Far Infrared heating pads are nifty devices designed to harness the healing power of infrared energy to relieve joints, back, muscles, and nerves pain.
It works by producing heat that penetrates deep into the tissues, hence, dilating blood vessels. This process increases blood flow, oxygen, and nutrients to the muscles thereby boosting recovery and relieving muscle stiffness.
As you well know, back pain whether chronic, mild or acute is often depilating causing severe discomfort to individuals suffering from the ailment and making it extremely difficult to get through their day with ease.
And if it’s any consolation, a significant number of people also suffer from back pain. Data retrieved from Statista shows that 54% of American adults suffer from neck and back pain.
Unfortunately, even with the prevalence of the ailment, a permanent cure has not been found. This, however, is not to say, there are no remedies available to manage the pain. That’s where using heating pads come in.
Best Infrared Heating Pads – IN A NUTSHELL
Benefits of Far Infrared Heating Pads
So, you may wonder, what exactly are the benefits of using them. Well, here are a few facts proven by research.
1. Natural non-medication pain relievers
The one thing is that they are an effective alternative to drugs – they are natural – safe and generally relieve pain when used.
Hence, you can rest easy knowing you are not at risk of any side-effects. It’s not surprising then, to see chiropractors, physical trainers and athletes recommend using them as the first line of treatment against injuries such as joint pains, sports-related injuries, arthritis, calf, and menstrual cramps. They do wonders, especially when combined with other types of light therapy.
2. Weight Loss
You may not believe it, however, using them can actually help you lose weights.
It sounds too good to be true, huh?
Well, according to a 2017 study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology users were found to experience an increased heart rate after a 45 minutes heat sauna session three times a week. After 16 weeks, they were found to have shade four percent body fat.
Here’s the science behind this weight loss: when you use an infrared heating pad, the heat produced by the device penetrates deep into the body. This heat is then transferred to the body cells triggering an increased metabolism.
As the cells function more rapidly, the cardiovascular and lymphatic systems kick in pumping more blood to all parts of your body, this, in turn, burns several calories. Pretty interesting, isn’t it?
3. Eliminates toxins from the body
It encourages an improved blood circulation which carries nutrients and oxygen to every part of the body faster. On the other hand, it also carries metabolic waste and toxins away.
Also, using them makes you sweat. That’s really a good thing, as your body can get rid of harmful substances and at the same time, knocking off dead skin cells leaving your skin glowing and smooth.
4. Can help you sleep better
A backache and neck pain can sure mess up your night rest. Now, throw in the hassles of an active day, and you’d have yourself one heck of a super stressed life.
So, if you are having trouble sleeping at night, especially with sciatica, using a mat could help soothe you to a sound night rest.
Infrared Heating Pads versus Electric Heating Pads
As you scour the market for the best heating pads, you’ll come across both electric and far infrared heating pads.
How do you differentiate between them? Which one is better for you?
So, to help you make a more informed buying decision, let’s take a look at the difference between the most common electric and infrared heating pads on the market.
- The electric uses carbon fibers to generate heat.
- The electric-only generates low-level heat energy that penetrates a mere 2-3mm of skin. The heat so generated only warms the skin without reaching deep into the tissues.
- Infrared heating pads use carbon fibers in addition to healing stones such as Amethyst, Tourmaline, and Jade to produce and distribute the heat.
- For the Infrared heating pads, the stones convert the light energy from the carbon fiber into heat energy; this heat penetrates deep into the nerves, muscle, and bones relieving you of pains.
The implication is that once your heating pad is removed, the relief you feel immediately vanishes, and the pain rushes back.
Now, compare this with the results from using an Infrared heating pad where for only a 30 minutes session you can get up to 6 hours of pain relief.
Another significant difference between them is safety concerns.
To understand this difference we have to take a look at what the infrared radiation is.
So it’s part of the sun’s spectrum – remember the UV light?
Ok, right. It happens that the infrared rays are at one end of the spectrum — while the UV rays are at the other end. However, in this case, the rays are low energy and thus, safe, being part of the sun’s radiation.
Though you can feel the heat, they don’t burn, and it is 100 percent safe for humans.
The technology is so safe that it’s actually used even in any neonatal units.
However, the electric in addition to producing heat also generates electromagnetic radiation (EMR).
The real concern is with the EMR, as they are often dangerous and can trigger a myriad of diverse health conditions including lymphomas, leukemia, and other types of cancers.
The Reviews
You are only going to read good things about this one, and there’s an excellent reason for it.
> From its flexible feature that molds tight to any shape following the curves and contours of your body to ensure that every inch of skin is covered and exposed to the healing tourmaline heat.
> To the four-hour auto shut off button, so you don’t have to worry about the nifty device sucking up electricity even if you forget or slept off from its soothing effect.
