Best Heating Pads for Neck and Shoulders Reviewed

Shoulder and neck pain causes severe discomfort.

From concerns as simple as slight pain to an inability to move the neck, it is important to treat this pain right away.

One of the easiest and most consistently successful treatment methods is the use of a neck and shoulder heating pad.

But how do you know what kind of neck or shoulder heating pad to buy?

Do you want a microwaveable heating pad or an electrically heated neck pillow?

Maybe a heated neck wrap would be more your style.

With the help of this heating pad buying guide, choosing a product doesn’t have to be a headache.

Here, I’m going to break down the way these pads work, what you should look for from a high-quality pad, and how you may use one to alleviate your neck and shoulder pain.

Please read this information carefully to get an idea of what to expect from the various types of heating pads on the market today.

You’ll be able to find a neck heating pad that works for your unique needs, and which manages your neck and shoulder pain quickly and efficiently.

What are Heating Pads for Neck and Shoulders?

Heating pads for the neck and shoulders are designed to generate a high level of heat and focus it on an injured area.

There are many different types of these pads available.

Some of the most popular are electric pads that can be plugged in and adjusted for maximum heating efficiency.

Other pads are microwaveable, and useful for occasional situations.

In some instances, heating pad shape and use will vary depending on the area to which it is applied.

For example, the neck and shoulders benefit from a heated neck wrap, as this will fully cover the pained area.

This item is ideal for people who want to use their heating pad while watching television or reading.

That said, a heated neck pillow can also be used while you are sleeping or lying own.

But what exactly are the benefits of a heating pad?

Why would one help manage your pain and why should you consider purchasing one for your home?

Benefits of Heating Pads for Neck and Shoulders

So how can a neck or neck and shoulder heating pad help with your pain?

First, let’s take a look at the healing mechanism of heat.

When people apply heat to an injured or distressed area, they are relaxing the muscles in this area, allowing them to stretch out.

This heating action also heals adhesion tissues.

As a result, blood flow increases to the area and improves overall healing.

Beyond increased blood flow, though, heating will also decrease the frequency and severity of pain signals to the brain.

Dulling these signals doesn’t mean that the injury is healed, but it does help alleviate much of the severe pain in the area.

Heat therapy of this type is useful because it is inexpensive and easy to implement.

Anyone can apply a heating pad to their neck and shoulders to relieve much of their pain.

It is also non-invasive when compared to other healing treatments, and doesn’t require the use of potentially addictive pain medications.

While a heating pad cannot be used as a single treatment for neck and shoulder pain, it is a powerful way of managing it.

But just how do heating pads for the neck and shoulders work?

Let’s take a look at the operation of these pads to understand the answer to this crucial question.

How Heating Pads for Neck and Shoulders Work

The mode of operation of a heating pad for the neck and shoulders will vary depending on the type you purchase.

An electric pad is fairly easy to understand.

All you need to do is plug it in, wrap it around your neck and shoulders, and turn on the heat.

Adjusting the heat level ensures that you don’t receive too much heat from the pad, and can stay comfortable and safe from burns.

Even better, good electric heating pads come with useful safety features.

For example, most will have an automatic shutoff if the pad gets too hot.

In this way, you can avoid the serious problems discussed in more depth below.

Some pads even have timers that you can use to turn off your pad after a period.

This option is very useful because it ensures that you don’t apply heat for too long to your injured area.

While heat can help relieve pain, too much heat will start to have the opposite effect and can be problematic.

Timers avoid this kind of injury and keep your neck and shoulder safe from the excessive pain that would otherwise occur.

Microwave heating pads work by absorbing heat in the microwave and transferring it to your body.

Place the pad in the microwave for the time indicated in the instructions, remove it when done, and carefully wrap it around your neck and shoulders.

These basic guidelines are useful to understand, but it is also important to know more exact methods to use these heating pads.

How to Use Heating Pads for Neck and Shoulders

Safely using a heating pad requires managing the temperature properly and making sure that it doesn’t get too warm.

The maximum temperature limit set for heating pads is 176 degrees Fahrenheit.

That said, very few will go over 110-160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Try out your pad by warming it to the hottest and the coolest it will go.

Wear the pad briefly to decide if these temperatures are too extreme for your needs.

Now, carefully narrow the temperature to an appropriate range.

You should probably choose a heat level that is just slightly warmer than your comfort.

In this way, you get a maximum degree of healing without being too uncomfortable.

