  • 17” x 15”
  • Two heat settings
  • Flexible, targeted heat therapy
  • For use on the back, shoulders, neck, wrists, elbows, knees, and legs
  • Three heating elements
Pros
  • Extremely effective at relieving pain
  • Velcro fasteners
  • Built solidly
  • Priced reasonably
  • Easy to use
Cons
  • No negative ion technology
  • The Gold model cannot be bent
  • No natural stone delivery

The Thermotex brand of infrared heat pads delivers consistent pain relief results as effectively and efficiently as UTK, but with a different design and heat delivery.

While the UTK and Thermotex infrared heating pads have some flexibility for targeting your aches and pains, they are somewhat limited.

Consequently, there are a few pads specifically designed for the neck and shoulders or the knees, elbows, ankles, thighs, forearms, feet, and calves.

4. UTK Infrared Heating Pad

UTK Infrared Heating Pad

If you suffer from pain in your neck and shoulders more than your back, the UTK Infrared Heating Pad for neck and shoulders is a smart investment in pain relief.

This heating pad drapes around your shoulders and has a heating area of 10” x 14” complete with natural jade and tourmaline stones for heat delivery.

It also features an extra-long 8.5-foot cord and is portable for use almost anywhere.

You get the same benefits by using this model on your neck and shoulders as you would get from the models designed for the back. This model costs about the same as the small standard one.

Pros
  • Natural jade stones
  • Fits shoulders and neck
  • extra-long 8.5-foot cord
Cons
  • Quite heavy for something that rests on the neck area

The Benefits of Infrared Heating Pads

  • Blood circulation enhancement
  • Pain reduction
  • Joint inflammation and stiffness relief
  • Skin cell revitalization

These are a few benefits of this heating technology that works much like the sun, which stimulates the metabolism and aids nutrient absorption.

How to Choose a Infrared Heating Pad

Because infrared heating pads have been developed to help with your general wellbeing, you need to consider a few specifics when deciding on the right one for you needs. This means that you will need to think about the kind of pay you’re purchasing, and whether it is going to suit the affected area based on things like efficiency, shape and size. It also needs to be easy to use and comfortable.

Where Do You Want to Treat on the Body?

Infrared-Heating-Pad

As you are already aware, The best infrared heating pad can be used to treat different parts of the body. Some are big, which means that they are universal, and allow users to settle on them. In fact, when it comes to how your body reacts to it infrared heating pad, it is similar to a sauna.

If you want to achieve a more concentrated effect, he needs to get a pad that has been designed for the body part in question, whether it is shoulders, neck, hours, knees, or lower back. Some even come with Velcro straps so that you can keep their own position when using them.

Output of Negative Ions

As well as using infrared heat, infrared heating pads for the body can produce negative ions that are said to be able to increase your health. These ions connect with your cells, improve metabolism, keeping your hormones nice and balanced, and help to heal a number of different diseases.

The output of negative ions like this depends on the number and type of stones found in your heat pad. It is said that Tourmaline and Amethyst are the most popular stones, but it’s also important to have a variety of different stones in your heating pad if you want an increased effect.

Power

How powerful your heat pad is depending on the number of stones, the design, the size of it and the heating system. This is why it makes sense that a bigger number of infrared heating pads with a larger number of stones is going to be a lot more powerful and have the ability to treat bigger areas.

However, the downside to pads like this is that they are not as practical, and not as energy efficient. You can feel confident that all of the products we have talked about on the list above can generate heat that will reach even the most obscure places on the body.

Weight

Weight can vary greatly as well from one heating pad to the next. This means that some heating pads weigh less than a pound, while others are a lot heavier.

Infrared heating pads are ideal if you need to wrap them around a particular part of your body, because they aren’t going to weigh you down. Additionally, they are really convenient to carry around, and some come in really nice bags.

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Heat Levels

heating pad on back

If you can find a heat pad that lets you adjust heat settings to personalize the experience overall, then this is definitely a bonus.

There are some heating pads out there that have more than one temperature setting to choose from, while others will let you precisely choose exactly the temperature you want it to be. If you are wanting to use your heat pad for a longer session, then we suggest that you put it on a lower heat, while a higher heat is going to help you warm up quickly and stay warm.