> Also, throw in the fact that it is lightweight and doesn’t add a ton of weight to your luggage when you are up and about, then you’d get why users are raving about this one.
Features:
- Deep-reaching soft rays that provide an effective and harmless method for pain relief.
- Emits more negative ions than other regular pads on the market. Negative ions stimulate the faster flow of blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the brain and other parts of the body enhancing the body’s ability to eliminate toxins.
- Smart controller with auto shut off and timer to regulate and save power usage, while also, preventing burns as a result of excessive use.
- A memory function that remembers your favorite settings
- 10-foot Extra-long cord for ease of use.
- A premium carry-along bag for storage.
This is a Federal Drug Agency (FDA) certified pad that has been proven to work.
The far rays emitted by the several pounds of amethyst gemstones penetrates 8 inches more into the inner tissues of the body than a standard pad reducing pain and relieving discomfort almost immediately.
Bath yourself in the healing, pain relieving negative ions from the gemstones which trigger a biochemical reaction in the body to ease stress, alleviate chronic fatigue, lift depression, boost immunity, and generally improves your wellbeing.
To cap it all, this mat features an innovative 17-layer system with a thick layer of natural Amethyst embedded with 100% pure untreated purple crystals that transmit the far heat into the deeper layers of the body.
Features:
- Highest quality red suede filled with pure crystals of purple Amethyst emitting rays to relief pain.
- Emits sought-after negative ions which helps slow down brain waves hence relieving stress, anxiety, and hastening sports injury healing process.
- Long enough cord that allows you comfortably use it while lying on your bed.
- Large enough to cover your whole spine area.
- Easy to operate controller with auto shut off settings.
Enjoy a millennium of proven effective Asian heat therapy with this incredible device.
You know, for centuries Jade stones have been used in treating different ailments including backaches, arthritis, and joint pain.
And this healing mat features over 80 pieces of 1-inch natural jade stones that emit the negative healing ion-packed rays that alleviate pain, relieve stress and even help you lose some weight.
Plus, it comes with a programmable thermostat and timer that ensures your nifty device produces heat at the right temperature.
Features:
- 81 pieces of 100% natural Jade stones.
- A programmable thermostat to provide a safe temperature. You can adjust the temperature from 25 to 50 degree Celsius.
- Timer to prevent excessive exposure to the heat.
- Blocks harmful electromagnetic field.
- Large enough to wrap around the body for a soothing heat therapy session.
If you are looking for a professional heating pad that includes the benefits of microelements like photons, the penetrative healing capabilities of Jade and Tourmaline stones, then this is exactly what you need.
Explicitly designed for someone suffering lower backache, neck, leg, knee or shoulder pain. Also, it’s suitable for people with chronic conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia, insomnia, and stress.
It is also suitable to use while driving – place it on your seat and enjoy the benefits.
Features:
- Hybrid upgrade configuration that includes 6 pieces of photon technology, combined with 36 pieces of tourmaline and 84 crystals of Jade that encourages acne removal, stimulates collagen production and boosts blood circulation.
- Adjustable Velcro body strap with six-length ranges to meet different body shapes.
- Comes packed with a smart digital control to help you set the temperature to your desired level.
- A 4-hour auto shut-off so you don’t have to worry about wasting energy and prevent burns as a result of excess heating.
- 10-foot extra-long cord plus a premium carry bag.
This heating pad from UTK is designed specifically for you if you experience neck and shoulder pain more than on your back.
It has an ergonomic design that fits perfectly around the contours of your shoulders and neck to effectively alleviate the pains.
Use the adjustable Velcro strap on the pad to keep it in place and with the extra 8.5-foot long cord, you can use it lying or sitting down.
Features:
- Electromagnetic radiation blocking technology that prevents harmful radiations from affecting your body.
- Deeper penetrating therapeutic heat for relieving neck and shoulder pains.
- Durable solid construction.
- A flexible pad that covers both the neck and shoulders.
- Memory function that remembers your favorite settings and temperature.
- Features a smart controller and timer for ease of use.
- Auto shut off to conserve energy.
This was our list! Next, here are some frequently asked questions which might’ve popped into your head as well!
FAQs
Do Far Infrared heating pads really work?
Are infrared heating pads safe?
Further Thoughts
One of the main concerns regarding these devices is if they really work or are just a marketing gimmick like tons of other devices out there. Well, Jade and Amethyst stones are used in therapies since ages. Combine tradition with technology and you have the definition of a wellness treatment.
But these devices go beyond that, dealing with medical conditions and simply making people’s lives better.
Do Infrared heating pads work? Yes, they do, helping out thousands of people who’re using them every single day, with great results. And this is not my two cents, but a conclusion backed up by tens and hundreds of studies and research papers.
Which one should you pick? Personally, all of them work as advertised so it’s more a matter of taste rather than which one is better.