Depending on the type of pad you purchase, setting the temperature can be done in a few ways.

High-quality electric pads will let you input the exact temperature that you want to use.

Lower-quality pads will simply have a heat level or wheel that you can adjust.

Experiment with these settings to get the right temperature, and apply the pad directly to your neck and shoulders.

Microwave heating pads require a little more care because getting the exact temperature you want can be tricky.

Obviously, though, microwaving the pad for a longer period will make it hotter.

Most of these pads will come with a heat timing guide that you can use to get the warmth you desire.

This guide’s accuracy will vary depending on your microwave, so be prepared to experiment.

After warming your pad, wrap it around your neck and shoulders and let the heat do its magic.

It should take no more than 20-30 minutes for pain relief to start.

Remove your pad after no longer than an hour.

Place it in an area where it is safe to cool down and store it until you need to use it again.

What to Look for in Heating Pads for Neck and Shoulders

When searching for heating pads, make sure to find a flexible one that is easy to wrap around your neck and shoulders.

Without flexibility, a heating pad is essentially useless.

Take it out of the box, if necessary, and try it out around your neck and shoulders.

If it doesn’t conform, give it a pass.

When deciding on the material type, try to find one that uses jade stones.

These stones are used in microwave heating pads and are all-natural.

They are also safer to use than other types of heating materials.

Try to avoid pads that use heat gel, as this material can be problematic if leaks occur.

Don’t be afraid to spend a little more on a model that has heat control.

Electric heating pads are great because they allow you to pinpoint a more accurate heat level.

Find one that allows you to input the temperature directly.

Make sure you also find one that has an automatic shutoff to protect your skin from burns.

The size of the pad is also an important consideration.

For a neck and shoulder pad, medium or large should be more than enough.

A small will probably be inappropriate for total neck and shoulder relief.

However, an extra-large will typically be too bulky for your shoulders, causing it to fall off or to be too difficult to use.

What to Avoid in Heating Pads for Neck and Shoulders

Try to avoid buying used heating pads, as these are often too worn out to be effective.

You should also try to avoid heating pads that have no instructions on the box, which have frays on the cord or have tears on the exterior surface.

Open the box before purchase, take a look at the quality of the pad, and use this information to influence your decision.

However, you should also do research online to find out if a pad has been recalled, or if customers have complained about electrical shorts or any other problems.

These customer reviews are vital to choosing a heating pad and should be used every time you are interested in buying a heating pad for your neck and shoulders.

Precautions

When considering purchasing a heating pad, there are a few precautions you need to take.

First of all, you need to understand the potential danger a heating pad may pose to your home.

How can a heating pad be dangerous? If left on for too long, it can cause fires.

This is particularly a problem if you use electric heating pads against any flammable material, such as cotton bed sheets.

It is, therefore, a good idea to limit your heating pad use to no more than an hour at a time, to decrease the danger of fires.

You should also avoid sleeping while using a heating pad.

Sleeping with one on can increase the risk of a fire, or even cause burns on your skin that can be difficult to treat and which may take the time to heal.

For example, if you use a heating pad for extended periods at its highest heat level, you could cause skin burning and scarring.

Try to keep it set to a medium heat to ensure that you don’t burn.

These precautions are mostly relevant to electric heating pads, though, and a microwavable heating pad is less likely to cause these problems.

That said, there are also precautions you must take with microwave pads.

For example, you should only microwave them for the time indicated in the instructions.

Microwaving them for an extended period can cause the pad to be too hot.

Picking up an incredibly hot microwave heating pad can cause painful burns on your hands.

It is also advisable to check your microwave heating pad regularly for tears in the fabric.

These cracks can allow the heating material to escape, which may be very hot if it leaks, as the exterior material of the heating pad typically traps much of its heat inside the pad.

Contact with this stuffing may cause burns, so sew up the surface of your pad or replace it if the tear is too large to repair.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many important considerations to keep in mind when choosing a neck or shoulder heating pad.

For example, you want to avoid heating pads that are too hot for your personal needs.

You also want to choose a pad that specifically targets the pain problem from which you are suffering.

Taking the time to investigate each pad carefully will give you the best result.

Make sure to read the box carefully and try to find a store that has display models you can try out.

In this way, you can purchase the best pad for your needs.

And remember: just because a pad is expensive, that doesn’t mean it is automatically great.

Some of the best pads are available at very low prices.

Product price doesn’t always indicate quality, for heating pads.