This easy adjustability means that you can gain the benefits of a sauna, without having to go to your local gym. Of course, you will need to pay attention to how long your sessions are, as you can risk being burned if you have it on for too long. As well as being able to set the temperature, it is helpful if you can set a limit on the length of your session so that you don’t have to keep track of the time yourself.

There are some products on this list that can even remember your specific heat settings so that you don’t have to adjust them every time you use it again.

Material

Of course, material is also an important aspect to consider when choosing a heat pad. The type of material that it is made from determines your comfort level. Of course, you will want it to feel nice and soft, so that you can avoid doing any damage to your skin.

Most heating pad manufacturers use synthetic materials including polyester, but occasionally you will be able to find one that is cotton. It’s also a bonus if you are able to remove the casing, as you can easily wash it in the washing machine.

Is Infrared Heat Dangerous?

Infrared Heat

The great news is that no, infrared heat is not dangerous for your body. If you are worried about the minute amount of electromagnetic radiation that it emits, then you will be happy to know that it really is a small amount.

In fact, it’s a lot less than what you will take in when going for a walk outside in the sun. Manufacturers most of the time also use added protection to eliminate the risk of radiation entirely, so that it doesn’t connect with your body.

However, there are other things that you need to think about, including using the heater for too long. This could cause burns on your skin, so it’s vital that you always read the instructions.

How Does an Infrared Heating Pad Work?

All heating pads with infrared have gemstones and wires within the casing.

When you plug a heating pad into an outlet, the wires heat up the stones, which emit negative ions and infrared rays. This is an effective design that has been proven effective for many different parts of the human body.

What is the Difference Between a Normal Heating Pad and an Infrared Heating Pad?

The difference between a Normal heating pad and a heating pad that is infrared is that a heating pad that is infrared uses far infrared therapy to penetrate muscle tissue, whereas a normal heating pad does not. This means that you can reach the muscle tissue that is damaged a lot deeper and more effectively than a regular heating pad. Heating pads that are infrared can go down as much as 6 inches.

Can You Sleep on an Infrared Heating Pad?

Yes, the good news is that you can definitely sleep on a heating pad that is infrared. Just make sure that you keep the temperature low. There are some infrared heating pads out there that come with timers so that you can manage how long you keep your heating pad on before you fall asleep. All good-quality heating pads will have an auto-shutoff system like this.

Will it Emit Any Form of Radiation?

The good news is that heating pads like this do not give out any kind of ultraviolet radiation. However, because they are warming pads, they do exude EMFs. However, this is at an incredibly low rate. Additionally, these heating pads come with special layers to protect your body from the small amount of EMF exposure.

Final Thoughts

My preference of far infrared heating pads are the models that use natural stones like jade, tourmaline, and amethyst for the healthy delivery of deep, penetrating infrared heat. The bonus of natural stone heat delivery promotes a balanced warming effect.

That isn’t because the other kinds of infrared heating pads aren’t effective or efficient, the stones are my personal preference.

Each person is different, so each person will have different needs and wants from this kind of heating pad technology.

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Thank you for your interest in Geek Health Journal. My name is Anne. Feel free to comment on any article and I will help if I can.

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5 Replies to “4 Best Infrared Heating Pads for Back Pain in 2024

  1. I’ve only recently discovered infrared heating pads and they are definitely a lot better than the regular heating pads that I’ve been using ever since I started having problems with back pain. I’ve got a medium UTK heating pad and I would highly recommend it to anyone. It’s great relief for period cramps as well.

  2. I’ve got the TherMedic heating pad that I’m using on my joints but I’m thinking about getting a bigger pad. One that I could use on my back as well. Heating pads are generally really good for pain relief and infrared pads are a great natural alternative.

  3. Thank you for writing this article! I’m a massage therapist and I’m constantly looking for ways to enhance my sessions for my clients. I’m not familiar with IR heating pads, but as a HUGE fan of gemstones, I’m excited to learn that they are not just pretty gems to look at, they have amazing benefits to them!

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