As a gym-goer and former high school athlete, I’m no stranger to aches and pains.
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I → ’m → aches
Thankfully, heating pads are a safe and easy way to soothe soreness at home.
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pads → soothe → home
Specifically, according to the experts, heating pads reduce your body’s perception of pain and stiffness by generating heat to increase blood flow to a certain area, which helps to increase mobility and circulation, reduce inflammation, and help you feel more relaxed.
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you → accord → inflammation
That being said, I gathered a list of expert-recommended and editor-tested heating pads to consider for treating muscle aches, menstrual cramps and more.
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You can find that list below along with guidance and shopping tips from Dr. Michele Christian, a physical therapist at Stroma Physical Therapy in New York City, Dr. Rolland Miro, a sports therapist, chiropractor and the owner/director of Manhattan Sports Therapy in New York, and Dr. Karena Wu, a board-certified clinical specialist in orthopedic physical therapy and owner and clinical director of ActiveCare Physical Therapy in NYC.
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The best heating pads
Best overall
NBC Selected senior editor Nikki Brown has had this heating pad for years and still uses it monthly when she has menstrual cramps.
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It’s made from a machine-washable, velveteen fabric pad and has four heat settings available on the included single-button controller.
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“It heats up fast and has an auto shutoff feature that comes in handy when using overnight,” says Brown.
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The pad also has moist heating features; to use, the brand says you should lightly mist the surface of your pad with water, or pat it gently with a wet sponge to add moisture.
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This electric option comes recommended by Chattanooga, who says it doesn’t need water to provide moist heat.
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The pad, which uses a flannel covering to draw moisture from the air, also includes a digital controller that lets you program and monitor the temperature and duration of your heating treatment up to 30 minutes, according to the brand.
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The temperature can be controlled between 88 and 166 degrees Fahrenheit, and it has a lockout mode that protects against accidental or inconsistent setting changes during the treatment.
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This microwaveable option comes recommended by Christian because of its cordless design and washable, cotton covering.
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option → recommend → design
Christian also says it can be dampened with water before microwaving to provide moist heat, and that it gradually loses heat while in use, which reduces your risk of burns.
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The pad’s star-shaped design provides more targeted and even heating, and the millet, flaxseed and claybead filling makes it flexible enough to be used on any part of the body, according to UNCN.
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You can also use it as a cold compress — just stick it in the fridge or freezer to cool it down.
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This moist heating pad “gets very hot and maintains heat well,” says Miro.
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To use it, the brand recommends heating the compress to your desired temperature using a hydroculator or, for those of you using it at home, a heated pot of water, or a microwave as a last resort.
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Since it gets so hot, Miro recommends layering a towel or other comfortable buffer between your skin and the pad, which he does in his own practice: “We wrap these up in a towel and place a few folded towels on the person before placing this pack on them,” he says.
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This pad is also pliable and more flexible when it’s heated, making it easier to mold to the shape of your targeted area, according to the brand.
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This heating pad from Bearaby (who also makes the NBC Selected Wellness Award-winning Terraclay Dreamer Sleep Mask), is both warmable and freezable, making it a versatile option for anyone in need of a dual heating pad/cold compress.
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Former NBC Selected editorial projects manager Rebecca Rodriguez calls it a “lifesaver” when she’s suffering from cramps, and says the weighted design gives her “the feeling of a big hug when [she] really needs one.”
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She also says that it stays warm the longest out of any heating pads she’s tried — after microwaving, it can stay hot for up to a full hour, according to the brand.
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Wu recommends Sunbeam’s heating pads because they’re easy to use and budget-friendly.
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This model comes with a nine-foot cord, a two-hour auto shut off, and a slide-button controller with three heat settings, according to the brand.
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It’s also great for targeting larger areas — it has a 24-inch length that Wu says is big enough to work “pretty much everywhere you need it on the body.”
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It also has a machine-washable cover, and can be used with moist heat by lightly spraying the surface with water.
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If you want to target your back or waist areas, Wu suggests this microwaveable heating pad from Suzzipad.
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It has an ergonomic design that fits around your lower waist to better localize your heat therapy session, according to the brand.
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It’s filled with flaxseed, millet, clay beads and sorghum, which can trap both heat and cold, making it a great dual treatment option.
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The pad is also double-sided, with one side made of a soft, fuzzy material and the other side made of a smooth, Dutch velvet for extra heat retention, according to the brand.
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NBC Selected editorial operations associate Jem Alabi usually opts for the traditional heated rubber water bottle, but when it comes to travel, she says it’s not feasible outside of the home.
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“This pad has been a miracle for me many times,” she says.
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She uses it not only for aches and pains, but to help with creating and preserving heat in cold airports and on planes.
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The pad gives up to two hours of heat on a full charge, and she loves how it’s designed to be easily portable.
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“You can literally walk around or sit for hours without needing your hands, and it’s small and not really noticeable under clothing,” she says.
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How I picked the best heating pads
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While pulling together this list, experts told me to focus mainly on the different types of heating pads.
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According to Wu, the two main categories of heating pads are moist pads and dry pads.
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Moist pads, often used by professionals in clinical settings, are wet and require a heating pad protector and layers of material between the skin and pad.
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…and 29 more, not listed.
The Aporia
